Why No Hydraulic Filters On Most Older Farm Tractors

[Chewwy]

Any thoughts on why most older farm tractors had no filter on the hydraulic/transmission fluid system, relying simply on sump screens.

Most newer farm tractors have both separate transmission and hydraulic fluid filters. Not saying anything wrong with the addition of filtration, but the older tractors seemed to have functioned pretty well without it.

My thoughts are that the older tractors did not usually rely on the hydraulic system as much lacking front end loaders or rear remotes and generally had manual transmissions.

 

[300UGUY]

THe old tractors were mostly gas tractors, with pretty simple hydraulic systems. Some were low pressure, as low as 8 or 900 psi. And really, I think it took time to show what was necessary. The modern, high pressure systems, have somewhat fussy valves that cannot take a lot of dirt.

 

[RickB]

They didn’t know any better.

 

[300UGUY]

They didn’t know any better.

Yeah, that’s probably the simplest, best answer.

 

[LouNY]

Depending on the tractor, farmalls since the late 560's had decent filters.

 

[RickB]

Depending on the tractor, farmalls since the late 560's had decent filters.

460 and 560 in 1958 would have been the first IH s with anything more than a screen. Three digit Olivers had a paper element about the same time.

 

[Dave M7040]

My 1965 Nuffield 465 bad a suction screen but also, after removing the 3 pt casting, a paper filter as well.

Dave M7040

 

[Chewwy]

THe old tractors were mostly gas tractors, with pretty simple hydraulic systems. Some were low pressure, as low as 8 or 900 psi. And really, I think it took time to show what was necessary. The modern, high pressure systems, have somewhat fussy valves that cannot take a lot of dirt.

Older I buy. Certainly no hydraulics on the steam powered units and older, generally gas power, tractors.

My tractor experience is limited. But had I a 64 David Brown, 53 hp diesel, 2000 psig hydraulic; and still have a 77 MF 265, 62 hp diesel, 2300 psig hydraulic; both with only sump screens. Both are manual with only 3 pt lift using hydraulic. Used the 990 until 2007, and still use the MF 265. Finally gave up the 990 because steering gear was worn out. The MF has over 3200 hrs and the 3 pt lift is still very strong.

Seems newer means more gadgets, more complexity, but not necessarily any better at the tasks at hand.

It is interesting that the MF has two hydraulic pumps. The pump operating the 3 pt lift has only a sump screen. The aux hydraulics pump, sometimes used for FEL and rear remotes came with external hydraulic fluid filter.

 

[MHarryE]

Users rely on hydraulics more all the time. The pumps on old tractors wore out quickly if used a lot. Our afar all H was our loader tractor and we often rebuilt the pump. Still gear pumps have always been tolerant of dirty oil compared to piston pumps. That’s why hydro CUTs usually have a coarse suction filter (too fine and it won’t allow oil in on cold starts). Then the oil goes through a very fine filter before entering the hydrostatic system.

 

[deserteagle71]

What do you consider old? My 60 year old John Deere 2020 has both a sump screen and a separate canister type hydraulic filter (Wix 1147) that I change out periodically. A messy job; getting the canister and filter off the tractor is easy but then getting it all back together is a real pain!