Oh, that's good to know. We bought a bunch of that stuff (cheap motor oil, not diesel) awhile back when it was marked way down. I didn't use it in the cars, so it's just sat.
Also have gallons of surplus 75w90 gear oil that I'd bought for a song way back when, but I'm guessing that's way too heavy for this.
Sure, and now that I think about it, if replacing the JD part didn't fix the problem, then the JD part was probably still good.
Ah ok, that's helpful. Yeah, I was picturing more like a car owner's manual where it has endless diagrams to help people who haven't used a car radio before.
Far as I'm concerned that's part of making it my own...
Thanks again.
Well, the high detergency of cheap lightweight motor oil makes it a good flushing fluid for old open center hydraulics for tractors with manual transmissions. It isn't as good for other systems - especially HST.
You can re-filter flushing oil and re-use it for flushing a few times. Same for diesel. To filter, pour it through some old socks and let the pail of oil sit quietly for a few days. Decant carefully.
I don't know of any use for old 75/90wt. Lube technology has gone to lighter oils with higher shear strengths. That didn't use to be possible; now it's common. Some old rear end drives use the heavy stuff to dampen impact .
It might be that the JD pump works. But it might also just need a rebuild kit. Or need some machining and a rebuild kit. Lots of older JD parts are high quality complicated castings and that makes them worth a small amount if the cast housing is reusable. No biggie either way.
John Deere - and other tractor operator manuals too - tend to cover the mechanical operations we are talking about here. They are heavy on fairly sophisticated step-by-step maintenance procedures.
If anyone ever actually followed all the recommended maintenance laid out in those manuals I wonder if tractors would ever break.
Brakes: I don't know if those are wet brakes - in the parts manual online link that was provided I can't tell. They look like dry brakes in an axle housing extension. Anyone know for sure?
BTW, thanks to "BeenThere" for the link:
https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/navigation/equipment/58556
Well, everyone who goes to refurbish an old tractor does so thinking they can sell parts - like a loader - to recover some of their money. Usually it just leads to piles of junk rusting against some fence line. I've been there. BTW, make sure it comes with the 3pt arms and top links. Those too often tend to walk off, and they are expensive.
What you are considering isn't what I'd do, but there was a time with little money and lots of time when I did just that. So all I can say is it is possible plus being a whole lot more work than you can ever know until you do it. LOTS of wrenching....Having any kind of FEL on it makes a big difference. In the end it also depends on whether you believe that engine/tranny starts and runs OK. If everything else was right including the hydraulics you might want to get into a manual transmission - but it's not worth it if you have to do significant motor work.
You learn a lot. Like if it has water in the hydraulic fluid it probably has water in the diesel fuel tank too.
luck,
rScotty