Newbie with MF1235....

[redleicester]

Afternoon all, and a little wave from across the pond. Seems from rooting around the forum, the North American market is VERY different from the UK one, not least on pricing! Plus you have all sorts of little companies doing mods and add-ons, not to mention a wealth of implement manufacturers to choose from. Well over here, things are rather more limited, and dealers vastly less helpful, especially with "older" machinery.

So I find myself with 18 acres, and a little MF1235, or judging by the badging and a little Googling around, an Iseki TF330/335 in red disguise! It has a Lewis 25Q FEL, with quick-hitch 4in1 bucket, and a Ransomes 60" mid-mount cutting deck.

Here we go (assuming this pic works)

Useful toy, and cuts the grass exceptionally well, which is handy as the lawn is about 3ac, with a paddock of 2, and then other areas of around another 4 which go from everything like pathways to scrub and brush (nettles, thistles, bracken etc)

Now the tricky part is I have basically had to learn most of this from scratch - out here in the sticks we're surrounded by "proper" farmers, most of whom knew how to rebuild a tractor before they could walk, so whilst they don't exactly sneer, they do derive some amusement from my efforts to become mechanically minded. Couple that to the fact that AGCO UK refuse to believe the tractor even exists (and assure me that actually I mean the MF135 and please go away sir and talk to the MF Vintage Owners Club), thus denying me a manual... and you can see I have had to just work out how things operate as I go along!

I have just bought a tipping trailer which a local farmer was getting rid of, which is probably marginally oversized for the MF, but given I'll never fill it anywhere near capacity it'll do nicely. However, it does have a ring hitch, and the MF currently has a drawbar.

So I have been wondering how on earth to hitch it up to the tractor... now I have convinced myself I have seen similar tractors with pick-up hitches, but again talking to AGCO and dealers has just drawn a blank... annoying. So is the only remaining option the A-frame sort of things which bolt on to the 3pt hitch, or is there another alternative?

I'm sure I'll have other questions, but I'll stick with one now so as not to derail a thread with too many questions and answers flying back and forwards!

Thanks in advance, and hello to all.

 

[redleicester]

No one? Oooh dear! :ashamed:

 

[wrenchturner]

I would use a pintle hitch on the tractor instead of the ball you already have. You can buy ball hitches that also function as a pintle hitch. You will get more responses if you post on the attachments forum. Hope this helps. Tractor looks nice. I am sorry more people on the MF forum did not help.

 

[DanielJ]

You might just weld a ball type hitch on the trailer tongue since you already have a drawbar with a ball. You sure have a nice looking place.

 

[redleicester]

Thanks Daniel, the green fields of England

I had wondered about either a pintle hitch or welding a ball hitch onto the drawbar, the only drawback, if you'll excuse the pun, would be lifting the trailer on to it....

So it may yet be a two-pronged attack - get a screw leg /jack for the trailer so it can be parked safely (not left up on blocks like it is now!) and then get the local agri place to weld a ball hitch onto the trailer.... not sure the ball hitch would be too stable when tipping a full load though?

 

[jeepcj7]

You won't have a problem tipping a load witha ball hitch - the trailer is not that big... good fit for your tractor though

 

[YogiBear]

Hi Newbie,
Sorry for the delay in responding, I have been away from the computer for a couple months. I also own the mystery MF1235, but the local distributor mechanic is well aware of their existence. Regarding your issue with pulling the trailer. I purchased a three point adapter hitch from Northern Hydraulics, which uses a standard 2" receiver used in most of our trailer hitches here in the USA. I then purchased a "stinger" that slips into the receiver that can be fitted with a pintle, ball or hook for different applications. It works well for me, I hope this helps.

 

[redleicester]

Woohoo! So I'm not the only one with a 1235! Phew, I thought it was only me!

Right, I think I'm going to go down the route of the TP adaptor and see how I get on.

 

[joseymack]

Hey Boys I own a MF1235 and just trying to find an OIL filter... Does anyone know the part number for Oil Filter and perhaps the cross refrenced Napa filter?