rockshaft hydraulics

nails1

Member
I'm trying to restore a 1010. (Saying that so you'll know what kind of stupid you're dealing with here.) The rockshaft hasn't worked since I've owned it.

I only have a parts manual, so I'm flying blind and clue-free.

Inside the rockshaft housing looked nice and clean. Two pistons. It went back together well, and I even found a real gasket.

The pump feels good turning it in my hand. It has the power steering circuit (short black hose, red arrow in one photo), but my tractor doesn't have power steering.

The rockshaft lifts up and seems strong, but I can't get it back down except by turning the tractor off. With the tractor off and the quadrant lever forward, I can push the arms back down.

At first, I had foam in the oil, but I don't see that now. I fixed a leak at the pump inlet (the pipe in the photos -- I have a hose instead of the outlet pipe).

I filled it where the wrench is in the photos -- as full as I could. Maybe overfull? I've spilled a little oil out the breather (red arrow in another photo). A lot of oil spilled out there when it was foaming.

I'm hoping that the system just needs more purging, but driving around and moving the quadrant back and forth didn't help. Maybe the quadrant is stuck somehow or otherwise screwed up?

Any advice for what to check next would be greatly appreciated.

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I should mention that I have no idea how to adjust that constant-pressure spring unit (see photo).

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And with the quadrant set near the middle, the lift arms only go down about half way. I mean, the quadrant might actually be working.
(Sorry for the flurry, but Edit isn't working now.)
 
Detergent oil will cause foaming.
I think you fill till it runs out the drain cock.
Don't remember if there is a down pressure spring for
the rockshaft. Can you force the arms down when you
move the lever forward?
Don't worry about that load and depth sensing spring.
 

Yes, arms go down when lever forward, but only when tractor is not running.

It's cheapo hydraulic oil -- pretty sure the pump was cavitating with a massive leak right at the pump. No foam now.

Thanks.
 
If you mean that brass cock on back (I have a new one), then I'm sure it's over-full. I'll drain some and see if that lets me put the arms down running.
 
Why would one attempt such repairs without a service manual is beyond me ? Get yourself a manual ! It will pay for itself.
 
Agreed. Last time I looked (a few years ago), I couldn't find one. But I see them on this website.

This has been just a hobby that got out of hand -- I got the wreck of a tractor for $1000, and have less than $2500 into it now. I'm surprised that both the PTO and 3-pt might actually work.
 
You have that thing way over filled if it came out the fill cap under the seat. Open that brass drain on the back and let it flow out until the flow stops. Over full is just as bad as not full.

As someone else said cheap hydraulic fluid will foam. Either put in the oil that owners manual states or use Hy-Guard from John Deere. I put Hy-Guard in my 1010 last year and it leaks a bit now from the pump but works way better than whatever was in there. Also, if the system is low on oil, it will start to foam out the breather or fill cap.

Go on ebay and get the manuals. You can find used ones pretty cheap. I was lucky enough to pick up an entire JD shop manual a few months ago on there for $30. Kind of tattered, but well worth the money.
 
Thanks.
I drained the oil to the stopcock level. (Took all night, below freezing.)
I also challenged the lift arms with a little weight, namely my 13 y/o daughter hanging on the end of an 8' 2X4. It couldn't lift her. Pretty sure the pump is toast, like I assumed when I first bought it.
The manuals are in the mail. I'll review whether I have anything else wrong, but it's looking like I'll hook the rockshaft to another pump that'll fit on front of the tractor. (Maybe then I'll find out the rockshaft is screwed up too?)
 

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