Did I break my 3 pt hyd hitch...arms move up & down freely

[Rford]

MF 231. I have used it for a few hours mowing with a 1200 pound mower. I switched over to a 600# tiller yesterday and after a while I heard some sort of grinding coming, I guess, from the hydraulics. The front end loader works fine. When I tried to lift the tiller it didn't lift, and I had to move the draft lever to keep it from making a noise...not a big noise, not a terrible noise.

The PTO works fine.

I unhooked the tiller and tried to run it up and down to no avail. But I can physically lift it by hand...the three point lift...so something must be broken because you aren't supposed to be able to lift those arms up and down like that.

I'm no farmer, I'm not even competent to be running this equipment, so if you know or think you know what is wrong, I'd be grateful for any guidance.

Thanks.

 

[magicheater]

With the 3 point lowered you should be able to lift the arms, that is normal as there is no down pressure. With the 3 point lifted you should not be able to push the arms down. Check all your levers/linkages and there may be an adjustment knob that controls how fast or slow the 3 point lifts/lowers. The grinding does not sound good, maybe something is just out of adjustment.

 

[JC-jetro]

MF 231. I have used it for a few hours mowing with a 1200 pound mower. I switched over to a 600# tiller yesterday and after a while I heard some sort of grinding coming, I guess, from the hydraulics. The front end loader works fine. When I tried to lift the tiller it didn't lift, and I had to move the draft lever to keep it from making a noise...not a big noise, not a terrible noise.

The PTO works fine.

I unhooked the tiller and tried to run it up and down to no avail. But I can physically lift it by hand...the three point lift...so something must be broken because you aren't supposed to be able to lift those arms up and down like that.

I'm no farmer, I'm not even competent to be running this equipment, so if you know or think you know what is wrong, I'd be grateful for any guidance.

Thanks.

Do this test and report back. with the tractor off, raise the lift arm to it highest position, then by hand raise the lift arm (assuming you have no load attached to it), now let go off the arms. Do They on their own slowly drop to the lowest point? if so , I think there is a high potential that your lift piston seal just ruptured due to age and 1200 lb mower. Replacement seal is cheap but labor to do it varies from tractor to tractor.

JC,

 

[Rford]

With the tractor not running, I could lift the arms and they'd flop right back down. I could move them up and down at will. No pressure whatsoever, no resistance, nothing. I moved the control levers to different positions, while running, and same deal...dead arms.

I could understand the heavy mower blowing something up..the hyd were pretty slow before...but the tiller was 1/2 as heavy and I didn't think that would be an issue.

 

[JC-jetro]

With the tractor not running, I could lift the arms and they'd flop right back down. I could move them up and down at will. No pressure whatsoever, no resistance, nothing. I moved the control levers to different positions, while running, and same deal...dead arms.

I could understand the heavy mower blowing something up..the hyd were pretty slow before...but the tiller was 1/2 as heavy and I didn't think that would be an issue.

Rford,

I got ahead of myself a bit also. If the pump is off when you raise the lift arm then there will be no oil behind it to hols the arm up... my bad

But again, The fact that you can lift with no resistance and it drops as well is a sign of ruptured piston seal or a lift spool that is stock open to the read diify. I bet 9 out of 10 it is the seal. My piston seal ruptured as well when I pulled 10 to 15 6"dia fence pole out of the ground and it finally gave out.



Jc,

 

[Rford]

I probably shouldn't have said "grinding" because it wasn't really a gear-grinding noise, at least not what I would expect if some pump gear was flying apart....I had to take out my earplugs to hear it and it was more of a groaning or whining than gear-on-gear. But, honestly, unlike passenger vehicles which I pretty much have figured out, this tractor (and the 460 Farmall I use) make noises that I really don't know how to describe.

I checked the fluid level in case anyone thinks that caused it.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I believe the internal rocker arm connection between the 3ph lift cyl [internal] and rocker shaft is broken. That can allow the cyl piston to fall into the trans. That could explain the grinding along with the dead arms. Dont drive the tractor until you find out for sure.
larry

 

[Rford]

Thanks....sounds like time to buy a service manual.....no chance there is just a cover a person can take off for a look see?

 

[dcyrilc]

Thanks....sounds like time to buy a service manual.....no chance there is just a cover a person can take off for a look see?

That depends on your tractor and what you consider a cover.

 

[JC-jetro]

On a lot of ford tractors (shibauras) including NH TC series the lift cover does not need to come off. You can remove the lift cylinder head easily and retrieve the piston and cylinder for rock shaft inspection and or seal replacement.


JC,