Rearend oil for 601

Shoprat

Member
The three point hitch quit working on my 601, erratic for a while, then quit altogether. I did see some milky looking oil on the dipstick so I want to start with changing the oil.

Is automatic transmission oil a good bet? Would filling with mineral spirits and draining be a good idea?

Thanks
 

No! You need a tractor fluid that "meets or exceeds" Ford's (NH's) M2C-134D spec. If it has that spec on it but says anything else, such as "may be used for", run, don't walk away from it.

Now, the hydraulic section is different than the "rearend". Those are two separate compartments. The differential can use the 134 D, but I prefer 80W-90 Gear grease. The 80W-90 is closer to what the tractor was originally lubed with in the "rearend".[/b]
 
Senior moment, said rearend but meant the area where the casting from the pump enters into. Dipstick by the pto engagement lever.

Thanks for your comments.
 
I use the 303 UTF fluid I buy form Orscheln's farm and home. If I catch it on sale I can get 5 gal for under $20
 
(quoted from post at 11:03:01 08/27/17) I use the 303 UTF fluid I buy form Orscheln's farm and home. If I catch it on sale I can get 5 gal for under $20

Substituting 303 fluid for 134 D might, and I stress [b:e63247a3f9]might[/b:e63247a3f9] be OK for a unit this old. Generally speaking, however, doing so is one of the worst decisions one can make.
 
The original JD 303 spec was a basic hydraulic fluid that does not have the additives needed for the Extreme Pressure (EP) requirements of gear-to-gear mating surfaces like in a transmission or rear axle. Any fluid that only says on the label that it meets the JD 303 spec shouldn't be used in transmissions or rear axles.

With that being said, there are a number of third party fluids out there these days that call themselves "303" fluid, but they say on the label that they meet a number of different manufacturer's specifications, including the Ford/New Holland M2C134D spec, and those are fine for use in hydraulics, transmissions and rear axles, as well as applications that have wet brakes and/or wet clutches like the rear end of the 3 cylinder 4000 series and later similar models.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top