three point control handle

[reddog6601]

I have a 1635 Massey with a factory cab. The lever to control the lift and lower of the 3 point lift is very stiff. It works so hard that it almost impossible to make any kind of fine adjustment up or down. Has anyone had it apart to loosen it up? Also, is there a way to allow the 3 point lift arms to lower just by their own weight? I push the lift lever forward and they do not drop on their own, I have to push them down. It just makes for an extra step in hooking up implements. I know there is a knob under the seat but that is to control the rate of drop. The lift arms on my JD would would drop just by their own weight. Thanks for any advice

 

[JWR]

I assume yours has both a Draft control lever and a Position control lever ? Even if not I'm sure you are talking about the Position Control. If you have a Draft lever it is kept all the way up and in effect "out of the picture." Those levers are quite stiff on a new machine. Obviously, not to insult your intel, but some lube will help the external component of the friction. May be able to get a WD40 spray tip down at the base of the lever. Often however it is paint. Digging under the sheet metal to loosen lever mounting, etc. is a long day's job. The knob for adjusting drop rate will also affect the force needed for the lift arms to drop. My MF 2660 (even after 5 years) drops very slowly of it's own weight and often requires a downward push. The worst aspect I find with the 3pt lift is that the position control lever only travels about 3/4" or less going from "bush hog on the ground" to "bush hog fully raised." Like from a#4 on the scale to not quite a #5 on the scale. That to me is absurd and is an unchangeable design feature. I've been thru it in spades with AGCO AND I have measured the control sensitivity on MF2650, 2660 cab and open deck both. Pee poor design in my view. I had assumed that other machines (like your 1635) were much better in that regard. So far as making any kind of fine adjustment in lift level it is essentially impossible on my 2660 (or ANY 2650,60,70,80) because of the tiny amount of lever travel from full down to full up. Hair trigger soft touch is the only way. By the way, how much lever travel do you get from implement down to implement up ? [I have had a JD4700 and Kubota older B2150 that used 2 or 3 inches of reasonable lever travel instead of 3/4 inch.] Good luck with the new machine.

 

[reddog6601]

Thanks for the info JWR. I have had this tractor for about eight years and almost 1000 hours. I have the position control lever only and it has gotten stiffer over the years. Not sure why your control lever only travels such a short distance.n are all in that series that touchy? That is really hard to work with. I can see that would be just about impossible to make any kind of fine adjustment. I do have a full range of travel with mine. The #3 position is about as low as I can go before the mower or tiller is as low as I want to go.

 

[JWR]

You have much longer experience with your 1635. I got my 2660 in 2011 and only have about 300 hrs on it. I'm very surprised that your position control lever has gotten stiffer instead of easier to move. Yes all the 2600 series (50,60,70,80) have the sensitivity issue with very small lever travel running the lift from fully down to fully up. I couldn't believe it when I got mine but went around to dealers and measured other 2600 series and found the lift versus control lever travel the same. The lever will go way up and way down several inches but with a typical implement mounted on the 3pt (like a 7ft bush hog in my case) only a very small part of the control lever travel is usable. Sorry, I am no help on how to free up your position control lever. Should be several others on here with 1635 experience. Have you had any dealer near you comment on it ?

 

[JerryG]

Most tractors that I have worked on has a clutch disc on the shaft of the lift control. There should be a nut which you can back off a little to make the lever move easier.