Why No Hydraulic Filters On Most Older Farm Tractors

[Chewwy]

Any thoughts on why most older farm tractors had no filter on the hydraulic/transmission fluid system, relying simply on sump screens.

Most newer farm tractors have both separate transmission and hydraulic fluid filters. Not saying anything wrong with the addition of filtration, but the older tractors seemed to have functioned pretty well without it.

My thoughts are that the older tractors did not usually rely on the hydraulic system as much lacking front end loaders or rear remotes and generally had manual transmissions.

 

[300UGUY]

THe old tractors were mostly gas tractors, with pretty simple hydraulic systems. Some were low pressure, as low as 8 or 900 psi. And really, I think it took time to show what was necessary. The modern, high pressure systems, have somewhat fussy valves that cannot take a lot of dirt.

 

[RickB]

They didn’t know any better.

 

[300UGUY]

They didn’t know any better.

Yeah, that’s probably the simplest, best answer.

 

[LouNY]

Depending on the tractor, farmalls since the late 560's had decent filters.

 

[RickB]

Depending on the tractor, farmalls since the late 560's had decent filters.

460 and 560 in 1958 would have been the first IH s with anything more than a screen. Three digit Olivers had a paper element about the same time.

 

[Dave M7040]

My 1965 Nuffield 465 bad a suction screen but also, after removing the 3 pt casting, a paper filter as well.

Dave M7040

 

[Chewwy]

THe old tractors were mostly gas tractors, with pretty simple hydraulic systems. Some were low pressure, as low as 8 or 900 psi. And really, I think it took time to show what was necessary. The modern, high pressure systems, have somewhat fussy valves that cannot take a lot of dirt.

Older I buy. Certainly no hydraulics on the steam powered units and older, generally gas power, tractors.

My tractor experience is limited. But had I a 64 David Brown, 53 hp diesel, 2000 psig hydraulic; and still have a 77 MF 265, 62 hp diesel, 2300 psig hydraulic; both with only sump screens. Both are manual with only 3 pt lift using hydraulic. Used the 990 until 2007, and still use the MF 265. Finally gave up the 990 because steering gear was worn out. The MF has over 3200 hrs and the 3 pt lift is still very strong.

Seems newer means more gadgets, more complexity, but not necessarily any better at the tasks at hand.

It is interesting that the MF has two hydraulic pumps. The pump operating the 3 pt lift has only a sump screen. The aux hydraulics pump, sometimes used for FEL and rear remotes came with external hydraulic fluid filter.

 

[MHarryE]

Users rely on hydraulics more all the time. The pumps on old tractors wore out quickly if used a lot. Our afar all H was our loader tractor and we often rebuilt the pump. Still gear pumps have always been tolerant of dirty oil compared to piston pumps. That’s why hydro CUTs usually have a coarse suction filter (too fine and it won’t allow oil in on cold starts). Then the oil goes through a very fine filter before entering the hydrostatic system.

 

[deserteagle71]

What do you consider old? My 60 year old John Deere 2020 has both a sump screen and a separate canister type hydraulic filter (Wix 1147) that I change out periodically. A messy job; getting the canister and filter off the tractor is easy but then getting it all back together is a real pain!

 

[Langanobob]

My guess is that marketing had something to do with adding filters. Sales people could use a filter as a selling point and point out that the competition was so poorly made that it didn’t even have a hydraulic filter. Pretty soon everyone had a filter.

 

[Tx Jim]

deserteagle71
Correction: the oldest your JD 2020 could be is 54 yrs as 1965 was the introduction year of JD 2020's. I think the reason hyd filters were added to hyd systems is because of the complexity of control valves.

 

[Chewwy]

What do you consider old? My 60 year old John Deere 2020 has both a sump screen and a separate canister type hydraulic filter (Wix 1147) that I change out periodically. A messy job; getting the canister and filter off the tractor is easy but then getting it all back together is a real pain!

Sorry, I did not intend to insult your almost 60 year old tractor

I stated “most” older tractors based on my experience and admittedly limited knowledge of the universal tractor population. I’m sure there were/are exceptions. I believe the addition of filtration was driven, at least partially, by increasing use of hydraulics for something other than supplying the 3 pt hitch.

 

[atsah]

Most of them are still working today without the fluid being changed in decades, if they were low on fluid, we would add a little and keep on working.. Meanwhile we continue to troubleshoot electrical problems on our new tractors daily, go figure..

 

[RickB]

Most of them are still working today without the fluid being changed in decades, if they were low on fluid, we would add a little and keep on working.. Meanwhile we continue to troubleshoot electrical problems on our new tractors daily, go figure..

Electrical problems were not created by the addition of hydraulic filters.

 

[wheelbuilder]

I've got to go with availability. Older tractors seem to be built for self sufficient farmers. They'd clean that screen and not need a trip to a dealer. Now that most places are more built up, getting that filter isn't a big deal.

 

[RickB]

I've got to go with availability. Older tractors seem to be built for self sufficient farmers. They'd clean that screen and not need a trip to a dealer. Now that most places are more built up, getting that filter isn't a big deal.

Successful farmers have always exhibited self sufficiency.
I would submit that the practice of a trip to the dealer to get filters changes is in large part far more recent than the advent of the filter itself. I can think of exactly one farmer that sent his tractors in regularly for basic service to the CaseIH dealership I worked at in 1995. The number is far, far higher today, even when not considering the compact tractor segment.

 

[LouNY]

Filters were one of many improvements and advances on tractors just as on cars.
For many years there where no oil filters either, petcocks on oil pans to check
levels. Then we got screens for engine oil and later filters, many a toliet paper oil
filter got added to tractors, trucks and cars. Many early oil filters were bypass filter,
they just took a slip stream of oil to filter and return to the pan, the clean oil wasn't even circulated.
Sediment bowls with screens for fuel filters. As tractors and engines advanced so did filters
and transmissions and hydraulics went from being available to being necessary.
Now hydraulics are a major part of a tractor. Pressure has gone from a few hundred pounds
to a few thousand pounds, the cost and performance of the pumps and the tractors has evolved immensely.

 

[atsah]

Electrical problems were not created by the addition of hydraulic filters.

Of course not. Fact of the matter is, the old tractors had no issues with manual transmissions without filters, the hydro and other modern transmissions require more filtering and maintenance.

 

[RickB]

A

Of course not. Fact of the matter is, the old tractors had no issues with manual transmissions without filters, the hydro and other modern transmissions require more filtering and maintenance.

Yet early hydraulic systems had no filtration which is the actual topic of this thread.