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.