Massey 2660hd with loader looses hydarulic position nimco valve

[nwfarminaddict]

So ive been messing with my nimco loader valve forever on my massy 2660hd. Its cable linked and this all started when I lost the float position so I couldn't run my baler. I pulled the valve ends off and found that the bb's were corroded so I replaced the bb's in the detent float and greased it up and put it back together. I had to adjust it a little but got it to work for a bit. but then it was like the float wouldn't engage again, being the smarty pants I am I quickly adjusted it so that the float engaged earlier and it got me through baling season. but now its like the valve has "drifted" and it takes nothing to put it into float, as well as the loader has no lifting capacity.


Why is it every time I adjust it and get it working ok it "moves out" of adjustment within a week or so?? I'm super tempted to add some locktite to the locking nut on the valve. would this hurt the valve? is this a no no?


also the service manual description on how to adjust this valve makes very little sense, it basically says to take the boot off of the stick and adjust the cables so that the "bobs" are level with the bottom of the control mount and the joystick "pops" back to center. (some of my own terms there buy you get the jist).


Is there a better technic? this isn't a fun process because I have a cab and its a lot of up and down unless I bribe friends with beer to sit in my tractor while I adjust hahaha.

 

[JWR]

Great to hear there is someone else out there to share the pain ! I will try to be brief (but never am.) Bought my MF2660 new in early 2011. Platform, not cab model, also low profile. Incredible list of problems unrelated to the DL250 loader on it. All fixed finally, took 1st 3yrs of ownership to debug the thing. Now considered a good if not great tractor.

Now to the loader and Nimco loader valve. Mine is cable operated too. The valve had always required what I think is too much force to use the joy stick from day one. Then in 2012 it got to the point where curling the bucket would not lift the front of the tractor or force the bucket tip down at all. Being under warrantee I had the dealer investigate. Conclusion was "bad loader valve." They replaced the valve from AGCO depot level parts stocks which made NO CHANGE OF ANY KIND. This is an $1100 valve mind you. Then found out that another brand new 2660 from the same dealer had the same problem. So at least 3 known valves had the issue. AGCO and the dealer basically gave up and/or became unresponsive on the issue, obviously did not know what to do. I made direct contact with NIMCO in Wisconsin and they admitted "having some bad units in the field (!)" Turns out that not only were there several on tractors that were bad there were also bad ones in the AGCO supply chain (certainly the "new" one the dealer got from AGCO and put on to replace my original was bad.) Holy Cow. The good news was NIMCO sent me a modification kit to install which was quite easy and that fixed the "refusal to force the bucket tip downward" problem.
It has been usable (not really right, but usable) for about 5 years but lately has new diseases. Now, the loader will not respond in any axis when I first start up the tractor. After some warmup and few minutes of tractor use the loader becomes crudely usable & gets better as time goes on -- apparently with hotter hydraulic fluid (?) Besides being dead at start up, the loader valve will not cause bucket tip downward force, float seems to prevail in most movements, once you get the frame to raise letting loose of the joy stick does not stop it and it still raises further (spring return fails.) I am pissed to say the least. I personally feel that these fancy high priced loader valves are trouble going somewhere to happen. I would strongly prefer a simple blasted valve that lets me control the bucket and loader frame -- spring return in all axis, NO DETENTS, NO FLOAT, just give me a valve with which the loader does exactly what I tell it to do, nothing more and nothing less. One of those simple little valves off the smaller MF tractors/loaders would be just fine -- actually far better.

I was headed toward replacing the darn thing with a very simple valve when I happened to talk with another dealer. He had the SAME problems with multiple MF tractors all with NIMCO valves. Every one of them has been "fixed" by installing a seal kit with black O-rings instead of the white ones in many/most of the original valves. This dealer has had harsh discussions with Nimco -- who claims the problem is contaminated hydraulic fluid... oh sure. As if all these tractors have contaminated fluid. I am in process of getting my loader valve off (300+ miles away) and down here to have the kit put in with different O-rings by this dealer. One theory/my best guess is that the older white O-rings swell over time (maybe absorbing something from the fluid) and eventually constrict the spools from free in/out movement. Once this happens or starts to happen, the "normal" spring returns to positions no longer work, that totally confuses the operator, etc. I am anxious to have this dealer work over my loader valve and see how it acts.

 

[Fragger]

WE BEEN HAVING SERIOUS ISSUES WITH OUR MASSEY TO THE POINT THAT SOON AS I GET IT REPAIRED IT WILL BE SOLD AND REPLACE WITH A CASE OR MAYBE KABOTA heck IH anything BUT NO MASSEY THE DEAERS ARE CLUELESS. THE DADDY OWNS THE JOINT THE DAUGHteer AND HUSBAND AND THERI DAUGTER AL WORK THERE AND COULD GIVE A CARP LESS IF YOU GT YOUR PROBLEM Fixed they absolutely are clueless a thwta they are doin gthen the ywont return your calls , guess i p*********** them off .