MF 1742 Not Happy With It

Devi8 · Aug 8, 2017

TSO said:
Massey switched to Alo-Quicke loaders with the new 17xx series tractors... For years they had been sourcing loaders from Soo Tractor (Radius Steel in Iowa). My 1648 & 1652 machines have the Soo loaders and I'm extremely happy with their performance and longevity. I've commented on this numerous times already, but to me, the Alo-Quicke loaders do not appear as robust as the Soo loaders.

With that said, I've used my tractors hard. I don't purposely try to hurt them, not purposely attempt off center lifts, but it happens. In the thousand or so hours I've put on my Iseki built Massey tractors, i can't complain one bit about their quality, construction, reliability, any of it. I'm sure that eventually I'll break something on it, but it'll most likely be my fault LOL

This is what I was thinking, I believe they switch with the GC series as well, the SOO was the DL100 and the Alo is the DL 95, On paper the 95 is suppose to have a 30% lift increase, but that DL100 is built like a tank same with the backhoe units.

sspc · Aug 8, 2017

UPDATE: The quick disconnect on the fel is flexed from corner loading dealer said, also forgot to mention I was having problems with the clutch binding, now this is a non-cab tractor, dealer found also when depressing clutch pedal the dash was flexing, they had to put a brace on it to prevent the bind of the clutch pedal, also fan blade into fan shroud, radiator mounted incorrectly, vertical from factory. very poor workmanship, I think it's going to be put up for sale and go back to a New Holland tractor........

k0ua · Aug 8, 2017

sspc said:
UPDATE: The quick disconnect on the fel is flexed from corner loading dealer said, also forgot to mention I was having problems with the clutch binding, now this is a non-cab tractor, dealer found also when depressing clutch pedal the dash was flexing, they had to put a brace on it to prevent the bind of the clutch pedal, also fan blade into fan shroud, radiator mounted incorrectly, vertical from factory. very poor workmanship, I think it's going to be put up for sale and go back to a New Holland tractor........

Yep, time to unload that one...It sounds like the bean counters have "had their way" with the engineers.

TSO · Aug 8, 2017

It sounds more like a unicorn.

Radiator mounted incorrectly from the factory? That seems crazy to believe. Did you buy a black market tractor?

atsah · Aug 9, 2017

My DL95 Alo is as strong as they get, I have loaded one side of my aftermarket 60 inch bucket with gravel a hundred times without an issue.

Phillip w · Aug 9, 2017

atsah said:
My DL95 Alo is as strong as they get, I have loaded one side of my aftermarket 60 inch bucket with gravel a hundred times without an issue.

This maybe true, but a bucket of sand is generally heavier than a bucket of gravel. If the sand is wet sand it would be heavier yet. I would not be surprised if a full bucket off wet sand does not make the back of the tractor light and require a counter weight.

atsah · Aug 10, 2017

If my rears weren't loaded and I didn't have a weight box with 300lbs in it my front tires would be the only ones on the ground with a 60 inch bucket full of 1 inch river gravel.

Wobblin-Goblin · Aug 12, 2017

TomSeller said:
Got it, I guess 8 just never heard it called that. Doing so is obviously not something that should be done but the FEL should take it if it is rated for the load. I think that is partially why Kubota's conservative ratings are often lower than some brands. I know I can lift more than what my two Kubotas are rated for but I only do that on a centered load.

It's my experience with my 1643 that it will exceed the lift ratings of its loader. I've lifted large round bales that are 1,600-1,700lbs. The tractor definitely needs a counterweight to do that, though.

Wobblin-Goblin · Aug 12, 2017

JWR said:
I have mentioned this on other threads but there is little/no data on torsion with front end loaders. The industry does not test them in torsion. The Univ. of Nebraska tractor testing lab does not test them in torsion. I have been rough on my DL250 loader on a MF2660. Pryed stumps, dug up rocks, lifted way off center loads of mud cleaning springs out, back dragged hard clay, etc. Serious abuse can bend the loader frame or even break welds. (for the record I've bent mine but never broken a weld...) BUT in my view it should be very difficult to hurt a loader that was properly designed for the tractor it is made to fit. The idea of having to tip toe around off center loads and "corner lifts" is absurd.

Agreed. We have numerous tractors of all stripes and ages on our farm. Some truly do need to be babied, but that's because they weren't designed or matched well to the tractors they were installed on.

Like you said, outside of blatant abuse, a loader should be able to handle pretty much everything the tractor it's attached to can dish out. If the loader can't, it's because the design was more or less deficient for the machine.

In my opinion, MF made a big mistake with these new loaders. They don't appear to be nearly as stout as the ones they replaced, and to make up for it, they (MF) put smaller buckets on the new loaders. Any time you see a small bucket on a loader, it's a safe bet that the loader is deficient in some way.

Shame on Massey for these new loaders.