TO-35 HYDRAULIC LIFT?

saltbranch

New User
Would like some opinions please. My new 1955 TO-35 gas powered, the lift will lift shredder with enough RPM. Once I push the clutch to put in gear, 3pt drops to ground fast. I have cleaned all the milky old fluid, flush with diesel and got the case cleaned up nice. I put the NAPA GL1 in. The lift works a little faster, but same results, drops when clutch is pushed in. I changed the O-rings, all 3 off them on the stand by tube in hopes I would be lucky. Still same results, looking in from the dip stick cover, i see turbulence coming from what I think is the pump.
It sounds like a pump or rebuild is in order. I am waiting for my video to get here so I can watch that and I have a service manual. While I am in there what else would be suggested to look at for repair/upgrades. I have the single stage clutch from what I can tell.
It sure is a neat little tractor and I look forward to bringing it back into action
 

If it's like a TO20, the clutch has to be engaged for the pump to operate, push in the clutch, the pump stops and the lift arms drop.
BillL
 
You need to know for sure if you have the single or
duel stage clutch.
Can you push clutch about 1/2 way down and the
forward motion of the tractor stops, but the pto
continues to turn? If so, you have a duel stage
clutch.

My 1957 to-35, I just drained my
hydraulic/transmission sump and replaced the oil
with gl-1.

When I have the lift in the up position, it holds
the load up if I push the clutch in or turn off the
motor. In a while the lift will go down, but I
understand it was designed that way to take pressure
off the lift system. My old a.c. tractor would hold
the load up forever.

Good luck and let us know what you find wrong.
 
Look in through the dipstick cover and look UP toward the lift cylinder. Is oil pouring out the rod end? If so, time for a new lift cylinder.

The turbulent oil could also be the relief valve sticking open.
 
If you've looked up through the inspection hole
like Xwild said, and didn't see oil pouring down
from the cylinder (engine running, lift lever to
the "up" position), and you've replaced the stand
pipe orings, that pretty much leaves the relief
valve to blame.

I believe it can be changed without removing the
pump. If you've got a good sense of feel and can
work without seeing what you're doing, you might
even get it done without draining the oil. Seems
there were 2 different pressure rating valves for
those tractors. Be sure to go back with the right
one.

When you bring up the RPM to make the lift go up,
is the motion steady or is it jerky? If it's
steady, the pump is probably OK. If it's jerky,
you have bad valves in the pump. The pumps are
known to have valve failure. You can buy rebuild
kits or get a rebuilt pump.
 
I did not look up in the case when I had the dip stick plate off. I only looked down and saw some turbulence. I have drained the rear sump...so can I fire up the tractor and lift the arms? I have no implements other than a draw bar...I could back up under my truck hitch for counter weight. I dont mind pouring the fluid back in and testing/looking. Its only 59 years old,,. I passed my neighbor the other day driving the Fergy in the neighborhood, he was driving his eco friendly golf cart, I like my Fergy :lol:
 
I'd say pour the fluid back in and lift. If you can get a heavy friend or 2 to stand on the drawbar, that should be enough. The truck would probably cause the relief to pop off, and that would defeat the purpose.

You definitely want to know what you're going in to fix before you start tearing into it. It's not really one of those tasks you want to have to do multiple times because you didn't get it all the first time.

By the way, what's your serial number?
 
You just need to put enough oil back in to cover
the pump.

With the lift lever in the raise position, the
arms should steadily go up, and stay up, even with
the engine off, until the lever is returned to the
lower position.

I say "stay up" as in hold their position with
only a gradual creep down. The lift cylinder has
steel sealing rings that don't seal perfectly,
even when new, so there will be "some" leakage.

The pressure relief valve is screwed into the
right rear of the pump. If oil is moving in that
area, it's the valve. BUT DON'T REACH IN THERE!!!
 
(quoted from post at 20:14:19 03/15/14) You just need to put enough oil back in to cover
the pump.

With the lift lever in the raise position, the
arms should steadily go up, and stay up, even with
the engine off, until the lever is returned to the
lower position.

I say "stay up" as in hold their position with
only a gradual creep down. The lift cylinder has
steel sealing rings that don't seal perfectly,
even when new, so there will be "some" leakage.

The pressure relief valve is screwed into the
right rear of the pump. If oil is moving in that
area, it's the valve. BUT DON'T REACH IN THERE!!!

They dont stay up. They drop when the clutch is pushed in..I really do think I have single stage. They drop when I kill the engine. I really have rev the motor to pick up the shredder.
 
I think I understand single stage clutch and dual stage clutch, so far I have single stage, I think.. Now if I have single, would the pressure built up by a single stage not hold the implement up for the few seconds it takes to shift gears? Surely it can not be normal for a Fergy to drop the implement, once the clutch has been pushed down??
 
No, it is not normal for the implement to drop when the clutch is pushed. Creep down,yes, drop,no.

If you will raise the arms up, look in the inspection port with a flashlight, reach up and cut the ignition, watch where oil gushes as the arms come down, there's your problem!
 
I took this video....is this the relief valve? and it constantly "popping" be my problem? I did look up where the "wishbone" is , did not see any fluid leaking, but I really did not have any weight on the 3 pt. Hopefully this weekend allows more time to play with it
 
(quoted from post at 17:25:07 03/24/14) it looks like you are WAY low on fluid.
Its is low, I actually drained most of it. I fired it up for a quick run to see what moving parts looked like in there. Saw that "popping" part and took a quick video. That is where the "turbulance" I saw came from when it was full of fluid.
 
(quoted from post at 18:10:29 03/24/14) Can you get a video of the upper back as well? Where the lift piston rod is?
I will this weekend. I will put fluid back in it and get some weight on the point and do a better video.
Do you know if that is the relief valve popping? should it be doing that?
 
That does appear to be the relief valve. I have never observed one when it releases but I would guess that's what it would look like. For the price of a new valve it's well worth it to get a new one and put it in. I have, however, observed the damaged caused by a faulty relief valve that does not open when it should. I got away lucky, just cracked my hydraulic cylinder. Others have cracked the whole lift cover.
 

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