MF 135 -- Hydraulics DIY split tractor housing!!!!

We had a major balls up trying to fix the hydraulics on my "new" MF 135. Can anyone help me trying to understand what went wrong so if we are able to organise a new housing, we don't make the same mistake again?

I'll try to explain what happened. The 3 point linkage only lifted as high as the draw bar and only responded to the draft control (outer quadrant) and nothing happened when moving the position control lever. We bought the work shop manual and got stuck into it...

Drained the oil, removed side covers, reached in through the "response control" side cover and removed roller then lifted top cover off and finally removed the quadrants. Of course it was not as easy as it reads and we had to put a fair bit of heat on some (most) bolts...

We saw immediately that the tube of the inner quadrant (position control) was rusted away so of course we thought that might be our only problem and the reason why the arms only lift up about 1/3 of what they should come up to. Ordered the spare part and three new gaskets and put everything back together a couple days later. 20 l of brand new UTF, side covers where still off, we thought we can give it a test run...

Reading the synchronization and adjustment section in the workshop manual that one has to do after reassembling was still giving us some headaches and we weren't sure how we will go about this.

Anyway, we turned the key, engine was on idle, draft control lever sort of almost up and position control lever DOWN (?see photo). However, the lifting arms started to lift immediately and it was beautiful to watch that for the first time for probably a very long time they were going all the way up! Well it sort of didn't stop there, the pump kept on pumping, the ram kept on pushing and something had to give...in our case a loud crack and the whole tractor pretty mush split in half!!!! What a mess! it all happened with a few seconds and no warning whatsoever! Never thought that was possible but here you go. That little pump can deliver a hell of a punch!

Check out the photos and tell me if you know anyone else who has ever achieved this!

But as I said, most importantly I would like to figure out where the hell we went wrong so that we don't make the same mistake again if we ever are able too get our hands of the rear end housing of a mf135. Does anyone know if the housing of a 35 is exactly the same then of my 135?

Where is the pressure relief valve and what does it look like and how does it get activated? Obviously that would be where I start looking.

OK, let's get the ball rolling. Looking forward to your comments!

Cheers from New Zealand!

Ugly, looks like you may have had the position control in the constant pumping position (fully back) happened to me once but fortunately it only busted the bolts out of the lift cylinder.

See a page back. A guy had his 50 break in half as well. I've heard of them cracking the lift cover because of a stuck relief valve or what not but it hits me stance that 2 cases in a week of busting the housing is odd. There is a lot of force at play when you consider what these tractors will pick up. Sorry I'm not a lot of help. Sam used to post on here and I bet he could tell you exactly what was happening.

(quoted from post at 20:35:26 02/19/15) Ugly, looks like you may have had the position control in the constant pumping position (fully back) happened to me once but fortunately it only busted the bolts out of the lift cylinder.

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The position lever is in the DOWN position as you can see on the photo and not in constant pumping. As I said in my opening lines, this is the tube we "fixed". Is there any way that we assembled this wrong so that quadrant was on constant pumping, even so the lever is in the Down position?

Couldn't find the thread you mentioned Brendon, I'm new to this forum and still try and navigate my way through the jungle. Would be interested what happened to him with the stuck relief valve. Where exactly is the relief valve and how does it get activated? Can anyone post a photo? Spoken to the local tractor guy and he also mentioned a broken bolt in the lift cover because of faulty relief valve but never ever had he heard of a case like mine that the whole tractor literally breaks in half!

Here is the thread on the 50 that split in half http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=1195776.

Were you using the MF shop manual, or the I&T manual to adjust the linkage?

(quoted from post at 22:35:31 02/19/15)
The position lever is in the DOWN position as you can see on the photo and not in constant pumping. As I said in my opening lines, this is the tube we "fixed". Is there any way that we assembled this wrong so that quadrant was on constant pumping, even so the lever is in the Down position?

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Without seeing the tube you fixed before, during, and after it's hard to say if it was fixed correctly or not. It is also possible it was adjusted wrong, or if the relief valve was stuck shut.

The relief valve http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/Massey-Ferguson-135_Lift-Pump-Relief-Valve_883402M92.html

Hello Norbert,
What a disaster! There are several possibilities as to how this could happen. When any part of the internal linkage is stripped it is essential to operate the levers by hand with the vertical control lever held also by hand to ensure that the movement of the lever answers the commands from the quadrant levers to operate the pump lever correctly. If the quadrant support tube has been refitted with the rollers in the incorrect places then you might find that the pump will be in Constant Pumping and the arms will rise with no neutral position reached just before full lift.

Another possibility is that the adjustments on the system were carried out without the MF 272 ram arm setting gauge and without the special tools. When used this will ensure that the pump is placed in neutral before full lift is achieved. If this is not used the ram arm will raise fully and strike the front top piece of the rear casing and something has to break.....you can't rely on the relief valve.
This would be what my money would be on.

The third possibility is that someone has fitted a relief valve with with a higher setting or has has been suggested, it had stuck. I think this is unlikely because it the adjustments had been carried out fully the relief valve would not have operated anyway.

Norbert, would you be kind enough to contact me on my e-mail address please? Thanks.

DavidP, South Wales

(quoted from post at 04:53:29 02/20/15) Here is the thread on the 50 that split in half http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=1195776.

Were you using the MF shop manual, or the I&T manual to adjust the linkage?

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Unfortunately I bought the I&T Manual and I find it quite hard to follow, especially the hydraulic section. Does the MF shop manual give me better step by step instructions how to do the various adjustments? Any recommendations where I can buy and download the manual in good quality? I have paid and downloaded the parts manual, quality is poor and I also paid and downloaded the "mf shop manual" however when I opened the file it turned out it was I&T manual which I own as a hardcopy.

Thank you for detailed reply David.
You might be on the right track. It is possible that we fitted the quadrant support tube with the rollers in the incorrect places, which would explain why the arms were raising even the control lever was in the DOWN position. Does the MF workshop manual provide details how to fit this correctly? The I&T does not show much detail.

We haven't done any adjustments on the system let alone using a special MF 272 ram arm setting gauge! I was not aware that such adjustments are required. Does the MF manual give me more clues than the I&T?

As for the relief valve, now that I know where it is located (thanks ptfarmer!) is there a simple way of testing if it is "stuck" ? At the moment I have the pump removed and it is sitting on the workbench while I try to find a new rear end...

(quoted from post at 08:27:24 02/20/15)

Norbert, would you be kind enough to contact me on my e-mail address please? Thanks.

DavidP, South Wales

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Where can I find your e-mail? You are welcome to contact me no.klein at gmail dot com

Yep. I hope it's not contagious, if it is, maybe there's an inoculation shot out there before the rest of us get it.
Looking at the bright side... this is one way people can find a good used Perkins 152 ain't it?
I think it's fatal, sorry for your loss....

To test the by pass it helps to have one of those remote hand operated hydraulic pumps with a T with a pressure gauge, and a fitting that you can attach the by pass valve to. Since it seems you found that the linkage was put together wrong (which it's easy to do so you're not the first one) on the 2135 industrial I bought the 3 pt didn't work right, someone had been into it (it was missing a spring). Having both the MF, and the I&T manual helps. The I&T shows a few things better than the MF manual while the MF manual shows some things better that the I&T.

Ooooh my... sorry to see that happen. I'm lucky when I had a MF50 raise the arms to far only the cylinder split.

Here are some part numbers for rear housings. Doesn't look like the same part as the earlier 35s and 50s

1862189M3 135 rear housing
1862189M3 135 rear housing service replacement

183253M3 TO35 Housing, Differential (Uses 1/2" Studs)
181402M1 TO35 Housing, Differential (Uses 7/16" Studs)

183253M5 MF50 Housing, Differential (Uses 1/2" Axle Studs)
181402M3 MF50 Housing, Differential (Uses 7/16" Axle Studs)
Dan

Here's a free idea in the mean time. Search you tube for...say... 'MF hydraulic repair'. See how many hits you get. The pressure relief valve is the usual suspect, a bit of a pain to reach in and change, but this was a heck of a lesson in hydraulic maintenance.
I reckon she's knackered mate, but don't throw any of it in the tip. Check out the ?? what's the NZ swap website? For 'TO35, MH50 or MF 35 or 50 arsends'..... Where's there's bits, there's hope.... something like that???

(quoted from post at 20:45:59 02/22/15) Here's a free idea in the mean time. Search you tube for...say... 'MF hydraulic repair'.

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Thanks Tony, I did that and came across vintagetractorengineer.com They give you a preview of a DVD they sell where they do a step by step on the hydraulics of a 35. I have ordered the DVD since and hope it arrives soon. Although the hydraulics of my 135 are probably not exactly the same than the 35, I hope to get a better understanding of how everything is supposed to work before we take on the (impossible) fix...