MF 35 hdy?

Helping a friend/neighbor with his 1963 MF 35. As you can see from the first pic, someone damaged the top link. Pic 2, someone added a remote valve. Pic 3, position he keeps the draft lever and quadrant lever kept in all the time.

Friend was told by the guy he bought the tractor from to position the levers as in pic 3 and to make the 3 pt go up and down use the lever with red knob closest in pic 2. That does make the 3 pt go up and down. Complaint, he has no control over how fast or slow it goes up and down and no control over where the 3 pt will stop.

I have a ford Jubilee. It only has a quadrant lever. Draft is a lever on side of sump. I have no remote valve.

If there isn't damage to the linkage under the lift cover, I'm thinking he should be using the quadrant lever to control up and down movement of the 3 pt, at least that's how it works on my Jubilee. If I'm right, then where should the draft lever be? Where should the lever with the red knob be?

Also what kind of oil should he use in tranny and hyd/rear end? How much?

At the moment, the tractor is being taken apart and all fluids have been drained. So, there is no way to test it. I'm hoping he doesn't have to remove the lift cover.

Thanks in advance
George

Going from memory here, but -

If the lever with the red knob that's on the left is pulled all the way back, the 3 point hitch should operate with the quadrant lever. Then you'd have position control.

The instructions provided are obviously intended to cover up internal damage to the mechanism.

The MF three point controls are more complicated and more versatile than that on vintage Fords. He will need a manual.

Obviously, the draft control mechanism (and, perhaps, the position control) will not work given the damage shown in the photo.

I would look for a donor lift cover in order to replace the damage shown.

Dean

Thanks, What about the other lever, the one with draft on it, where should it be? Obviously the draft won't work, because of the damage.

Another neighbor has a larger and newer massey. He has that lever pulled all the way to the top.

Dean,
He does have about 4 manuals. I tried to make sence of them, gave up and decided to pick some brains here.

I've had the top cover off on my Jubilee 4 times, even rebuilt the pump. I could follow the Jubilee manual better than the massey's.

Neighbor thought he may need to rebuild the pump. I'm thinking like you, there could be damage to the control levers. Really hoping we don't have to remove top cover. New territory for both of us. Neighbor has no plow and really no need for the draft control to work.

I think you have a good idea, if we do remove the top cover, we need to have a replacement. Any idea where we could find a used on in W. Centeral Indiana?

How would we have to position the lever on the left, the one with the red knob, so the hydraulics would work as if it weren't there?

Many thanks,
George

The levers in front of the seat control where the oil goes. The left is usually pulled back so the side levers for the 3 pt. will operate. The right lever operates the aux. hyd's. You can't use them at the same time. The left lever will raise and lower the 3 pt. if the 3pt. controls are left up. However with the valve in neutral, there is no oil being pumped to keep the 3pt. at the set position and it will creep down. Leaving the lever back allows the hyd. pump to keep the 3 pt. at the set position.

There is a basic difference between the Jubilee and the Massey. The hydraulic pump on the Ford is mounted on the engine and the control valve is in the top cover. If you were to put a remote valve on it, you would be tapping into the pressure between the pump and internal valve. The Massey hydraulic pump is in the rear end and the control valve is in the pump housing. The remote valve in front of the seat is tapping into the pressure between the internal valve and internal cylinder.

Used MF 35 lift covers should not be hard to find in the midwest.

The photos appear to show that the draft plunger is welded to the top cover casting. Given this, how the lift mechanism works depends upon what is damaged internally and in what position the plunger was welded. There is no way to predict this.

Unlike vintage Fords, the MF lift has two independent pump internal mechanismss, one for draft and one for position. Hence, two lift controls, one for position and one for draft.

The operating controls are confusing for most Ford owners and usually real world experience is necessary to master usage. That said, once mastered, you will find the controls more versatile than that on vintage Fords.

I too found the manuals confusing. Real world use was a much better teacher.

Dean

Dean,
Totally agree, experience is very valuable.

However, I never had seat time on a massey. Neighbor bought it this way, no seat time for him.

That's why I'm asking the experts.
Thanks,
George