How to operate Belarus 3 point hydraulics

[Yamezz]

I've bought a cheap Belarus 900 that appears to be a 1986 model. I've found a manual for the later tractors, which is somewhat useful for my year model, but there's a few differences in the pictures and description.

Does anyone know how the 3-point is supposed to operate? On every other tractor I've driven there's one lever to raise and lower the hitch, but with this tractor I can make the hitch raise and lower with both a lever beside the seat and the outermost lever of what the manual calls a hydraulic distributor.

When I bought the tractor, I could just get my spader implement raised by using both levers at the same time and revving the motor pretty high. Oil was running out of the 3-point ram though (it's an external cylinder, also different to every other tractor I've driven), so I've rebuilt the ram with new seals and replaced. Now, I can get the hitch to go up and down without a load, but not with the spader attached. The ram no longer leaks and cracking what I think is a bleed port, as well as the hydraulic hoses, runs clean oil with no apparent air.

It's hard to troubleshoot when it seems the hitch responds to a random set of movement with two levers that each have four positions.

 

[Farmer495]

The MTZ like that that I have been around the draft lever (beside the seat) was left alone and only the lever beside the steering wheel (outer most) was used to raise and lower the 3pt. One tractor the draft lever was tied back and the rotary knob was tied in place.

I think when it works it works....when it doesn't work too well you just want to use the hydraulic cylinder and not the draft control aspect.

 

[MMC]

The MTZ like that that I have been around the draft lever (beside the seat) was left alone and only the lever beside the steering wheel (outer most) was used to raise and lower the 3pt. One tractor the draft lever was tied back and the rotary knob was tied in place.

I think when it works it works....when it doesn't work too well you just want to use the hydraulic cylinder and not the draft control aspect.

I'll take a shot at this; assuming the 900 is like older Belarus,' that bunch of sticks on the right hand side of the dash controls a couple of remotes and the outer stick/lever will operate the 3pt lift.

The lift itself is controlled by the large external hydraulic cylinder under the seat that drives the rockshaft. That cylinder is double acting so the "stick" can apply lift when pulled to the rear and down pressure when pushed toward the front. And that down pressure is quite valuable with many implements like a post hole digger. But remember it will put down pressure on any attached implement if you push that lever forward... You can essentially lift the rear of the tractor off the ground by doing this which your attached implement may not be happy with.

The "quadrant" lever to the right of the seat appears to operate the draft and position function of the lift...which I believe was engaged with yet another small lever under the left hand side of the seat under the operator platform.

Not sure I ever understood all that, but at least on the old 500 series, a full power lift could be accomplished by first pulling the quadrant control lever to the rear until it "catches" behind a small tab to lock it and then pulling that outboard lever to the rear and it should lift almost any implement load. But...don't leave the quadrant lever all the way to the rear or it will run the hydraulic pump continuously and possibly overheat it - just get it to lock behind the tab at the top of the quadrant .

Now, a long time since I looked at this, but if properly adjusted and all the weird unseen controls were in the right position, the quadrant should also be able to engage the lift function when pulled all the way to the rear momentarily. But since yours doesn't seem to be working quite right, I think if you use the previous steps to raise the implement, you can then lower the implement by just lowering the quadrant to sort of float the implement along the ground.

These are crude tractors and many controls are unusual. The electrical system is quite...tender. The brakes and other stuff are not anywhere near today's standards. Just think of it as a cheap tractor with a dependable engine and transmission with good pulling power...but you're kinda' operating a 1950's tractor that was designed by a committee.

But definitely get your hands on an operator's manual and if possible, a shop manual. Trying to figure out some of this without written guidance is really hard. And sometimes it was hard for me even with a manual LOL.

Best of luck.

 

[Yamezz]

Thanks for the information.

The manual I found on the internet looks to be authored in 2009 and seems to refer to tractors built after mine. For example, the section on hydraulic lift control refers to two levers - a "power control arm" and a "position control lever", whereas I have only one lever in that position.

Under the seat I also have a flap over a little round knob. The manual refers to this as a power and position switch, but the label on my flap says it's for selecting the PTO mode.

 

[Yamezz]

I've made a little progress. I've managed to get the hitch to lift, but only very slowly and at high engine rpm. The hitch will hold in position if I let go of the third lever, but If I let the rpm drop before I let go, the hitch will drop rapidly back down. At this stage I don't know if I've got a dodgy hydraulic pump.

I've also looked closer under the seat.

The placard refers to the knob (1) that controls the PTO. I still am not sure what 2 and 3 are doing. 2 has three positions and 3 is a flip-flop lever.

 

[MMC]

Thanks for the information.
View attachment 4642771
The manual I found on the internet looks to be authored in 2009 and seems to refer to tractors built after mine. For example, the section on hydraulic lift control refers to two levers - a "power control arm" and a "position control lever", whereas I have only one lever in that position.
View attachment 4642770
Under the seat I also have a flap over a little round knob. The manual refers to this as a power and position switch, but the label on my flap says it's for selecting the PTO mode.
View attachment 4642769

OK, the little plate/selector with the ball on top is the "position" and "draft" option, at least on the ones I have seen. And I think the small lever to the right controls the speed of the lift...I think.

The PTO setting, if I am guessing correctly, refers to your tractor having both 540 and 1000 RPM capability. Assuming you have both PTO tailshafts, naturally. Now, I think (again) that the crooked vertical rod with bolt head on it would change the gearing internal to the transmission case to use either 540 or 1000 PTO outputs. But some I have seen simply have a long rod sticking horizontally out the side beneath the operator platform to accomplish this (still doing the same thing inside the trans case). I would verify this in a manual before I'd put a bunch of force on that however.

You do not have the set-up I described earlier seen on an eighties tractor in the states. In fact, the inboard lever in your picture should raise and lower the lift unless there is a problem with adjustment or some other remote or control lever position is causing the lift to fight with it. One other thing to check is the dipstick on the hydraulic tank. It only holds about five gallons - doesn't take much of a leak to get low... And the hydraulic filter is under the tank top cover - definitely check that if having flow problems. Matter of fact, I would take out the drain plug on the tank and change out the fluid anyway since this tractor is new to you.

The Russian hydraulic pump at the rear of the engine is robust. If you want to check function for sure, make up a coupler with a hydraulic gauge to plug into one of the hydraulic ports and activate the hydraulic circuit. Should read something like 2200-2600 PSI. But don't stand in front of the port when you do that since you might be creating a dangerous missile if the coupler is not fully seated. Be careful, or if unsure, ask a mechanic to do it.

What may make this confusing is that the Russian exports often combined other "stuff" on top of the 1960s? design tractors they were selling, as well as changing control and lever configurations. The engines and transmissions remained the same, but they would buy Danfoss steering systems and even put Husco hydraulics on some tractors instead of the Russian ones. That's pretty good stuff and some even came with Grammer seats.

If you got a "good" MTZ tractor, they were often a decent, if crude, workhorse. But you had to be able to work on them because they became orphans in the US. However, many of the failures on these tractors were the result of their unusual set-ups and a lack of knowledge or interest in how to maintain them.

Read the manual, change the fluids as directed, grease it, and run it... I thought a number of these were sold in Australia. Perhaps you could find a local mechanic or farmer who could get you started? And parts are very cheap compared to the major tractor lines over here, at least. I believe that same basic tractor is being built today in Minsk, Belarus. Anyway, plenty of parts are available.

Also, looks like there is a Facebook group for Belarus owners in Australia who might help you out: Log into Facebook

Best of luck.

 

[Yamezz]

Thank you. I'm working my way through your list of tips. I was unaware of the Facebook group. That looks promising. Cheers.

 

[MMC]

Hope you get it lined out. If you do, it is a very cheap way to pull a lot of ground engaging implements (which is really what the Russians do with it). If the engine and injector pump are sound, the transmission shifts well (to include hi and lo ranges as well as the range splitter on the floorboard), and the PTO engages firmly, you have an 18 speed 90-100+ HP tractor for very little money in today's market. I believe you also have a turbocharger on that tractor as well.

If the powertrain is working well, I would change all the lubricants in the tractor as well as flush and refill the coolant system (it has a really large radiator as well as a radiator shutter for cold ops...which is good). Nothing fancy about the lubricants, e.g., 80-90W gear oil, generic hydraulic oil or you can use engine oil according to the manuals. The engine oil filter is old school - a centrifugal design, which you clean rather than replacing an element. And clean the primary fuel filter and get a replacement element and clean the secondary fuel filter housing and install it. There are shut-off valves on the tanks to assist with this and an inline "priming" hand pump to purge air from the system, if needed. In a throw back to ancient times, you have a drain at the bottom of each fuel tank to flush out debris and collected water as well. Good idea to use them...

If a clutch is needed, it is easy to split that tractor and install the dry clutch and a new pressure plate. Any competent tractor shop will have no problem with that in a very few hours. There is sometimes an advantage to not having a wonderful Fendt-designed Vario transmission when it comes to repairs...

For parts, Ebay and even Amazon are your friends for many of the lighter items. Those parts can ship from Europe. In the states, we still have parts sources who import a lot of Belarus parts from overseas in sea van container lots - I would almost bet you have a few of these folks left in Australia if you check around.

Best of luck.