Loader Any MF 1260/1246 owners willing to lend a hand?

[jpat34721]

I have discovered that my FEL (1246) is connected incorrectly on my 1260. The previous owner mickey-moused the connection, teeing into the 3PH/draft control return. This is causing some dangerous interactions between my FEL and 3PH operation (if I raise the bucket and forget to disengage draft control- which is also used to put implements in transport position, the joystick control locks and the bucket keeps rising. I have to turn off the tractor tyo get the joystick to release.)

I believe the mis-wire is also the source of my spool valve leakage which only seems to occur when the DC is engaged. I had the spool valve repaired ($300 ) and after about 5 hours it started leaking again.

Looking at the loader manual I see the FEL connection is not supposed to be tee'd in. Instead, the factory configuration has to be modified for the 1260 as follows (from page 31 of the FEL manual):

Install 1/2 NPT (F) x 3/8" reducing coupling and female half of supplied coupler to hose. Install 3/8" NPT x 2' nipple followed by male coupler to manifold block

This is all pretty much greek to me. Can anyone tell me what I need to buy (and from where) to get to the factory recommended installation? If anyone with this combination could take a picture of the connections that would be a big help.

Thanks as always.
Jeff

 

[JerryG]

It depends on which valve you have. What brand, model and location.

 

[jpat34721]

Its a nimco FEL mount. Don't know the model #.

 

[JerryG]

Do you have a backhoe?

 

[jpat34721]

No backhoe - no rear remotes. And I stand corrected on the valve. It's a Cross.

 

[jpat34721]

attached is a close-up of my hydraulic connection. #1 is the manifold block which is weird because the part book only shows a single port. This one has two. The back port is connected via #3 to the pressure input of the loader valve. The front port is teed (which I know is incorrect, I talked to a MF service guy who said there shouldn't be any tees.) the bottom of the tee is connected via hose #2 to the loader valve return.

Last night a diesel mechanic buddy of mine came over to try and straighten this out. He removed the tee and plugged the front port of the manifold. He replaced the NPT fitting (#3) with a QC and added a QC to hose 2 which is now connect to the main return QC which used to go to the tee.

With these changes it acts different but still not right. With draft control disengaged the bucket works perfect and is smoother and faster than before. However now when we engage the DC, moving the loader valve to the drop position (forward) results in the bucket rising :confused2: and the curl doesn't work at all.

We're flummoxed. The draft control seems somehow to be causing back flow through the loader. Am I missing a check valve or something?

 

[tj200]

I also have the fel mount nimco. Since it is not raining out today I will get out there and snap a photo for ya when I get out of work.

 

[redleicester]

Seems a needlessly complex system. On my 1235 I have a front loader with an extra service for grab/4-in-1 bucket, and a two pairs of rear spools, but none of them seem to be teed off each other, all completely independent.

 

[jpat34721]

Seems a needlessly complex system. On my 1235 I have a front loader with an extra service for grab/4-in-1 bucket, and a two pairs of rear spools, but none of them seem to be teed off each other, all completely independent.

The TEE is definitely incorrect. But like I said, when I removed it and connected directly to the main return, the bloody thing still misbehaves when the draft control is engaged. Does your 1235 have draft control? Aslo, does your FEL return hose connect to the main return (the hose that runs under the seat and goes to the top of the 3pt sump?

 

[redleicester]

I'll have a look in the morning, I'm afraid it's tucked away in an unlit shed tonight! The FEL is a Lewis quick-attach job, so is likely to be rather different to the standard Massey one though...

Will see if I can dig up some pics in the mean time...

 

[redleicester]

Rear spools. And an artistic smattering of grass.

Quick attach bucket

Hydro piping up to joystick.

 

[tj200]

Hey, let me know if you need more.

 

[tj200]

I have a leaky seal. Hopefully tomorrow my seal kit will be here.

 

[jpat34721]

Thanks for the pics!. In the 2nd one, I assume the hose goes out to the FEL valve's In port (pressure) and in the 3rd one, one side of the QC is the hose shown in the 1st pic and the other goes to the loader valve return.

Is that correct?

Jeff

 

[tj200]

That seems to be correct.

 

[MFRED]

I'm pretty sure on the 1260 you didn't use the aluminum manifold block. The hose that went from the manifold to the 3pt just got the connections changed to fit the loader. Either way, that "T" has got to go.

The feed to the loader came from the connection closest to the front of the tractor and the return went to the hose going to the 3pt. If a Power beyond was used, there was a direct to sump plumbed in the side of the transmission housing.

 

[jpat34721]

The feed to the loader came from the connection closest to the front of the tractor

Do you mean the connection on the manifold block or is there another pressure connection somewhere?

 

[tj200]

I can snap some more photos if you need. Mine works the way it should and i have a 1250. So the only difference is the turbo I believe?

 

[jpat34721]

So the only difference is the turbo I believe?

The 1260 came standard with draft control (which is one of the pieces to this puzzle) while it was an option on the 1250 (one other difference is the 1260 has an oil cooler). If your three point control was just one lever, you don't have DC.

Thanks for the pictures, I have enough for now. I'm trying to find out now what the deal is with the two port manifold block which doesn't seem to be in any of the AGCO parts books for the 1260. I'm thinking it came off another tractor (prolly the one the loader was originally on) and the previous owner pressed it into service, but that's just a guess.

 

[MFRED]

Do you mean the connection on the manifold block or is there another pressure connection somewhere?

The connection where your "T" is now would be the feed to the 3pt. If you seperate that, rmove the"T" and run it into the loader first, then to the 3pt, that would be how it would have been plumbed originally.