Massey Ferguson GC2300 Need Advice on Loading on trailer

[Buttons]

Tractor is located approx 150 miles from me and I need to trailer it to my home. Tractor will not start so use of hydraulics is out and no other tractor available to switch hydraulics. When trying to start all I get is a rapid clicking, which from reading other post here, indicates a short somewhere or bad starter. I have tried new battery and also jumper cables from my truck.
To solve my problem, I need to get this tractor loaded on a trailer, but with bucket on ground I just don't know how to do it. My immediate question is can I remove the four pins which hold bucket to FEL and have clearance between the arms and ground or will the arms drop to ground once the pins are removed. Any and all advice appreciated.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

I was in much the same situation with my Kubota. Wrap a chain around the Front End Loader, with the lead to the chain at the bottom of the bucket, facing forward.
As you crank the winch, to pull the tractor up the trailer ramp, the FEL will first lift a foot or two, and then pull the tractor behind it. Depending on the height of the trailer bed, you may need to raise the winch in order to cause the FEL to miss the trailer.
The rapid clicking you mentioned - I too would have though battery. Check that your terminals are clean and the cables are clamped tightly to the terminals. There are more problems with grounds than there are with the positive side.

 

[Buttons]

Thanks for your reply. I can see where this might work, but as I indicated, I am 150 miles away and won't be able to try this until at least next week. Also, I am still wondering about removing the pins from the arms which hold the bucket. Anybody have thoughts or experience with this?

 

[oldnslo]

If like my Branson Removing the pins that hold the bucket on will let the curl cylinders flop around. Lift arms can also settle to the ground depending on how much leakage there is in your system.

you can also sometimes jack the loader up with joystick in float. Then put joystick in normal spring loaded position to hold loader in place.

 

[CoyPatton]

I fear that if you drive out your bucket pins (harder to do than it sounds with weight on the bucket) your lift arms will drip quickly to the ground and dig in.
I would suggest getting some angle iron to take with you snd a good jack and perhaps some wood blocks to get greater height from the jack.
Put the loader controller in to float mode which should allow hydraulic fluid to return to the tank. Jack up the bucket/loader arms. Not know what type of trailer you will be using, I can not tell how high you need to raise the bucket. It could be 1 foot or a couple or more. Once raised to your needed height, place cut to needed lengths of angle iron on cylinder rod to hold it extended. Use whatever to secure angle iron—zip ties work well. Let jack down to put weight of loader on the angle iron. Loader should now stay raised.
I recommend pulling with winch from the tractor and not loader once it raised to avoid undoing what you have. You want it raised to unload.
If you have replaced the battery with a known good battery, I would check all connection points of battery cables looking for rust at frame and corrosion. It is extremely common for the dissimilar metals at the frame ground connection to develop issues. It is not uncommon for there to be 3 different types of metal there. The cable end (often aluminum or copper), iron frame, and steel bolt and washers. A recipe for corrosion.

 

[WranglerX]

I fear that if you drive out your bucket pins (harder to do than it sounds with weight on the bucket) your lift arms will drip quickly to the ground and dig in.
I would suggest getting some angle iron to take with you snd a good jack and perhaps some wood blocks to get greater height from the jack.
Put the loader controller in to float mode which should allow hydraulic fluid to return to the tank. Jack up the bucket/loader arms. Not know what type of trailer you will be using, I can not tell how high you need to raise the bucket. It could be 1 foot or a couple or more. Once raised to your needed height, place cut to needed lengths of angle iron on cylinder rod to hold it extended. Use whatever to secure angle iron—zip ties work well. Let jack down to put weight of loader on the angle iron. Loader should now stay raised.
I recommend pulling with winch from the tractor and not loader once it raised to avoid undoing what you have. You want it raised to unload.
If you have replaced the battery with a known good battery, I would check all connection points of battery cables looking for rust at frame and corrosion. It is extremely common for the dissimilar metals at the frame ground connection to develop issues. It is not uncommon for there to be 3 different types of metal there. The cable end (often aluminum or copper), iron frame, and steel bolt and washers. A recipe for corrosion.

Winning solution...

 

[dusty3030]

Have you tried shorting the starter solenoid directly to the starter in order to crank it?
It's dangerous in that you are bypassing any and all safeties and you can start it in gear, but you can start the tractor.

 

[CoyPatton]

Have you tried shorting the starter solenoid directly to the starter in order to crank it?
It's dangerous in that you are bypassing any and all safeties and you can start it in gear, but you can start the tractor.

Rarely works if ground is compromised.
It does bypass all safety switches and does potentially put you at risk.
With a clicking happening, it sounds as thought the starting electrical system is in good shape, just a failure to get required amps to the starter. Most common is a bad connection.

 

[DMW]

The ground strap on the front of the engine to the chassis has been known to break. Some were too tight and engine vibration eventually broke them.
That being said, the GC2300s have a lot of corrosion issues with the fuse box. Even if the fuses are ok, the connectors inside the box may have to be cleaned.

 

[CoyPatton]

The ground strap on the front of the engine to the chassis has been known to break. Some were too tight and engine vibration eventually broke them.
That being said, the GC2300s have a lot of corrosion issues with the fuse box. Even if the fuses are ok, the connectors inside the box may have to be cleaned.

I have no ideal on the Gc2300’s, but on my old tractor the fuse block gets power from the ignition switch. Thus while corrosion at the fuse block would cause all types of electrical issues, it would not causes issues with the starting circuit.
Again I have no specific knowledge regarding this tractor.

 

[DMW]

Pulling from the rear draw pin, just put the loader in float. Pulling front the front frame, place chain under the bucket. Loader in float, the arms/bucket will rise as you pull. As long as the cutting edge doesn't bite into anything, the bucket should just slide along. Removing the bucket isn't necessary.

 

[Jchonline]

Can you not unhook the hydraulic hoses and bleed off the pressure so you can move the FEL. Jack it up a bit or connect it to the winch...it should move freely with no hydraulic pressure.

 

[Buttons]

First of all, thanks to all who replied. Since I am not close to the tractor to experiment, I don't know how to put the tractor into float using the joystick. Can someone explain to me in very simple terms, how to put the tractor into float, keeping in mind that the tractor does not run. Thanks.

 

[K5lwq]

Not all loader valves have float. But if it does, you should be able to push the joystick all the way forward and feel a detent. The lever will stay up. This is float and does not require the tractor to be running. Now the fluid in the cylinders can have a path back to tank allowing the cylinders to retract when you jack or lift the loader up.

If it does not have float, use a bungee cord to hold the lever down as in raising the loader and that will allow fluid to go back to tank while lifting the loader.

 

[dirttoys]

I would try and start the tractor, clicking, as said, is usually just a connection, jumper from new battery to hot side of starter and battery ground to frame. Make sure in neutral, with brake set.

Failing starting the tractor, crack the hoses, and pull tractor backwards on to trailer. bucket will lightly drag.

Best,

ed

 

[DMW]

The GC2300 has float, as K5lwq posted, push the lever all the way forward, you push past a resistance point (detent) and the joystick will stay in place. There will be no hydraulics preventing the loader arms from lowering or raising due to jacking or gravity.

 

[TreeToad]

Tractor is located approx 150 miles from me and I need to trailer it to my home. Tractor will not start so use of hydraulics is out and no other tractor available to switch hydraulics. When trying to start all I get is a rapid clicking, which from reading other post here, indicates a short somewhere or bad starter. I have tried new battery and also jumper cables from my truck.
To solve my problem, I need to get this tractor loaded on a trailer, but with bucket on ground I just don't know how to do it. My immediate question is can I remove the four pins which hold bucket to FEL and have clearance between the arms and ground or will the arms drop to ground once the pins are removed. Any and all advice appreciated.

I had a safety switch hang up so I was dead in the water. GC1705 with FEL tiller on the rear. 72 years and a 4000lb come a long and a couple hours it was back up on the trailer

 

[JWR]

Several good points above. Assuming your trailer is long enough to avoid loader clearance issues, just winch it on backwards. Lift the loader using a come-along if need be between the ROPS and the front tip of the bucket. Then support it with something (like a good heavy rope) not so much to hold it up but to miinimize the drop force onto the trailer rear gate if it needs to be there.
I would not give up starting it first !! As others said, clean and retighten the ground strap at the frame first. Of course check the battery connections and clean them if need be. Use your jumper cables. A clip lead from the positive jumper cable to the solenoid may get the solenoid to engage as it would on many tractors. I'd spend a lot of time trying to get it running before I'd try any of these other "dead movement" solutions. Be sure to take jumper cables, clip leads, wrenches, wire brush, sandpaper, etc. on that trip. I would also bet that SOMEONE nearby the tractor could assist getting it started if you leave plenty of time to hunt around for help, etc. Good luck. Let us know the outcome.

 

[Buttons]

All great advice. I am planning on making the trip next week, weather permitting. I will definitely try starting first, but I took the ground cable off and cleaned last trip, but that did not help, will try again. I am putting my tools together now, but invariably there will be something I missed. Thanks everyone for the advice and I will post my results next week.

 

[DMW]

Just for clarification, the rapid clicking you hear when trying to start, is it the electric fuel pump or from the starter?