1946 JD A powerlift - weak?, adjustment?

Hello,

My 46 A has a powerlift, not powertroll. It is plummed for a JD loader. Loader works well, and holds, except it will only lift about 250 lbs. Engine speed does not make any difference. Is there any adjustment on this thing? I have several manuals, which all seem to describe powertroll, and fairly well, not powerlift. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

You need to know what the pressure is . I'm thinking they had around 950 lbs. psi. . I had a 45 loader on my 44 "b" and it would lift quite a lot example a bucket 3/4 full of dirt but it took a lot of rpms to do it . Could be the rockshaft piston is leaking and or the pump is just wore out. Also don't forget the loader it's self .

Thank you for the insight. Spend thousands of hours on those old tractors, never had to tear into any of them! That was not the case with the RED ones.
Will check the pressure. Was thinking perhaps a bypass adjustment or something like that?
TomC

You MAY have an issue with the loader! If it is for example a #45 loader, they were issued with three different size cylinders to match the tractor to which it would be attached!

If they were to be attached to a letter series tractor with a 750 PSI relief pressure they had a large bore cylinder. If they were to be attached to a numbered series 2 cylinder they had a medium sized bore because those had a higher relief pressure setting then the letter series tractors. If it was to be attached to a new generation, they had small diameter cylinders because of the much higher pressure of the closed center hydraulic sysetms.

If you have numbered series (60 through 630 fro example) cylinders on your loader, the A will have a tough time lifting much. If you have the new generation cylinders, you may have a hard time lifting yer straw hat.

I don't recall with certainty the actual bores but can look it up when I get home. Others may have them more readily available than I. I know I have a 45 that came off a 530 and my '46 A struggles to life very much. I certainly don't fear damaging the loader frame!

Beyond that you need to check the relief valve setting of your A like Don said.

Hope that helps.

This helps. It is a #45 with what appears to be medium size cylinders, I will measure. The pump does not seem to labor nor the engine pull under this load. I will checkpressure and the relief valve. Thank you.

Here's some specs for your '46 A power lift pump:

610 psi working pressure
750-790 psi max relief valve cracking pressure
8.2 gpm at zero pressure
6.9 gpm at rated pressure

Thank you.

I have seen the hyd. pump "sandwich" crack if pressure is set too high .

Good advice.

I will check pressures, now that I have them.

Thank you guys for the help.

tomc1