Small tractor performance

[mcnitt]

How steep a hill should my MF 1220 (3 cyl. 20 hrsp. hydrostatic) be able to climb? The tractor quickly fails to move forward on even a moderate incline. (Couldn't even get up the loading dock ramp at the repair facility) The engine RPM stays up, but the transmission strains and I can feel it trying to move with my foot on the clutch pedal. Also, the tractor fails to move in the high range on anything but the flatest part of my property. I had a dealer replace the fluid and filters, but I don't think it helped much. The tractor also fails prematurely in the low range I think once it warms up.

Anybody have a clue what's going on?

 

[Egon]

Dealer repair time.

 

[1250Man]

Sounds as if either the clutch is out of it, or the hydro is getting weak.

 

[JerryG]

If it is a hydrostat, you have to let the pedal up as the pull gets harder. The hydro pedal works opposite of an accelerator pedal. We are all so programmed using an accelerator pedal in cars and trucks that we tend to use the hydro pedal like an accelerator. When in essences, it works just the opposite. If you knew all of this please disregard.

 

[mcnitt]

No, I didn't know that. I use the pedal just like the gas pedal in my car. I think I have tried the pedal in every possible position, but I will try what you suggest. I'll try it, but I don't understand why it would work.

Thank You for replying.

 

[mcnitt]

What do I do to get the hydro back to where it functions properly?

Thank You for your help.

 

[thing181]

Have you checked the hydraulic oil level? Even if it was just changed at the dealer I would check to make sure it is at the proper level. If that is not the problem I would contact the dealer and get his opinions.....

 

[kwolfe]

If it is a hydrostat, you have to let the pedal up as the pull gets harder. The hydro pedal works opposite of an accelerator pedal. We are all so programmed using an accelerator pedal in cars and trucks that we tend to use the hydro pedal like an accelerator. When in essences, it works just the opposite. If you knew all of this please disregard.

I don't understand what that means. I push the pedal to go faster or for more power. It sounds like you are saying let off the pedal to do that. Sorry, I am kinda slow.

 

[JerryG]

Pushing the pedal down on a hydro is like going to higher gear. If you push the pedal just a little, that is where it has the most power. Any more is like a higher gear.

 

[ovrszd]

No, I didn't know that. I use the pedal just like the gas pedal in my car. I think I have tried the pedal in every possible position, but I will try what you suggest. I'll try it, but I don't understand why it would work.

Thank You for replying.

If your HST is properly functioning, it would kill the engine if you pushed the pedal down too far for the load being put on it. Jerry failed to mention that part. What he is saying is correct as for the overall gear ratio of a properly functioning system. I understand you to say your engine does not labor, the tractor just won't move. That indicates HST failure. Bummer.

 

[dillo99]

How steep a hill should my MF 1220 (3 cyl. 20 hrsp. hydrostatic) be able to climb? The tractor quickly fails to move forward on even a moderate incline. (Couldn't even get up the loading dock ramp at the repair facility) The engine RPM stays up, but the transmission strains and I can feel it trying to move with my foot on the clutch pedal. Also, the tractor fails to move in the high range on anything but the flatest part of my property. I had a dealer replace the fluid and filters, but I don't think it helped much. The tractor also fails prematurely in the low range I think once it warms up.

Anybody have a clue what's going on?

Any tractor should easily handle the situations you describe - something is definitely not right. I would have someone look at it- did the dealer diagnose it at all when you had it in for fluid/filter work?

 

[mcnitt]

I took the tractor to a dealer repair facility. There were several small problems with the tractor, which they fixed. After they did the small stuff, which included replacing the trans filters and fluids and did some trouble shooting, the bill was about $1,000. To take the thing apart to figure out what was wrong was going to cost a lot of money with the propect of costing much more to actually fix it. I spent $5,000 on the tractor, had another $1,000 + into it, and decided I was going to end up with a $5,000 tractor that cost $9,000 or $10,000.

This is my first tractor. I can still do some things with it, but it is better suited for someone with flat property.

Thanks for the info and help.

 

[wrenchturner]

Sorry to hear about your tractor problem. I would bet the repair facility knew they would have to go into the tractor to determine the problem. I also would bet they already knew what was wrong just from their experience. They did the small stuff (if $1000 is small) already knowing the major problem would be so expensive you would decline the repair. My brother had the same problem on a large Bolens mower about 10 years ago. When hot it would not pull up a hill. I suggested he drain the hydraulic fluid and replace it with 50 wt Mobile 1 to get the viscosity up. He has been using it ever since to mow 3 or 4 acres of grass. If 50 Wt would not work I would go with a thicker fluid. May sound like rigging but if it is a lot cheaper than the repair and if it works, well lets just say you have saved a lot of money.

As a word of caution, when buying a used tractor with hydrostat check the viscocity of the fluid to be sure someone else has not done this to cover up a worn hydrostat.

 

[mcnitt]

Thanks - I didn't know I could try a heavier fluid. I suspect your analysis of the dealer is correct. I sure would have declined to have it repaired. I also learned that apparently there are not too many of these MF 1220 tractors around. I wonder if there is an identical Iseki tractor under their name.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

It sounds to me like you have a pressure relief valve on your hydr that is set to low. If it were on a Mahindra tractor I would say that would probably be the problem. I'm not sure of the Massey setup but that sounds like what your problem is. Discuss that with your dealer. Good Luck with it.

Galen LaWall
Your Mahindra Tractor Dealer
Batavia NY 14020
585-343-0770

 

[JerryG]

The Iseki TF 321 is the same as your MF 1220.

 

[mcnitt]

Thanks - I will follow up.

John