1971 MF 165 that has 3 pt hitch weakness

[tjlutz]

Thank you DLT! Much appreciated!

 

[tjlutz]

Ok Gentlemen, on the right track but encountered an issue when putting everything back together which is, arms come up but won't go down! A theory I have is the master control spring/draft control spring isn't screwed in quite far enough. It's tight but not as tight as when I first removed it. I needed a hammer to remove the lock nut and I didn't hammer it in tight. I'm not concerned of it coming out but it isn't as tight as it was. Thoughts?

 

[JWR]

Jerry: The 3pt lift only lifts up and provides no force downward. Normally gravity and whatever implement or load is on the 3pt moves it downward. [But I assumed you knew that.] Do you mean you cannot force it downward? Have you tried moving a bale with it ?

 

[tjlutz]

JWR, that is correct, I cannot force it down. By moving the outer draft control lever, I was able to move the arms up and down. Now the arms only move up and when the draft control is moved downward, the arms stay put in the up position. When the tractor is turned off, then the arms go down.

 

[JWR]

Have you disconnected the top link from the Draft control spring/pin? [Of course you can't do that unless you have some other way to hold the top link solid like a bypass kit or your own bypass linkage.]

With the Draft control lever in the full up position and the Position Control lever fully down you can't force the lift arms downward ? Tried all that with a load on the bale forks ?

 

[tjlutz]

The top link isn't disconnected from the draft control spring currently. I was seeing if I had normal functionality as I had before the dismantling. So I haven't attempted to pick up a bale as yet. Had exceedingly difficult time putting the side plate back on with the fast/slow slide giving us issues. I think it is in the correct position whereby it is on top of the spring-loaded screw that activates a small piston-like mechanism. There is so little movement in the fast/slow pin going into the tractor (maybe 1/4"), that it seems insignificant in its function. None-the-less, the side plate is on, but no downward motion to the arms.

 

[JWR]

Before doing any 'bypass' or changing anything (other than getting back to original configuration) you should be able to lift something with the 3pt and gravity should lower it back down. Originally you said it would lift a bale but only about 6" right ? Back then it did lower to the ground when you used the Position Control, right ? If you get it back to that original circumstance, I would try a lighter load on the 3pt (whatever is handy, an implement, a couple guys standing up on the bale forks and holding on, some concrete blocks hung on the bale forks, whatever.) With a load lighter than the bale it should raise way up much more than the 6" and should lower to the ground with that same load.

There could be something wrong with the lift but I am still doubting it.

Another thought: most tractors have an adjustment knob or lever to control the "down speed" when lowering loads on the 3pt. If that adjustment is jammed at the "slow" setting the lift might refuse to lower or be very sluggish in lowering. I'd play with that control first, move it to the faster lowering position, and see if it will lower normally or not. If it has not been moved in a long time you might want to run that control up and down a few times to free things.

 

[tjlutz]

Before doing any 'bypass' or changing anything (other than getting back to original configuration) you should be able to lift something with the 3pt and gravity should lower it back down. Originally you said it would lift a bale but only about 6" right ? Back then it did lower to the ground when you used the Position Control, right ? If you get it back to that original circumstance, I would try a lighter load on the 3pt (whatever is handy, an implement, a couple guys standing up on the bale forks and holding on, some concrete blocks hung on the bale forks, whatever.) With a load lighter than the bale it should raise way up much more than the 6" and should lower to the ground with that same load.
All the above is correct. Haven't made any 'bypass' as yet, just trying to see if everything is working as it was prior to dismantle. It isn't. Arms go up when the tractor is started and stay up no matter what levers are moved. Fast/slow slide has been moved numerous times with no change is arms position.

There could be something wrong with the lift but I am still doubting it.

Another thought: most tractors have an adjustment knob or lever to control the "down speed" when lowering loads on the 3pt. If that adjustment is jammed at the "slow" setting the lift might refuse to lower or be very sluggish in lowering. I'd play with that control first, move it to the faster lowering position, and see if it will lower normally or not. If it has not been moved in a long time you might want to run that control up and down a few times to free things.

The fast/slow slide has been moved with no change in arms position.

 

[JWR]

Well, try a lighter load than the bale (maybe half its' weight) and see if you can get 'normal' operation. Very strange. I'm hoping there is nothing actually wrong with the lift.

 

[tjlutz]

I'll give it a try! Thanks!