1965 Ford 4500?

[City Farmer]

Hi, I've been looking through the forums for a while now and finally have a good reason to start a thread. Any all help will be appreciated. I recently purchased a 1965 Ford 4500 for $1000 with the loader, I'm not sure of the loader model but its straight, tight with all original Ford pins, no welds anywhere but the bucket has seen better days. I bought the tractor with the intent of stripping some parts off, loader, front axle and whatever extra parts and putting them on my 1968 3000. It took me about 30 minutes to get it running and it runs GREAT! I hit the key and it started first try without stalling and it was 10 degrees yesterday morning. The steering only works when I'm moving. Yesterday I picked up a 753 backhoe to go with it. It's been sitting under a pavilion for the last 30+ years or so at a YMCA, they were asking $2600 & it was loaded on my trailer for $1900. There's a few small pits on one cylinder but that's it. He hooked it up to the tractor that came with the BH and everything works good except the swing. That's the story so now for the questions.

I changed the oil in the tractor already. I'll change all the fluids-filters in the loader & tractor but what should I look for in the steering, I did notice that the wheel raises when I turn it in one direction. The swing cylinders don't work in either direction so I'm not sure what that's all about but everything else works great.

 

[joemd11]

Welcome to TBN! I would start by obtaining the manuals for the 4500 and the backhoe. They would probably help you diagnose the problems you are experiencing and you could fix them over time. Then the 4500 could be the dedicated backhoe/loader and the 3000 for other chores. Keep us posted.

 

[LD1]

Nice find and good price.

That backhoe is easy to take off and put on too:thumbsup: And you should have no worries about the tractor. That loader is the one typically found on the 3400, so having the 4500 and a smaller loader....no worries about front axle and what-not.

As to the BH, that hoe uses swing chains, so first check to see if the cylinders are actually moving and you possibly have just a broken chain.....

I "think" all the functions are fed from the same valve block, so if all the other functions work, you know you are getting pressure there, just not "out" to the swing function. Inspect the hoses and make sure they are hooked up and not just spraying fluid where you cannot see it. Also check to make sure the linkage that connects the lever to the valve is hooked up and not broken. And make sure it actually operates the valve.

Lastly, you could try cracking the hydraulic fittings and see if you are getting fluid to the cylinders when you pull the lever. And if not, start working backwards until you find the problem.

AS to the steering...what do you mean by one wheel raises??

 

[City Farmer]

Thanks for the help. I have the OEM service manual for my 3000 and it covers 2000-5000 but not 4500. I'll have to get that soon. Thats a good idea about the linkage, I didn't think of that. The steering wheel spins out about 3/4" from the cloumn when I turn in one direction. I'm trying to figure out how to run the Hyd. hoses right now. There are 3 hoses coming off the BH, I know I have to split the supply from the loader to the BH and get the return back again. I'm not sure if I split the supply 2x to the BH or does the return get split 2x?

 

[LD1]

There are 3 hoses coming off the BH, I know I have to split the supply from the loader to the BH and get the return back again. I'm not sure if I split the supply 2x to the BH or does the return get split 2x?

Pics??

There should be two hoses IIRC to the backhoe. A supply and a return. And when you take the BH off, you just couple them together and put plugs in the BH side to keep dirt and stuff out.

 

[sdkubota]

Those old Ford backhoes are tough as nails. I ran a 4500, 550, and 555 for years and dug miles and miles of trenches.

 

[City Farmer]

I'm still a little bit stumped, Here is a picture of the BH lines. When I picked up he BH I didn't look to see where he split the supply line, I assumed mine was exactly the same. After he took the BH off he used a line to connect the two together and put a plug in the return on the loader frame.

 

[sdkubota]

I believe you need a male to male fitting so you can connect the feed and return lines to the tractor. Is that what you are talking about? A regular 3/4" pipe plug can be used to protect the hydraulic hoses when unattached but don't tighten any more than hand.

 

[City Farmer]

I'm talking about where to split the supply. I don't have the hyd. lines at the back of the tractor for the BH. I figure I'll Tee into the supply and split it again for the BH and run the return back to the loader frame? I really need to get the manual.

 

[sdkubota]

I thought you had the whole shebang...tractor and backhoe as one unit.

 

[City Farmer]

I bought the tractor for parts but it runs so good I decided to keep it together. A few weeks ago I found this BH so I sold my little Woods 3pt BH to get this one. I don't know why there are 3 lines for this BH?

 

[whodat526]

You have a 4400 not a 4500 both the same tractor except the loader front axle steeringbow nose cone and hyd res. For loader backhoe

You have three lines on the backhoe because one i pressure to back the one is your power beyond line which pressures your loader and the other is a return to sump line

Your tractor is the same as a 4000 except you have a solid no adjustable front axle

 

[LD1]

You have a 4400 not a 4500 both the same tractor except the loader front axle steeringbow nose cone and hyd res. For loader backhoe

You have three lines on the backhoe because one i pressure to back the one is your power beyond line which pressures your loader and the other is a return to sump line

Your tractor is the same as a 4000 except you have a solid no adjustable front axle

Very well could be a 4400, that explains the smaller loader:thumbsup:

And city farmer...got any pics from the front, with the loader raised so we can see the front axle and grill??

As to the hoses...Now that whodat mentioned it, I do recall there being 3 hoses now on dads 4500. And on the 3400 I used to have. Since They "came" with the BH from the factory, they supplied fluid to the backhoe first. And then split off the hoe to feed the loader. THat is why you have two pressure lines.

 

[City Farmer]

Thanks a lot for the help. I'm a lot closer to getting it mounted. I'm going to order the service manual today for the BH. Now, I have to figure out which line is pressure and which one is power beyond, hopefully there labeled.

 

[City Farmer]

I got the loader & BH service manuals today, I have a 4400 tractor, 735 loader and the 753 BH. The supply for the BH goes on the left of the valve and the Power Beyond is on the right side with the return. I thought that was the way it was supposed to go but I wanted to be positive. Hopefully I'll get it mounted tomorrow while we have a warm stretch. All the hyd. flare fittings are SAE JIC 37 degrees.

 

[City Farmer]

I got the BH hooked up, everything was going great until I walked away from the tractor. Someone forgot to open the gate valve for the return line and tried to put down the stabilizers, it wasnt me. The pump oring blew and now its leaking oil like crazy. I'll just add that to the list of things to fix. After I fix the pump I'll try running it with the hopes of the control levers will loosen up and stop sticking. Theres something going on with the swing cylinders. When one pushes the other cylinder doesn't pick up the the slack in the chain. I think the problem is in the combination valve. Here's a picture of the old girl, she's not gonna win a beauty pageant but here she is.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Looks nice all put together.

If you think you have valves sticking after I got it where the O-ring was not blowing (we blew on early on too but it was dried out) you may consider dumping in a couple cans of Sea Foam. I would suggest the red version call Trans Tune since it is to have more cleaner in it per NAPA owner who has talked with the son of the inventor.

I do run it the last 200 miles in my automatic transmissions before doing a bucket flush. It does not fix broken things but it will clean out varnish build up and the likes.

 

[LD1]

The swing cylinders should never push.

It is pull only. IIRC it is basically like a SA cylinder on a snow plow, only pulling instead of pushing. the force of the one pulling is what causes the other to extend. NOT because it is trying to push.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Maybe the swing cylinders have reversed logic at this time?

 

[City Farmer]

The swing cylinders should never push.

It is pull only. IIRC it is basically like a SA cylinder on a snow plow, only pulling instead of pushing. the force of the one pulling is what causes the other to extend. NOT because it is trying to push.

Yes your right, I should've said pull. The cylinders just sit in there, they would actually come right out if I pulled the link on the chain.