beginners questions

[rooftrussman]

Just got a Ford 1210 with a 754 backhoe and ford frontend loader. Engine is fine, the hydraulics work great and runs fine when level. When I'm going up a hill, forward particularly but also in reverse , the tractor seems to lose power in the hydrostatic drive along with a whining noise. The hill is not that steep, maybe 15 degrees or so, and the tires don't spin. I've checked fluid level and it is about halfway up the dip stick between add some and full. I am wondering if the problem would resolve itself if the fluid were at the full line. The second part is there a problem in adding the recomended fluid from the owners manual or is there a chance somebody uses a fluid that would not mix with the usual stuff. Power seems to be fine on level ground. It's four wheel drive and the front wheels work when the drive is engaged. It seems worse when in a high range rather than low range. Any thoughts from people more experienced than me or anybody who has other theories. Hopefully, hydrostatic drive rebuild isn't one of the choices I want to hear but if that's what it takes......

 

[Bird]

Welcome to Tractorbynet. I'm really not familiar with your tractor model, but I'm guessing a hydrostatic transmission is something new to you. If I'm wrong, I apologize. A hydrostatic whine is quite normal. And you mention it seeming worse in high range than low. That, too, is normal. If the slope really is 15 degrees or so, I would expect to need to use low range. And then a very common (and understandable) mistake people who are new to hydrostatic transmissions make is to push the pedal farther down to get more power. If the pedal were an accelerator, which most of us are accustomed to, that would be correct. But with a hydrostatic transmission, think of that pedal in terms of being a transmission in which the farther you push the pedal the higher the gear you're using. In other words, to get more power, ease up on the pedal. I don't think you're low enough on fluid to be concerned, but I'd probably fill it to the full mark on the dipstick. There should be no problem with adding what the manual calls for.

Now without seeing, hearing, or operating the tractor, I can't say for sure that it has the right fluid in the hydro, nor can I say for sure that everything is normal . . . but from what you've said, it sounds quite normal to me.

 

[rooftrussman]

Thanks for the info. You're right. Now that I think about it, the throttle is separate from the foot pedal and tradition says, the harder you push the pedal, the more power (faster) it should go. But it sounds like the tranmission goes to a lower gear (or the equivalent in hydrostatic terms) with less pedal. Now that you mention it, it did seem to go better with less pressure although counter intuitive. The 1210 Ford is a 1986 compact but works well for my purposes. Not sure I would want to do much farming with it but good for my grading, moving rocks, digging ditches etc. Thanks for the help.

 

[jbrumberg]

rooftrussman:

Welcome to TBN ! I agree with Bird's explanation as to what is happening with your HST driven tractor. I had a gear driven 4WD/MFWD Ford 1100 for many years. Those small Fords were built like tanks . Jay

 

[SkunkWerX]

I had a 1210, like Jay sez, they are little tanks.

Question: Did you give it enough RPMs?

Another thing folks may not consider is that you are constantly pumping hydraulic fluid for transmission to work. To oversimplify a bit, Your tractor is a diesel engine hooked to a hydraulic pump.

If running at half-RPM rate, and the steepness of the hill overcomes the fluid volume and pressure it is being pumped at, you sorta stall. Th engine keeps running, but you aren't pumping enough fluid.

My bet is that you may not have had your RPMs in the higher range.
It would be like running a log splitter at half-RPM, the cylinder would likely stall when it met with a beefy piece of wood.

A hydrostatic trans, with little load, on level ground can PUT PUT around at 1/2 RPMs, but then give it a load or hill, and it can't make the grade.

Try the same thing with Full RPMs, and see if it still falters?
Your 1210 should have a 540 PTO indicator on the Tach, it will be near the 3,000 RPM mark. Consider that 540 PTO mark as Full RPMs (though you can probably run it up a little higher, it's not necessary.)

Bird is correct, a steep hill should be climbed in Low Range, and I might add, always 4WD.

How does it react to Full RPMs on the same hill, in Low Range?

If still sluggish, then it may be time to check the suction strainer, replace the filter, and change the hydraulic fluid.
Do you know when this maintenance was last done? If not, it would be a good idea to get-r-done.

Good Luck

 

[rooftrussman]

Thanks for all the help. I haven't run the RPM's past about 22-2300 so that may help. I ran it in low gear except once in high gear because accidentally hit the range lever when getting on the tractor (maybe off the tractor). The fluid seems clean and the person I got it from seemed to be extra good in maintaining etc. He hadn't owned too long ( a couple years) but believe he bought it from a dealer. Generally seems in good shape. Will take me a while to learn the finer points of tractor ownership. I could use more practice running the backhoe. Experienced operators make it seem so easy.

Does anybody have any thoughts why the battery discharges when sitting for a few days. I suspect there is a short in one of the lights or some minor electrical connection. I do take out the key. The alternator seems fine as the battery stays up when running. I simply disconnect the negative terminal if I leave it for awhile and that seems to solve the problem. Guess should get my meter and try to track down the problem unless somebody knows of some plae to start better than another. Electric problems are always a pain.

 

[daTeacha]

I was moving a big rock yesterday that was just on the edge of what the tractor would lift. Even with 900 lb on the back, the rears tended to come off the ground. To carry the thing up my hill, I was in low hst range with the engine wound up to PTO speed of 2500 rpm. In 2nd, it basically wouldn't move, and it wouldn't move with the engine running at my usual 1800 rpm or so.

Yeah, HSTs are a little different from other vehicles. It sounds like yours is in pretty good shape and you just need to learn the oddities of the things. The less pedal/more power/less speed is strange to get used to. I have 200 + hours on mine and still tend to push down farther when I need more ooomph.

 

[jbrumberg]

rooftrussman:

I was always rewiring my headlights and the front ambers on my Ford 1100. I did not help by ocassionally knocking the ambers off , , . I would start there. Jay

 

[SFish]

Rooftrussman:

There is good advice, above, about how to run a hydrostatic transmission. One hint is to watch the tach, or listen to the motor, when running at PTO RPMs and push the pedal just enough to lower engine speed a little. You want to keep the engine within its power range and you can tell where this is on the basis of how fast you can go up a hill. As for the battery, maybe you just need a new one.

Steve

 

[rooftrussman]

The battery was new cause that's what the guy I bought the tractor from thought was the problem. Or at least so he says but he seems honest.