My first tractor!

[ForestGump]

So I am officially a man now! I purchased a beat up but functional Massey this week and am getting excited about starting to pull some wood out with it. I feel kind of like a kid in driver's training again trying to keep track of all the levers and shifters and gears...But the one thing I cant figure out is how to raise and lower the 3 pt hitch?
It has a 'quadramatic' system with some levers but they dont seem to do anything when moved. Any ideas on how to use the 3 point would be helpful- thanks!
I am trying to attach a picture but i can only get it in my profile right now...

[caveman]

On some of the Massey's there is a knob that adjusts the speed at which the three point arms move.  If it is turned all the way out (I believe) the arms will not move.    Good luck, Caveman

[Gearbox]

It will help to know the model , some had to have the PTO engaged . Is it full of transmition oil or 90 wt ( you need to know witch ) . Gearbox

[beenthere]

Forest
You now have 5 pics in your "woods" album now, and two are duplicates. Just so you know.

And clicking the line below this post window that says "Click here to add Photos to post" will take you to a new window to either upload another pic or go to the menu line and click on "My gallery" to get to the pics you already have posted. Delete the duplicates, and click on the one you want in your post.
It will enlarge full size. At that time, scroll down a page or two to where you see "Insert image in post" and you answer Yes and your pic will be in your post. Click "preview" to be sure it is as you want it.

Give a shout if that doesn't work for you.

[elk42]

 Forest I halve owned two of those. it is a filter inside I think you get to it under one
of those round inspection plates on the side under the seat. If it stops up the lift will not work . it is a good chance that the lift pump is worn out. Massey Ferguson Hydraulic Lift Pump Assly. - YouTube  www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3zIoH8scMQ

[SAnVA]

I think you just have your levers positioned wrong, the outside lever (closest to the fender needs to be up near the top of the slot, then do not move it, use the inside lever (closest to seat) to raise the 3 point hitch up and down. Hope this solves your problem!

[John Mc]

SAnVA - is one of those levers "Draft" and the other "Position"?  I don;t have a Draft lever on my Compact tractor, so have not had to deal with that in quite some time (not since I was a kid out in Ohio)

[thecfarm]

Congrats on the tractor. I like them old ones.
here's your tractor.



 

[SAnVA]

Yes, John MC, the outside lever is draft control and if it isn't all the way or almost all the way to the top of the slot then your up-down lever will have no effect on your lift. I have a mid or late 60's model 135 MF which I think has the same hydraulics as the tractor pictured and that's the way mine works!

[mills]

On some of the Massey's there is a knob that adjusts the speed at which the three point arms move.  If it is turned all the way out (I believe) the arms will not move.    Good luck, Caveman

It's been awhile since I ran a Massey, but like Caveman said, there is a valve that controls speed and there should be a handle under the seat that switches hydraulic flow from your remote hydraulics to your 3pt hitch.

[mf40diesel]

Congratulations on your tractor.  Not too long ago, I had a Massey which was extremely similiar to yours.  Mine was a 1972-ish MF-40 industrial, quite honestly it looked identical.  When I got mine, it barely ran, had roughly 10,000 really hard hours on it, and seemingly received no care at all.  Totally beaten up, I can't stress that enough.. haha  Even in the summer I had to use ether to start it.  Straight away, I completely rebuilt the engine, mine had the perkins ad3.152 diesel, direct injection model (in fact if you look up ad3.152 on youtube you'll see a video of the first time it started after the rebuild)  I never did get any paint on it, but I replaced or rebuilt a ton of things on it, and that bad boy never let me down, not even once. I let it go a few years ago, it was an awesome machine.

About your problem with the 3point hitch.  I can't really remember if it was the handle inboard or outboard, however on mine at least it was the handle that had the square top, not the round knob.  the round one was for draft control.  Also, their is a dowel pin somewhere under the seat that works in the top-link feedback for the draft control.  Over the years this dowel would wear out, and throw the quadrant linkage off so that it wouldn't work. (Clearly more to it than that) A mickey mouse fix, that was done to mine, as I never tore into the hydraulics at all, was to essentially pull the draft control all the way back, and when I mean all the way, I mean it went far beyond the limits of the quandrant guides.  I tried to bring that lever back into the proper range once, and nothing would function.  Might be worth a try.

As a disclaimer though....  I never tore into the 3 pt hydraulics, and am only really going with what was told to me, and what worked on mine.  Clearly something else could have been the cuplrit causing mine to malfunction that would not effect yours.  I think moving the lever is worth a try, but do it slow, and be ready to shut it off if something starts to sound bad or do something bad.

I believe I still have the very thick and large manual for it.  If you are interested in it, send me a PM,  I'll send it to you.  I go to sea for a living so it will be a little bit.  good luck to you.  Loved that sound of that Perkins at about 1750 rpm!!!

[Warped]

Steering tight?

[ForestGump]

Thanks for all the input! I had a couple weeks of vacation that needed my attention but now Ive finally had a chance to get out and play with it a bit these past couple days. Its a mf 202 and with a gas continental, 40hp more or less so it should have good power.
Pros:
easily lifted #1700 pound log
starts easy
pretty easy to steer
Cons:
poor traction when using loader (wheels spinning)
3 point seems to have ed and not really moving no matter where I position levers
steady drip of oil while running that seems to stop when tractor is off

I didnt see any kind of lever under the seat that would shift the hydraulics to rear but maybe I dont know what Im looking for...

So my next thought was I needed more weight on the rear end to make loader work, went on craigslist and procured a jd i-match ballast box for $120.
My tractor doesnt seem to have the top link for the upper part of the attachment? So...where might I procure such apparatus and what is it even called?
Again, thanks for the advice- I really do appreciate the encouragement!

[JDGUY]

Congratulations on the new tractor.  Its hard to beat older Massey Fergusons.  I have a MF240 and although it has been abused and looks awful it still runs like a top. 
Many of the old Masseys won't run the 3 point hitch at the same time as an accessory.  Assuming your fel runs off the hydraulics you may have a valve that that has to be switched to make the 3 point hitch work. 

[Thewoodman]

Good to see your got a front end loader, that'll make your life easier by a country mile. Heres some pointers

Keep your bucket low when driving around
Its a 2 wheel drive tractor, its not a go-every-were machine
NEVER push the old girl too hard

[thecfarm]

Got a tractor supply close by? They have all the 3 pt stuff.
Top link is correct.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/farm-ranch/3-point-equipment/3-point-hitch-parts

I myself prefer to load or fill the rear tires with fuild. This keeps the weight down load where you need it. It also keeps the 3 point available for something. This is kinda like the oil debate over on the chainsaw board.  ;D

[ForestGump]

Ok, rear tires are loaded but evidently not enough weight still. Guess Im headed to tsc today!

[John Mc]

Yeah, my rear tires are loaded, but I still need an implement on the back if I want to get the full use out of my loader. (kind of a bummer when I want to tow a trailer and have the loader full at the same time - the tongue weight of my trailers typically isn't enough to make much of a difference.)

[pineywoods]

I see you have a front loader. Most of the older Masseys had no aux hydraulics to operate a loader. So there's a diverter valve somewhere to divert hydraulic oil from the 3pt to the fel. It's usually under the seat, bolted to the top of the tranny. May be just an adapter there with  hoses going to a remote diverter valve. In other words, you can operate the loader OR the 3pt, but not both at the same time. This lash-up is all aftermarket hardware so I can't be more specific. Be aware also that these old tractors were NOT designed to accommodate a fel. Expect to have problems with front suspension and steering components. Loaded tires and 3pt ballast make the problems worse.

[John Mc]

Pineywoods - wouldn't 3 point ballast tend to take the load OFF the front suspension? (Filled tires don;t help in that regard - in fact, that may indirectly make things worse by encouraging you to lift more with the FEL??)

[beenthere]

Right John.
A ballast box on the 3 ph will counter-balance the load on the front end.

This MF appears to have a factory MF loader so likely the front end is built to accommodate the loader.

[Warped]

Buy the manual.
As said, don't push it, especially concerning the clutch which the manual should provide info for adjustment. Splitting these with a loader can be a real pita.
Does it have a pump on the crank?
Enjoy it, tractors are fun! 

[Ox]

That being an industrial model tractor I would think it has separate hydraulic systems.  One belly pump for pto and 3 pt. hitch (like its agricultural cousins) and one front, engine driven pump constantly pumping when engine is running for the loader (run with a splined shaft from the crankshaft pulley to an external hydraulic pump).  Typically the loader frame would house the oil for the loader.

Check oil level in rear of tractor and change the filter, it sometimes helps.  This model will likely be running hydraulic oil.  The old Fergusons (TO20 and 30) used gear oil for hydraulics with a double piston pump in the belly.

[pineywoods]

Ox got it right, I didn't look at the pic, assumed ag type tractor. That definitely is an industrial model..whole different ballgame.

[ForestGump]

It seems to have a slight drip of oil coming out of the actual frame of the tractor (on the right side). There is a plug on the top of the frame and a plug underneath. Is this hydraulic oil?
There seems to be a little bell cap on top of loader where Im thinking I should add hydraulic oil but I dont see a dipstick anywhere to measure how low it is. I do have the original manual which I found online but it isnt particularly thorough in my opinion.