Just bought 135 orchard

[JerryG]

Like FWJ said, Ebay has parts or you can Google "Massey Ferguson parts" and you will get a lot of hits. You can get a ton of after market parts. You can also get pretty good prices from a MF dealer on what they call Heritage parts.

 

[JerryG]

I wonder why the rear axles on my 1964 MF-135 orchard tractor are different from those on Dirtlegs 1971 tractor. When did MF make this rear end change?

All the factory 135 orchard tractors had 165 rear axles. There are several 135s that have had the standard tires and wheels replaced with the size that the orchard models had for stability and or flotation. There are also orchard models that have had standard tires and wheels installed because they were less expensive than the wide tires.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

All the factory 135 orchard tractors had 165 rear axles. There are several 135s that have had the standard tires and wheels replaced with the size that the orchard models had for stability and or flotation. There are also orchard models that have had standard tires and wheels installed because they were less expensive than the wide tires.

Not sure of the exact year, but earliest 165's (and I would assume early 135 Orchards) had a different rear end design than later models. I THINK it was along about 1966 or 67, there was a change made to the 165. Possibly the 135 Orchard changed rear end styles about the same time?

Standard 135's and 150's had a total of 3 different rear end housing castings during their production run, all with seperate part #'s.

 

[flusher]

Not sure of the exact year, but earliest 165's (and I would assume early 135 Orchards) had a different rear end design than later models. I THINK it was along about 1966 or 67, there was a change made to the 165. Possibly the 135 Orchard changed rear end styles about the same time?

Standard 135's and 150's had a total of 3 different rear end housing castings during their production run, all with seperate part #'s.

FWJ: thanks for the info. Unfortunately the "World-Wide Guide to Massey Ferguson 100 and 1000 Tractors (1964-1988)" doesn't have many rear view photos so that source is not much use in answering this question.

 

[flusher]

Not sure of the exact year, but earliest 165's (and I would assume early 135 Orchards) had a different rear end design than later models. I THINK it was along about 1966 or 67, there was a change made to the 165. Possibly the 135 Orchard changed rear end styles about the same time?

Standard 135's and 150's had a total of 3 different rear end housing castings during their production run, all with seperate part #'s.

Did a little more research in my MF-135 parts manual.

Here's the drawing of the standard rear axle without diff lock (which corresponds to my 135)

and here's the drawing of the rear axle for the orchard tractor for S/N 9A1300003 and up (which looks like Dirtleg's 135)

Dirtleg's 135 is definitely an orchard tractor.

My 135 has the standard rear axle. Makes me wonder if my 135 originally was set up as a standard row crop tractor with 28" dia rims and if the 1st or 2nd owner didn't swap out the taller rear wheels for shorter ones wth the 16" dia rims and replace the front spindles with shorter ones to work in his olive orchard. I'll have to ask next time I see him.

 

[JerryG]

Not sure of the exact year, but earliest 165's (and I would assume early 135 Orchards) had a different rear end design than later models. I THINK it was along about 1966 or 67, there was a change made to the 165. Possibly the 135 Orchard changed rear end styles about the same time?

Standard 135's and 150's had a total of 3 different rear end housing castings during their production run, all with seperate part #'s.

I agree that there were some differences in the axles, but all that I have ever seen personally have had a 165 axle. For one difference, the mounting area for the fenders were different in the earlier models but as far as I know they all had the same style axle. There were several ways that MF matched things up in the 1960s and early 1970s. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they put a different axle under them for a while which I haven't seen yet.
If someone can come up with a picture of a early model 135 orchard rear axle, please post it. I try to keep pictures of things that were different on the orchard and industrials but I haven't run across an early model since I started keeping pictures like that.

 

[JerryG]

My 135 has the standard rear axle. Makes me wonder if my 135 originally was set up as a standard row crop tractor with 28" dia rims and if the 1st or 2nd owner didn't swap out the taller rear wheels for shorter ones wth the 16" dia rims and replace the front spindles with shorter ones to work in his olive orchard. I'll have to ask next time I see him.

The original owner could have very well of ordered the wide short tires and different spindles without actually ordering the expensive rear axle. There were several that I would have to call some kind of special order that went through the shop when I worked at MF. One of the strangest that I can remember or it was strange to me anyway was a 3165 industrial. It was a gas model which had pillow turf tires. The part that was really odd to me was that the rear axle measured just a little under 8' from hub to hub. That was one wide low tractor.

 

[Dirtleg]

Well I apologize for not participating in this thread for a while. Took the family to the beach for a few days. Seems like there has been some interesting things said.

Flusher, which manual do you have? Or rather where can a person get a copy of that. I have looked at the ebay manual selection but am not sure which one to get. Almost too many choices.

It seems you need an operators manual and a parts manual. Anything else?

 

[flusher]

Well I apologize for not participating in this thread for a while. Took the family to the beach for a few days. Seems like there has been some interesting things said.

Flusher, which manual do you have? Or rather where can a person get a copy of that. I have looked at the ebay manual selection but am not sure which one to get. Almost too many choices.

It seems you need an operators manual and a parts manual. Anything else?

I have the MF-135 service manual and the parts manual from Jensales.

Best Tractor Manuals In The World! - Jensales

My MF-135 operator manual came from Yesterday's Tractors (if I remember correctly)

Discount Tractor Parts and Manuals for Older and Antique Tractors

I also have the I&T shop manual (it's manual # MF-27). You can get these from Amazon.com

I don't particularly care for the I&T manual.

I also have Big Dean Austin's CD that's filled with info.

Big Dean's Massey Ferguson tips

Dean was an MF service technician for over 30 years and knows these tractors inside and out.

Good luck.