MF35 Trans/Hydraulic Fluid

BoostedOne · Feb 13, 2011

Hey yall,
Just picked up my first tractor the other night, a 1960 MF35 with the perkins diesel. Runs like a swiss watch.
However the trans case fluid is white-grey, meaning its got water in it. Im assuming the water got in through the shift boots, which I replaced today(and zip tied em tight to the shifter). Are there other points of entry I should look at as well on an otherwise clean tractor? One thing I didnt notice before I got it that is concerning me is I dont see a boot on the top cylinder?
Next, just what kind of fluid do I use in this thing?? The fill cap says 30wt in the summer, and 90 in the winter. Im in Florida, and Im guessing I would go with the lighter stuff, however can't figure out which of the fluids to run. I searched and saw mineral oils, and something called Permatrans. Is Permatrans for modern tractors or my old one?

Or do I just use the standard trans/hyd fluid from tractor supply?
Thanks!

WilliamTO-35 · Feb 13, 2011

I have a 1955 Ferguson TO-35, which is quite similar to your MF35 model. Mine is gasoline powered. I also recently changed the transmission/ hyd. system fluid to remove quite a bit of water . Be sure to drain the fluid from both the front and back drain plugs, as a lot of watery fluid will remain in either sump if you don't. I also replaced the shift lever boots. If you're referring to the cylinder at the top link of the 3 point hitch, mine does have a rubber boot . Also be sure you have a gasket under the large fluid fill plug next to the shift levers. I too was wondering if all the possible water leak points had been accounted for, such as down the steering shaft. I decided to start keeping the entire tractor covered with a tarp . When plowing snow, or caught out in the rain, some water may still find it's way in , but hopefully not much. I found too much water in the transmission was causing the 3 point lift to stick in the up position in feeezing weather, and changing the fluid solved that problem. I changed the trans. fluid by draining at both drain plugs, adding 2 gallons of fluid and running the tractor for 5 minutes , while running the 3 point lift up and down several times, and also putting the pto drive in gear. I did that procedure 3 times, draining the fluid each time, before adding the entire 32 quarts of fluid. I've been using universal trans/hyd. fluid in the tractor for 35 years now, so I suppose it works ok.

BoostedOne · Feb 15, 2011

WilliamTO-35 said:
I have a 1955 Ferguson TO-35, which is quite similar to your MF35 model. Mine is gasoline powered. I also recently changed the transmission/ hyd. system fluid to remove quite a bit of water . Be sure to drain the fluid from both the front and back drain plugs, as a lot of watery fluid will remain in either sump if you don't. I also replaced the shift lever boots. If you're referring to the cylinder at the top link of the 3 point hitch, mine does have a rubber boot . Also be sure you have a gasket under the large fluid fill plug next to the shift levers. I too was wondering if all the possible water leak points had been accounted for, such as down the steering shaft. I decided to start keeping the entire tractor covered with a tarp . When plowing snow, or caught out in the rain, some water may still find it's way in , but hopefully not much. I found too much water in the transmission was causing the 3 point lift to stick in the up position in feeezing weather, and changing the fluid solved that problem. I changed the trans. fluid by draining at both drain plugs, adding 2 gallons of fluid and running the tractor for 5 minutes , while running the 3 point lift up and down several times, and also putting the pto drive in gear. I did that procedure 3 times, draining the fluid each time, before adding the entire 32 quarts of fluid. I've been using universal trans/hyd. fluid in the tractor for 35 years now, so I suppose it works ok.

Thank ya much William.
At this point Im pretty comfortable with the universal trans/hyd fluid idea. I mean in 1960 they were only so advanced when it came to lubricants anyhow. But when i started searching around to find out just what to put in it I was suprised to see so many variations in answers.
I dont have to worry about snow, but rain down here is an issue. This spring i will probably build a carport for the tractor and the implements to keep them out of the bad weather since I enclosed and slabbed the pole barn and turned it into my shop.

So yeah, I will look to drain BOTH plugs(at first I just noticed one, so thanks!) and I will make sure something is under the fill plug. Is that boot for the top cylinder of the 3 point a leakage point? I did some searches on the tractor websites yesterday between doing work and most of them are laid out in such a mess I hadn't found one yet.

When you're doing your fill process and running the hydrualics up and down, do you have something on the hitch to weigh it down at all?

WilliamTO-35 · Feb 15, 2011

Boosted- I do assume that the boot at the top link piston , which is part of Harry Ferguson's draft control system, is a potential water leakage point. The boot on mine looks old and cracked, and , like the steering shaft leakage points, is best handled by coverering it all with a full tractor tarp. Some places have rubber seals, however, to keep dirt out , and lubrication in, as the tractor is being used, and deserve replacement even if rain water is kept out. Take care of the big and obvious ones first, and work your way to the others later. I've gotten to the point on my tractor where is sounds like the old joke: gee, if I'd known it would have lasted this long, I would have taken better care of it ! Nowdays, I am indeed taking better care of my tractor. As for running the 3 point hitch up and down when changing the fluid, you don't need a load on the hitch. My reasoning was that if the upper lift arms ( rock shafts) are pivoting, then the fresh fluid is flushing into and out of the cylinders and metering bodies that move the lift arms, and removing more watery fluid with each flush. The strategy seems to have worked.

Mike476 · Feb 16, 2011

Flushing is a great idea, and if possible wiping out the bottom of the case through the side cover will also help to determine if you have any other sort of contaminants in the case. The last time I did mine I noticed a sludge build-up, which I discovered was in fact excess grease from the grease points on the lift arms. When I changed the filter it was all but blocked off due to the grease, am much more careful now not to use the "grease until you see it come out from the circumference of the bearing" philosophy we were all taught to abide, a little is better than too much in this case and may save a pump in the long run.

BoostedOne · Feb 16, 2011

I was actually planning on putting some diesel in there to thin out some of the slop in the sumps before filling with hyd fluid, but you bring up a good point.. Does the 35 even have a filter? If it does, where would I find it?

Yeah, the boot I was referring to is on the top cylinder. I did manage to find one online at yesterdays tractor I think. Started filling a shopping cart yesterday, but stopped short of ordering. Between a new back tire(and still need one more), the fluid, buying the tractor last week, a bush hog over the weekend, etc I need to keep the spending under control. I had tie rods, spindle bushings, fuel tank shut off, and various other knick nacks on the list.

I do want to take care of this thing. I'm not restoring it for shows, but figure if I fix it up nice and take care of it, it should take care of me. Its apparantly been taking care of people for 50 years already

Mike476 · Feb 16, 2011

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...g/196721-wire-tie-mf135-hydraulic-filter.html

There is a hydraulic filter in my 68 135, the attached thread will give you an indication where it is, you need to take the side cover (PTO engagement lever) off to get at it, the filter is right there. There should be a piece of lockwire preventing the cap from backing off, aside from that, you may need to loosen it with a pair of pliers and the rest is by hand (filter should come with a new o-ring, try to be careful not to spill too much contaminated oil into the pump during removal).

Filter is inexpensive and readily available, should change it if you can, especially if your fluid was contaminated. :thumbsup:

BoostedOne · Feb 17, 2011

Thanks for the pics!

Hopefully I will get a chance to play a little tonight. Was planning to do it yesterday but the woman wanted to go out to dinner, and since she did such a great job cleanin house I obliged. By the time we got back the week caught up to me and I was in bed by 8:30, lol..

I need to replace a back tire first though. The previous owner has an old and too skinny tire on one of the back rims and it keeps popping off the bead. Tuesday night I fired it up to bring it in the shop, and apparantly managed to puncture the tube so now I HAVE to take care of that before the gear box.

Not really looking forward to it since I also have some other work than just replacing the tire.. I'm guessing the previous owner must have gotten the rim from another tractor, because it only has 4 tabs instead of 6. Since only two tabs on the rim match the hub, they welded down the other 4 locations.. That really doesnt bother me that much, but the kicker is they must have had a brain fart when they did it because they welded the disc on backwards(so the valve stem is on the inside), AND they welded the disc to the wrong danged side of the tab so it sits waaay too far inboard...
So once I get the old tire off, I gotta cut these welds out somehow, then either fab some rim tabs or weld it back down..

Mike476 · Feb 17, 2011

Don't ya love it, always something to do. Shouldn't be too bad though with the rim off, good chance to clean it up have a good look at everything. :thumbsup:

WilliamTO-35 · Feb 17, 2011

You do have several choices on how to mount the rims, to alter your rear track width to suit your needs and provide tire clearance . With stock rims, there's no one " right" way to mount them. My TO-35 actually provides 8 different rear track widths from 48 to 76 inches, and that's without the optional power adjusted rims. Perhaps you noticed because one side is mounted differently from the other. Take a good look at them, and you'll realize the possibilities. Not only can the outer rim be reversed, but the spider can be reversed on the axle studs. I wound up with the valve stem on one rim on the inside, and one on the outside. It seems to just be the difference between an old rim and a new replacement rim. Owners also frequently buy different width rims for each side, which is poor form, in my opinion. They also wind up mounting one rim farther out, or in, than the other side. Again, poor form. However, welding a four tab rim onto a six tab spider is worse than poor form ! Replacement rims are about $145 delivered for my TO-35 , so getting the right rim won't break the bank. Measure the rim width from one tire bead sealing surface to the other, and not the overall width which includes the little flange. Buy your rim width to suit the tire you plan to use. Stay away from calcium chloride if you fill your tires for weight, as it will eventually leak out and rust your rim badly. I learned that lesson twice. When I replaced both of my rear rims, I removed the 6 rim nuts that connect the outer rim to the inner spider with an impact wrench after soaking the threads with penetrant. I replaced the 6 rim bolts and nuts with hot dipped galvanized carriage bolts and nuts and lock washers from Lowes. Mine were 5/8 inch diameter. The carriage bolt heads, with their square shank section under the rounded head, were a perfect match for the loops on the rim. Trying to reuse the original rusted bolts and nuts was not worth the effort. Good luck with your tractor, and keep us informed as to your progress !