64 Ford 4000 - three point hitch stopped working

Last week I was pulling up T-posts using a tool designed to pull up T-posts, connected to a chain that was attached to boom that was operated by the three point hitch.

This worked very well and it worked consistently for me, without issue.

That was last week.

Today, I needed to use the TPH and nothing happened.

It has fluid that reads "full" on the dipstick. (This is significant because it means my other repairs that you helped me with are holding.)

The fluid is not milky.

There is no response from the control lever, whether the TPH is loaded or not; either in constant draft or not.

Since the PTO was a (suspected) dealer-added option, I don't believe the PTO spinning has anything to do with the TPH working or not, but for what it is worth, the PTO is working.)

Currently, I am reading my FO-20 book for ideas of where to look and what the potential issue(s) could be. However, I am open to your thoughts.

I do not have a high mark pressure gage, nor do I have any of the Nuday tools the manual references. What are some analogs to those tools that I might actually be able to put my hands on - should I need to use one?

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Related but separate, how much "fine" control is there in a properly adjusted and correctly functioning three point hitch on a 64 4000? I have found that I need to pull the control lever to the half-way up to the mid-point before the TPH starts to lift. Also it seems that there is not "low" setting, where I can get an implement to just barely hover over the ground.

When I am trying to grade a driveway, for example, sometimes I want to just knock down high spots and not dig into the surface, but there is no middle ground. The implement is either dragging and digging, or well up in the air.

I look forward to your thoughts. As always, I appreciate your help; you keep my tractor running!

Well you're starting the right way - FO-20 has 6 paragraphs for the
symptom "WILL NOT LIFT". Once you confirm that your pump is primed,
pumping, and developing pressure, you'll have to tackle the lift
cover. When you described that the lift position doesn't match the
lift lever position that's a sign that your cam follower pin is
probably worn thus throwing off the adjustments. Plenty of info in
the archives about dealing with a worn cam follower pin. I think
you'll probably end up having to refresh then adjust the lift cover
to get things working right.

Just a tip for grading with a back blade. Rotate the blade 180 degrees if you can and drag it. That way it will level the high and low spots without digging in.

Thanks Bob N.Y. I just acquired an actual blade, up to this point, I have been using my box blade. I have met with success in some areas and in others, it has been an abysmal failure.

I just confirmed that my pump is priming and pumping. With the engine around 4000 rpm in neutral, hydraulic fluid was spurting up 8" to 10" high from the test plug. I made a mess. Glad I had a catch pan underneath the pump.

It would seem to me that the pump is not the issue.

Good. Looks like you'll be pulling the lift cover for service. YT
has the repair kit which includes the gaskets, seals, and O-rings,
link below. The FO-20 has adjustment procedures which do not
require special tools. By "refresh" I mean inspect, service worn or
bent parts, replace seals, gaskets, and O-rings, and adjust. Some
of the hydraulic valves can get stuck in their bores and cause a no-
lift situation so don't neglect those.
Lift repair kit

Thank you, I appreciate the feed back and the link to the kit.

On the upside the kit of seals is very affordable. The true upside will be that the problem is not much bigger than replacing seals and gaskets.

Seal kits and pins are not bad. I would look at the pin first. On a side note if your running the engine at 4000 rpm your asking for more trouble. Max should be around 2100 - 2200 rpm as I recall.

(quoted from post at 16:00:59 10/08/19) Seal kits and pins are not bad. I would look at the pin first. On a side note if your running the engine at 4000 rpm your asking for more trouble. Max should be around 2100 - 2200 rpm as I recall.

Click to expand...

Yeah - no, I a NOT running my tractor at 4000 RPM's! I have no idea why I typed that, I meant to say I was running at 1400 rpm's to see if the pump was priming.

The proof meter does not even read up to 2500 rpms let alone 4000!

My fat fingers hit wrong buttons on my phone constantly. I have a 1963 4000. Top cover is the same as the 601 I had. That one acted like yours cause the guide pin was worn out and adjustments were off. One of the adjusting bolts was siezed up so I didnt risk breaking it. Some of those parts are no longer available new from what I could find. The draft wouldnt work on it and lift occurred about half way up.

Thanks for your time, RobCons. I am ordering the seal kit - my wife even approved the $7.08 (+S&H).

To be safe, I might as well order that pin too. If I have the whole thing apart already, I am might as well address the likely suspects.