MF135 Hydraulic lift issues

[jjlanotte]

So i just bought a new tiller, my first implement for my 135 perkins gas, and it barely lifts it off the ground. Myabe an inch or so but feels that it mostly just drags it. Is there something wrong with my lift? The tiller weights 850lbs but i feel like it should be able to lift it up further than that. Please help.

 

[redman135]

Hello jjlanotte, I had a 135 with what sounds like your problem. What I did was by pass the the link draught hitch(tractor end of top link),( at that age the internal draught control linkages are worn). After that I had no trouble lifting impliments. If the load was heavy enough I would lift the front wheels off the ground instead. To by pass the top link draught hitch there are 2 ways. 1) use the MF factory part to do that, or 2) use the double hitch below the draught hitch and fabricate an end which I then welded to a top link with a broken end. I then had full lift back for very little cost, and ran for another 18 years before selling it.

 

[GpaVal]

I, too, have an elderly Massey Ferguson 135 with the 3-cylinder Perkins gas motor. My 3-point hitch has been losing function, too. Several years ago, the 3-point lift would raise our Woods 6' mower VERY high to transport the mower. Little by little, over the last several years, the maximum height has decreased. Now, it's gotten to the point where the tractor will raise the mower only bout an inch or two - so that I'm dragging the mower when I drive out of the pole shed. The hydraulic fluid was changed several years back (the tractor gets very little use) and the fluid remains crystal clear. The fluid level when cold looks over-full. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Kenneth S]

The strainer for the hydraulic pump could be clogged, the piston seal for the 3 lift are worn, and leaking. The quadrant for the 3 point got out of adjustment, or possibly something broke. The hydraulic pump could be worn out. I would say 97% of the time its the seals in the piston for the 3 point lift are worn out. With nothing hooked to the 3 point arms raise them all the way up, then shut the engine off, then time how long it takes the 3 point arms to drop on their own. The faster they drop with the engine off the worse the seals are for the 3 point lift piston. It may take a day, it may take a minute (or less).

 

[JWR]

KenS is right and you might be seeing the effects of worn seals on the 3pt lift cylinder (which is a major job to get in to and rebuild.) Before assuming that (the worst) you should defeat the draft control somehow as redman135 describes to make sure it is not something simple like draft control rearing it's ugly head. First, try hitching your top link in the hole furthest from the "big spring" which senses draft. I think that is the lowest of 3 hole options you have for connecting the top link. If that doesn't make a big difference (or you are already in the lowest hole) find a way to defeat the in/out motion of the top link attachment point at the "big spring." As redman135 suggests you can weld up something OR MF sells a kit that makes a solid link to the "ears" on the rear axle and won't allow the draft control sensing. Draft control sensing in effect defeats your 3pt lift action (intended to keep a plow in the ground & that's why it is called 'draft.') The MF kit costs over $130 and you can no doubt fabricate something yourself. If draft sensing has FOR SURE been defeated and it still won't lift the implement properly then, unfortunately, you have worn seals in your lift cylinder and a costly repair ahead of you.