MF135 Power Steering Pump

[Left Coast Chris]

I have a MF 135 Serial # 9A 157609 which I believe puts it at a 1973 mfg date. It is the delux (two stage clutch) with 3 cyl Perkins. The power steering pump has been loosing oil for quite some time but works if kept full. The hydraulic (motor?) at the base of the steering column has had some leakage from one of the side shafts of thick oil (not hydraulic oil). It began making an occasional clicking sound like an elecrical snap or hard plastic flap getting clicked. My son has been using the tractor mostly and he reports that is suddenly lost power steering when it did the click noise near the steering column.

Not sure how to approach this. If I were to guess, I need to get a new hydraulic (motor?) that is located at the base of the steering column. I should probably also address the pump. So far I have went to several parts sites and can only find the pump. The lowest price is at CheapTractorParts.com for $285. agtractorssupply.com has it for $294. Other sites are $100 more. There is a kit for the pump for $25.

Some questions:
1) Is the pump rebuild with the $25 kit a viable option for the farm shop or would a local shop be able to rebuild it?

2) Can the hydraulic motor at the base of the column be rebuilt? Any one know of a kit or replacement supplier?

Thanks for any help,

Chris

 

[flusher]

I have a MF 135 Serial # 9A 157609 which I believe puts it at a 1973 mfg date. It is the delux (two stage clutch) with 3 cyl Perkins. The power steering pump has been loosing oil for quite some time but works if kept full. The hydraulic (motor?) at the base of the steering column has had some leakage from one of the side shafts of thick oil (not hydraulic oil). It began making an occasional clicking sound like an elecrical snap or hard plastic flap getting clicked. My son has been using the tractor mostly and he reports that is suddenly lost power steering when it did the click noise near the steering column.

Not sure how to approach this. If I were to guess, I need to get a new hydraulic (motor?) that is located at the base of the steering column. I should probably also address the pump. So far I have went to several parts sites and can only find the pump. The lowest price is at CheapTractorParts.com for $285. agtractorssupply.com has it for $294. Other sites are $100 more. There is a kit for the pump for $25.

Some questions:
1) Is the pump rebuild with the $25 kit a viable option for the farm shop or would a local shop be able to rebuild it?

2) Can the hydraulic motor at the base of the column be rebuilt? Any one know of a kit or replacement supplier?

Thanks for any help,

Chris

I have a 1964 MF135 diesel deluxe with PS and multipower. I haven't torn into the PS system yet, but here are the pages from the parts manual.


What you call a hydraulic motor looks to me like a pretty simple hydraulic cylinder (ram) that moves a rack part of a rack and pinion mechanism. Shouldn't be too difficult to repair in your shop. Same for the power steering hydraulic pump. I repaired the hydraulic pump on my 1951 Minneapolis Moline BF tractor a few months age. No problem.

Good luck on your repair job.

 

[Left Coast Chris]

Thanks for the info. Your repair manual is better than mine. Mine did not show the exploded view of the steering box (what some call the hyd steering motor). The steering box looks like the tough thing to tackle not knowing what part of it might be bad or what typically goes out on them. It does come appart though and it should reveal itself once appart. I have not seen a kit offered to rebuild it though. I do see the small hydraulic cylinder attached to the steering box and if that is the issue than that would be a easy fix but mine has had leakage out of the side shaft so a bearing, sleeve and/or seals are likely involved.

Based on your experience rebuilding the hydraulic pump I will try that first. Mine has the "Cessna" pump and it is pretty simple. Thanks again for the help. Hopefully someone will add to the thread regarding getting into the hydraulic steering box.

 

[massey driver]

In reply to your post in Parts & Repairs about having to remove the timming cover etc:.No I highly doubt you need to do that if its anything like what the MF 165-MF 175 have for a pump they come off by removing just 3 bolts.There hard to see but there there.One is between the block and the pump almost have to do it by feel and I do belive it better accessed from underneath the pump.I've taken a couple pics of the pumps I've taken off and installed different ones back on.If your pump looks like this your good to go.I know it almost looks and seems like you need to pull the timming cover off but believe you don't.Look really close and careful you'll find the bolts.Larry:thumbsup:

 

[Left Coast Chris]

Thanks Larry,

My pump is much flatter and has no external bolts to access. Thats the problem. Its hard to believe the timing gear cover has to come off. Im not going to attempt it until I find a manual or otherwise.

 

[massey driver]

Thanks Larry,

My pump is much flatter and has no external bolts to access. Thats the problem. Its hard to believe the timing gear cover has to come off. Im not going to attempt it until I find a manual or otherwise.

I'll throw something else at you.Does the pump on yours have a reseivour as well and is it possible that you need to take the resevour off first in order to access bolts holding the pump on.I just thougth I'd mention this { I could be way off base as well} a diagram of some sort sure would help you out thats for sure.Larry

 

[Left Coast Chris]

Update: Upon further inspection....... there are two 9/16" bolts that bolt through the timing gear cover and housing into the pump. Pulled them. Got the pump apart. Not much to attempt to repair. Only a seal and gaskets. Nothing looks out of order with the pump. The gears that do the pumping are hard to judge for wear. Off to the parts store to order the seals and gaskets.

 

[massey driver]

Update: Upon further inspection....... there are two 9/16" bolts that bolt through the timing gear cover and housing into the pump. Pulled them. Got the pump apart. Not much to attempt to repair. Only a seal and gaskets. Nothing looks out of order with the pump. The gears that do the pumping are hard to judge for wear. Off to the parts store to order the seals and gaskets.

Glad to hear that you have the pump off,as for gaskets,they can be made and seals can be cross refrenced or measured if need be.Larry

 

[flusher]

Thanks Larry,

My pump is much flatter and has no external bolts to access. Thats the problem. Its hard to believe the timing gear cover has to come off. Im not going to attempt it until I find a manual or otherwise.

I have the 135 service, parts and operation manuals as well as the I&T manual. Nowhere does it say that the timing gear cover has to be removed to drop that pump. Just remove 3 bolts--that's all they say.

 

[David Devuono]

I had the power steering actuator on the steering column that connects to the steering cylinders off mine and rebuilt it. It just contains a bunch of O-rings. Buy yourself one of the large O-ring kits and a tub of white grease. It took me a couple of attempts to seal up all the leaks, but 3 years later I find that it is leaking again. All the o-rings were rock hard and fell apart the first time I dug into it. Worse off now on my 135 is something bumped my Oil filter (making trails through heavy brush) and I almost seized the motor with a major oil leak. I have a conversion kit and spin on oil filter that I will put on it Saturday. For the power steering, lube all the o-rings well with the white grease for ease of reassembly and to prevent nicking any O-rings.

This was a before shot, never thought to take pictures of dissassembly.