9n hydraulics won't lower - looking for help

Hi All,
I recently inherited my father-in-law’s 9n (I think it"s a "44 or "45), and got it running thanks in no small part to all the great info on this forum and the other 9n forums. But now I’m having three point lowering issues again.

When I first got the tractor, the hydraulics would lift the box scraper just fine, but wouldn’t lower. I dropped the pump, cleaned it all out (including the tiny little ports inside the pump bushing), ran several gallons of diesel through the tranny and pump cavities, and wiped out as much of the sludge as I could. Dried it with air, put it all back together with new gaskets and a new safety valve (just in case), and everything worked great. For about two days.

Now I’m back in the same boat: it will lift fine, but will not lower unless I loosen the top bolts by the hydraulic drain tube and let some of the fluid drain out and bleed the pressure off (the test port on the bottom pump plate was welded or brazed closed at some point, so that isn’t a pressure relief option right now.) I’ve pulled the inspection plate, and the hydraulic valve is definitely connected to the control arms and moves back and forth fine.

I’ve read every post I could find related to the hydraulics not lowering, and now I’m stuck. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions of something else I could try, or do you think I just have to drop the pump and try cleaning everything again?

Thanks,
Will

Have you adjusted the draft control spring and lift quadrant? Is the spring that hooks from the control fork to the lift cylinder still there?

FIRST......remove the round inspection port by your right heel and reach into the oil at rear of pump & be certain that the control valve can be pulled rearward. Be sure it can easily be moved fore & aft.


be sure spool is moving, not just linkage

Hi JMOR,
Thanks for the quick reply. I reached in the oil, and the control valve moves back and forth just fine, and is connected to the control arms but your picture raises a question: Is that little piece of metal next to the control valve supposed to go inside the control valve? Mine doesn't have one...
Thanks,
Will

Hi Jason,
The spring between the lift cylinder and forks is there and seems to be in good repair, but I haven't made any adjustment to the draft control spring or lift quadrant. I'll give that a try - thanks for the info!
Thanks,
Will

JMOR pretty much has the lift problem covered but just for your info. The 9N was made from 1939 to 1942 and the first year is what gives it the model. So if you have a 1944 or 1945 tractor it is a 2N and should have tube type radius rods. The 9N had I-beam radius rods by the way. The 2N was made from 1942 to 1947 note the first year and model are thew same as in 42=2N. Then in 1948 the 8N came out and was built till 1952. JFYI

Hi Old,
Thanks for the info - that explains the rounded rods... I appreciate the help, I'm slowly learning more and more about what I have.
Take care,
Will

Takes time and the willingness to learn. By the way down lower is a forum just for the 9N/2N/8N fords and you will get a whole lot more answers down there

(quoted from post at 15:42:41 12/17/13) Hi JMOR,
Thanks for the quick reply. I reached in the oil, and the control valve moves back and forth just fine, and is connected to the control arms but your picture raises a question: Is that little piece of metal next to the control valve supposed to go inside the control valve? Mine doesn't have one...
Thanks,
Will

Click to expand...

es sir. If it isn't there then there is nothing to pull the spool out of the bushing, therefore, no way to lower lift.

Thanks Old - appreciate the help.

Hi JMOR,
Does that little metal rod lock into the control valve somehow? Who knows how long it's been missing...

I assume if I buy a new control valve it will come with that metal rod as well?

Thanks,
Will

Hey JMOR,
I might be confused here. Is that small metal rod the connector between the crossbar and the round valve , that goes through the spring? Or an additional piece? I have a complete valve (the whole T assembly), just not sure if that rod is an additional piece to the assembly.
Thanks,
Will

That little rod you are talking about is inside the control valve. That"s the piece you see inside the spring and goes thru cross bar. That is the piece that gets broken when someone removes the lift cover without unhooking the control valve first.

This is Ferguson, but same as Ford, except the tail oscillator/wiggler is not used by Ford.

Thanks for the clarification, Jason & JMOR. My valve assembly is complete (not broken yet!), so I think I need to try a quadrant adjustment to see if that will get my hydraulics to lower.

I'll keep you posted.

-Will

i'd be drilling thru that weld at the test port and tapping it for a pipe thread fitting. like 3/8 pipe.. etc.

it's too usefull not to have.

Already got the tap kit; next time I drop the pump, that's on the list.
Thanks,
Will

if it is braze.. you will be more lucky..

(quoted from post at 09:30:56 12/18/13) if it is braze.. you will be more lucky..

Click to expand...

ill, not to beat the point, but when you said you felt in the oil & the valve moves, I thought it important to point out that just because the 'bar' and the 'stem' moves, that does not mean that the valve spool moves. Not a hard/rigid connection.

Thanks JMOR - I'll get back in there and double check that the spool itself is moving back and forth.

JMOR
on the diagram for the control valve you posted, I'm wondering if the
wiggler/oscillator is a must. I ordered a rebuild kit for my Ferguson and it
doesn't come with that part. Just the valve. Thanks for your help in advance