Small Tractors? Massey Ferguson 230?

[aighead]

There's a little clamp that was holding the metal lines in that I snugged up to the soft lines (I didn't crush, just a little more than touching), I think that'll work but I'll an eye on it, that's the only place they are touching and even there it's only because I forced them into place to stick in that clamp, they shouldn't rub anywhere else but if they do I'll find something to jam in there.

 

[Welder Dave]

I'm guessing the new hoses might be rated for quite a bit higher pressure than the old ones if standard hyd.hose was used. Should last a long time.

 

[aighead]

I filled her up, fired her up, and a-turning she goes! The only thing is I don't really understand how the fluid circuit goes for the power steering. The lines I replaced ended just under the steering wheel and upon turning the steering wheel with the hose still torn up, fluid would come out of the hose, with the machine off. Now, and maybe this was happening the whole time and I didn't realize, I found there is fluid coming out from the steering wheel hole? It's only some small drips and I assume that it's just some leftover from the leak and replacement but it was too cold (and dinner was ready) when I wrapped it all up and stuck the tractor back in the barn for me to see if it was consistent. I wiped everything down real well, so it should be easy to see if it continues to leak.

 

[56wrench]

Most full power steering systems have an orbitrol(hand pump) which has a small internal gerotor or vane pump that can produce a small amount of flow when you turn the steering wheel with the engine shut off. This allows you to have a minimal amount of manual steering should the need arise although it is usually very hard and slow and can almost feel as though you will rip the steering wheel off. This is how it works when you tow a dead machine while trying to steer it

 

[aighead]

Interesting. While I wouldn't have used the fancy words you came up with I thought something like that must be the case and it was likely some residual fluid there. Thanks!

 

[aighead]

I hope the WixFilters website knows what it's talking about because I just ordered about 150 bucks worth of their filters yesterday, everything should be here today or tomorrow for a decent tune up.

 

[aighead]

Is it safe to assume that the pto shaft, that goes from tractor to mower deck should always be one piece? I, uh, forgot to disconnect it upon removing the mower deck from the 3 pt. hitch and drove away. Part of the shaft stayed with the mower deck and part stayed with the tractor... It appeared keyed to some extent but probably not sturdy enough to be correct as a 2 piece item. It all slid back together like maybe the part that was attached to the deck does slide out from the part that was attached to the tractor but I don't know. I don't want to go buy a new one if that's the way its supposed to work.

 

[Delmer]

Is it a square or rectangular shaft or what? They typically are two pieces that come apart to take up the movement from the tractor to attachment. I have one sitting around that I have to extend, former owner cut it too short for whatever reason, it overlaps less than 2", an it's some kind of funky Italian shaft that has about 8 ribs, so you can't tell which way it goes back together, and never find a replacement here. I'll find a round tube to weld an extension so at least it's supported, and won't flop out. They should only go together two ways, the U joints need to be in the same phase.

 

[aighead]

It's like a rounded triangle shape? It went together pretty easily like maybe it's supposed to work that way. I'll have to get a picture, I've put everything away.

 

[Delmer]

Nope, no picture needed, it's foolproof, you have to try a harder than that to mess it up!

 

[aighead]

So you're saying it's correct to be split like that and I should run her and see if it goes?

 

[hosspuller]

So you're saying it's correct to be split like that and I should run her and see if it goes?

The PTO shaft is telescopic to allow the implement to move through the arc of the 3 point without putting pressure on the tractor's output shaft. In fact, a too long shaft will break your tractor by forcing the shaft into the case when raised. If it's too short, the shaft will disconnect and then whip you and the tractor to death.

 

[colson04]

So you're saying it's correct to be split like that and I should run her and see if it goes?

Delmer and Hosspuller are right. All tractor PTO shafts are 2 pieces. You just pulled it all the way out this time. More than once, I've pulled them apart when connecting/disconnecting an implement to the tractor. I've also made new PTO shafts, usually to replace one that got damaged beyond repair. You have to buy the 2 halfs that make a shaft, cut them off to get the correct working length, then lube and slide together.

 

[Delmer]

If it didn't fall in the gravel, then forget about it, it will work. Like Colson said, they all telescope somewhere, most come apart like yours did. New Holland long tongue small square balers, as an example, have a solid tractor PTO, and extends along the tongue, so you'll drag the baler by the PTO if you forget to unhook the PTO. Alot of times the PTO will not thrash like you'd think if it's disconnected while turning, it can still spin with no resistance, there's no force to make it whip around.

 

[aighead]

Good deal. I noticed pretty quickly because I put all the lynch pins on the tire while I was changing things out and they all fell off. I looked back and noticed I forgot.

Thanks guys!

 

[56wrench]

Telescopic pto shafts should be slid apart periodically to be greased if there are no grease fittings on the telescopic section. Just slide them apart, smear grease on/in them and slide back together.

 

[JaredV]

I just found this thread. Congratulations on scoring the tractor! I've got a 135 with the Continental and it's been great. I saw the discussion about the draft control earlier. One way to help understand how it works is to lift the implement all the way up with position control, then set the draft control so it barely holds it up. Then get off and push the back end of the implement down and lift it up and you'll feel it working.

 

[aighead]

Thanks Jared! This past Saturday I finally put the blade back on and did some dragging with it and kept in mind the draft control discussion here, I understood much better.

 

[aighead]

I went out to show the barn to a buddy and found a flat front tire on the tractor a couple days ago... I'm not real surprised as there was a lot of pretty thick junk I was running over mowing the back field. I'll have to jack 'er up and determine how bad a hole I've got and if I get lucky I'll patch it.

 

[aighead]

Welp, tried a patch. Didn't take.

I've got to say God bless a decent jack (mid-range harbor freight, low profile) and a pretty kick@ss Bosch impact driver.

I had the tractor jacked up and wheel off in about 3 minutes.

I found the puncture, just a tiny thorn looking thing, certainly from mowing over too big a stuff in the back field. Jammed a patch in there, which held long enough to move the mower deck out of the barn, put the blade on, and move the tractor back into the barn. Overnight, the flat was back. I had some old slime (moldy and disgusting) that I tried, unsuccessfully, to put in, the pump was all funked up and it hosed me down with that stink, so I got some new slime and that appears to have done the trick, at least for one night so far.

Now it looks like my steering fluid is back to leaking out from under the steering wheel. Not sure why or if it's still leftover. Steering was a hair slow to respond but I also haven't checked the fluid since I refilled it after busting the hose.