SAMJOHNSON
New member
I bought a FORD 4600 with Bush Hog brand loader on it a while back for what seemed to be a fair price. Seems to be a really good solid tractor with only 735 something hours on it. I am the third owner. Guy I bought it from bought it 10 years or so ago with only several hundred hours on it when he got it. It had been barn kept and maintained. I have a leaky power steering cylinder to fix. The tach needle is broke in half but works and points to where the RPM should be. The diesel gauge doesn't work. But everything else runs great, mows great, drives good, fires up real quick. The pressing problem with this tractor is the hydraulics work just fine except on an incline. I am referring to both the 3pt and the FEL. I first noticed this bushoggin' up a grade. I had to drive over a rock, and up an old eroded terrace. So, I am driving and lifting the mower simultaneously. Once I hit the terrace, my 3pt hitch stopped lifting. I checked my loader and it wouldn't lift either. Once I got on level ground, loader and lift worked fine, even simultaneously, despite this tractors rather low hydraulic flow. On level ground, I raised 3pt/mower up, it held, FEL worked as it should. I did notice some surging in the lift with the mower lifted all the way up ( a slight dip and recover). This tractor is new to me, but I have never had a tractor before not lift on a slope. But I am not familiar with this tractor, so I am here asking what is normal and/or what may be wrong?
Later that day, I pulled up to a dirt pile to get a scoop, and the lift and loader did the same thing, failed to work. Well, it worked, but took about 30-45 seconds to raise the FEL 3'. 3pt didn't wish to move at all (this time harrows attached). This slope was more like a 4:12 pitch or less. Backed onto level ground and everything worked awesome.
So, what are yall's thoughts? Low fluid? Is there some sort of sump issue? I changed engine oil, antifreeze, power steering etc and such when I got it, but I am not certain about the hydraulics. Does the tranny and hydraulics share the same fluid? Where do I check tranny/hydraulic fluid?
Later that day, I pulled up to a dirt pile to get a scoop, and the lift and loader did the same thing, failed to work. Well, it worked, but took about 30-45 seconds to raise the FEL 3'. 3pt didn't wish to move at all (this time harrows attached). This slope was more like a 4:12 pitch or less. Backed onto level ground and everything worked awesome.
So, what are yall's thoughts? Low fluid? Is there some sort of sump issue? I changed engine oil, antifreeze, power steering etc and such when I got it, but I am not certain about the hydraulics. Does the tranny and hydraulics share the same fluid? Where do I check tranny/hydraulic fluid?
