iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

My first tractor!

Started by ForestGump, August 14, 2015, 06:52:16 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

beenthere

A few pics of what you are describing will help sort it out for you.

And you are talking "actual frame of the tractor" and not the frame of the FEL (just to be sure we get it right). Am thinking the "bell cap" is a breather that also is hydraulic oil fill spot. Also will be overflow if too full of oil and it expands when it gets used a lot and warms up. May not have a dipstick, per se.

Upon further looking, seems the tractor you have is Industrial MF 30 with the MF 34 industrial loader.
The bucket cylinder arrangement to tilt the bucket is different from the non-industrial loader, IIRC.

Found this discussion about the oil breather cap and fill, as well as comments on the dip stick arrangement. Maybe it will help.
http://www.ssbtractor.com/wwwboard/view_all.cgi?bd=massey&msg=14540
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

chester_tree _farmah

Rugged old tractors they were.
254xp
C4B Can-Car Tree Farmer
Ford 1720 4wd loader hoe

Ox

If the "bell" (breather) doesn't have a dipstick attached to it then the upper plug will be the oil level plug.  Add oil through the breather until oil comes out the upper plug.  You can also add oil through the upper plug until full.  The lower plug will be for draining.  These hydraulic systems don't always have a filter so don't be scared if you don't find one.  My big old Oliver doesn't have a hydraulic filter for its industrial hydraulic system.  Back then oil was cheap so just draining, flushing the bottom of the sump out with some diesel or kerosene and a fresh fill was what was warranted.  If the hydraulic oil is dirty, change it because dirty oil is what takes out seals in the hydraulic cylinders and pump.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

jmouton

you gotta make sure  your trans and rear end fluid isnt full of  water too ,,  2 people i did work for on  similar  tractor s    hand 3-5 gallons of water in there  , came in  the boots around the knobs  and other places  i can only figure ,,   not good  but worth draining  the fluids out  and making sure ,,,, it will make the hyd not work too ,,


                                                                                                                 jim
lt-40 wide ,,bobcat,sterling tandem flatbed log truck,10 ton trailer, stihl 075,041,029,066,and a 2017 f-350,oh and an edger

Ed_K

 On my model 30 there's a dipstick on the breather cap,and a filter on the side of loader arm going up to the breather. If you decide to pull the piston pump, there's a side plate on the transmission (rt side) that you will have to open.There's a roller pin inside that has to be disasembled before you pull the top of trans cover off.
Ed K

ForestGump

Im getting ready to drain the fluid as jmouton suggested, although Im a little hesitant because if it aint broke I dont think I should 'fix' it...is it just a good idea to flush hydro oil every few years?
Other problem thats limiting me is traction. The loader can really lift pretty heavy logs but tires just spin in the dirt even with rear weight box. I also have hard time scooping up dirt (clay and roots)- I drive into pile and tires spin before bucket really gets in very much. Would tire chains make much difference in these areas and if so is it feasible to DIY them?
Let the wood times roll!

loggah

I have an older Massey-ferguson industrial 30 similar to yours,little bit heavier, 60 h.p. diesel. The loader frame is the loader hydraulic tank and the hydraulic pump is in the front running off the crankshaft for the loader. I run chains and the rear tires are loaded,still lacks for traction when digging with the front bucket!! I mostly bought it to power my belsaw sawmill and it runs it really well. i alsi  have a platform i put on the back to use with my sap gathering tank in the spring. I would build a weightbox for your tractor to hitch to the 3 point hitch,and on the back weld a hitch to pull your trailer with, then you have more traction and still use your trailer. They are good old tractors !!! ;D ;D
Interests: Lombard Log Haulers,Tucker Sno-Cats, Circular Sawmills, Shingle Mills, Maple Syrup Making, Early Construction Equipment, Logging Memorabilia, and Antique Firearms

beenthere

The bucket shown on your MF tractor is more of a material handling bucket than a dig-a-hole dirt bucket. So you likely will not be filling it unless the pile is snow or corn cobs.
Putting some serious weight on the 3 ph as well as chains will help. Just remember that you may be over stressing some other parts that will/may be expensive to fix.
Some pics of your ballast/weight box as well as pics of your dirt you cannot scoop up will help a great deal in providing constructive comments.
You are finding out why 4wd on tractors with loaders is popular too...   :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Ed_K

I mounted a fisher snowplow on back of my model 30, it digs good then. I'd like to find a diesel for tho.
Ed K

North River Energy

QuoteThe loader can really lift pretty heavy logs but tires just spin in the dirt even with rear weight box. I also have hard time scooping up dirt (clay and roots)- I drive into pile and tires spin before bucket really gets in very much. Would tire chains make much difference in these areas and if so is it feasible to DIY them?

Remind yourself regularly that
1. it's called a front end loader, not a front end digger.
2. just because you can lift it, doesn't necessarily mean you should.


Clay is a tough dig even with the right equipment.  If it's in the budget, find a bucket that's narrower, with a shallower floor and teeth.

Your area might be short on used chains, but I bought a set off Craigslist this spring for 350.  Almost new tractor net chains with ice caulks, from a good manufacturer, including the original crate.
Chains are worth it, but they can also allow the user to abuse the machine.

thecfarm

I do alot of digging with my 4wd tractor. But if you have clay to deal with,that is slick no matter what you have. Roots are hard to deal with too. Let alone the clay too.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

kensfarm

You can also get a tooth bar for the bucket.   Congrats on your tractor.. be safe.. have fun! 

John Mc

Quote from: ForestGump on August 30, 2015, 01:48:29 PM
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?

Can you post a picture of where the drip is coming from? I'm not familiar with your tractor, so take the following with a grain of salt: If it's coming from where two major pieces join together, you might have some bolts working loose allowing the front half to start to separate from the back half. Take a look at the bolts all the way around and torque them up if needed.  If these bolts have been loose for a while, there may have been fretting/wear of the mating surfaces which could mean tightening up the bolts will not stop it. The fix for that is more involved than I can get into (though if the drip is not bad, the redneck fix is simple, and only costs you a few bucks every now and then for as long as you own the tractor - keep a spare quart of hydraulic oil on hand, and top things off every once in a while.)
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

John Mc

Quote from: ForestGump on December 03, 2015, 04:44:59 PM
Im getting ready to drain the fluid as jmouton suggested, although Im a little hesitant because if it aint broke I dont think I should 'fix' it...is it just a good idea to flush hydro oil every few years?

On my tractor (a 2001 New Holland TC33D) the recommendation is to change the hydraulic filter every 300 hours of operation. I don;t see a recommendation on changing the fluid, but I've done that every time I change the filter. I don't flush it, but the system always looks fairly clean when I drain things out. First time on a used tractor I would definitely flush it out. If the system has no hydraulic filter, I would probably change more often, and flush each time.

QuoteOther problem that's limiting me is traction. The loader can really lift pretty heavy logs but tires just spin in the dirt even with rear weight box. I also have hard time scooping up dirt (clay and roots)- I drive into pile and tires spin before bucket really gets in very much. Would tire chains make much difference in these areas and if so is it feasible to DIY them?

A toothbar does help with digging in to piles of dirt, especially the tougher stuff like clay. As others have mentioned, you don't want to go overboard and put too much stress on the tractor/loader. If you've got an oversized material handling bucket on there, you may never get it full unless you are scooping up easy stuff.

The name of the game for traction, especially on a 2WD tractor is ballast. When that bucket is full of something heavy like clay, almost all the weight is on the front end. Filled rear tires help (I have calcium chloride in mine, but would use something different next time - probably Rim Guard/beet juice). But weight on the 3 PT hitch is even better (I use both). The further back that weight hangs, the more it will help counterbalance the weight in the loader. As a bonus, weight hanging off the back helps relieve the strain on the front axle.

Chains do help a lot as well, you might get by without them when properly ballasted if you have Ag-type (R1) tires. If you have Industrial (R4) or Turf tires chains can quickly become a necessity, especially if the ground is soft or even slightly wet.

I use "ladder style" chains on my tractor, because that is the only kind that fits my rear tires. I ordered mine with V-bars (basically, little spikes) for extra traction. They work fairly well - with my R4 tires, the tractor is almost useless in ice and snow without them - just spin when trying to go up an icy hill. The downside of ladder chains is that the lateral (side-to-side) traction is not as good as some other options. If you are driving on a lot of side hills, that may be a concern. The Ladder with V-bars has proven manageable for me if I'm careful. V-bars can tear up a paved road if you are not carefull about spinning your wheels - not an issue for me, since there is no pavement on my property, and simply driving over paved roads is not really an issue. Ladder style chains are usually "4 link" (cross chains are every 4th link along the side chain). You can also find "2 link" chains which have cross chains every other link on the side chain. They give a little smoother ride and may have a bit better traction

A better option is Duo-Grip or similar (Duo Grip may be a brand name?) These form a sort of "matt" over your tractor tire, and provide better lateral traction as well as some protection for the tires. You can get them either plain or with V-bars. They cost about 50% more than a 4 bar ladder style. This is the style I would use in my work in the forest with my compact tractor, if anyone were making them in a size to fit my tires back when I was shopping for chains.

Another option is "Double Ring Chains" these are ladder style, but the cross chains are made up of a double row of interlocking rings. They are designed to be self-cleaning in mud. I occasionally see some farm tractors with them. I've never used them myself, but I'm guess they would not be as good a traction on ice or hard-packed earth as something with V-bars. I've heard they are tough to beat in mud.

Tirechains,com has a good selection and decent prices if you are buying new. Check out this link for examples of styles of tractor chains.

If you are looking for a good tractor-specific website, you might check out TractorByNet.  I don't spend as much time on there as I used to (since I discovered the forestry forum), but it's a good bunch of folks, some of them very knowledgeable. Like any internet forum, you sometimes have to figure out who the folks are that really know their stuff, vs. who just THINKS they know their stuff.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Thank You Sponsors!