MF 4235 - back lift not working

patsy_mccabe · 18-06-2019 2:01pm #1

Checking this for someone else. Back arms suddenly stopped working. Was low in oil so topped up. Didn't make a difference. Will just about lift a bale when tractor is cold.Once the tractor heats up, they'll lift the bale handler only. There is a loader on the tractor and it works fine. It will lift a bale , no problem.
I'm thinking there is maybe a seal gone in the arms. The fact that the loader works ok would suggest the hydraulic filter is working fine.

So questions;
- Anyone ever change the arm seals?
- Where is the hydraulic filter? Is it in the metal case, inside the back right wheel. If so, does the right wheel have to come off to get at it.
- Are there any other hydraulic filters?
- Power steering seems heavy too. He tells me the reservoir for that is just outside the front window. Is the filter for that around there too?
- Is there seperate heavy gear oil for the final drives?

Thanks,
Patsy

hopeso · 18-06-2019 2:29pm

I'm not familiar with these Masseys, so I have little to offer really. The last Massey here was a 165.
It does sound like a seal or O ring is gone somewhere. Or perhaps a cracked pipe internally. I wonder if these Masseys still has the cylinder inside under the lift cover for lifting the arms? If so, it could be cracked or leaking too.
The final drives (two small bungs at the outer end of the axles) will need gear oil.

hopeso · 18-06-2019 2:33pm

Just thinking again....When she does lift something, will she hold it up when the engine is stopped, or will the arms drop?

Joe390 · 18-06-2019 2:36pm

hopeso wrote: »

I'm not familiar with these Masseys, so I have little to offer really. The last Massey here was a 165.
It does sound like a seal or O ring is gone somewhere. Or perhaps a cracked pipe internally. I wonder if these Masseys still has the cylinder inside under the lift cover for lifting the arms? If so, it could be cracked or leaking too.
The final drives (two small bungs at the outer end of the axles) will need gear oil.

The 42 and 43 series have rams outside the rear axle under the lift arms . Check that the lock for the rear arms isn't engaged as some have this feature to enable the loader and spools to have a higher oil flow for faster loader use or when tipping a large trailer . May be this lock is not fully engaged and is supplying enough oil so that it will just lift the bale carrier. I'd be fcousing on that lock for now as it could be the simplest thing to check out.

somofagun · 19-06-2019 9:54am

I have a 4345 and this was happening me last year when i was lifting bales. I was using front loader and bale lifter on the rear. She started this carry on not lifting the bales on the rear lifter and then with the front loader as well. I noticed it was more a problem when the tractor was sitting up a hill. During the winter it never give any trouble lifting the bales but it was on a flat surface all the time.
If i leave the loader up and the link box raised and switch the tractor off and leave her for a couple of hours both will have lowered down. What would be causing this?

patsy_mccabe · 24-06-2019 11:52pm

Another question - does the power steering have it's own seperate pump or does it work off the main hydraulics? Had a look today and couldn't see a seperate pump.

Cavanjack · 25-06-2019 8:03am

I know on the 4355 models there is a knob for adjusting the speed of the lift. This can get disconnected underneath the tractor and if set to slow can fail to lift a heavy load. There is also a little lever on the rhs near the back window which must be in a certain position to work the lift (not sure what the other position is for).

grassroot1 · 25-06-2019 9:04pm

There is a centrifugal filter on the back axel difficult to get at without taking the wheel off. forget how to take it off but cleaned it previously. If you have the pumps both switched to spools the lift probably wont work.

Joe390 · 27-06-2019 1:05pm

Any update on the 4245? Did u get the lift working.

patsy_mccabe · 27-06-2019 1:11pm

Going at it the weekend. Doing it for a relative. Going to change the filters and clean the centrifugal one. Have all the tools here so we'll see how it goes. It will be good for him too. He can do it himself in the future.

patsy_mccabe · 06-07-2019 8:33am

Quick update - lift is working again.
We didn't change the filters yet, but here's what we did.

The lift started a funny clicking sound at the back when trying to lift. I put my hand on the hydraulic pipe at the back and could feel it vibrating. It felt like it was air locked. Then I thought of the two 3rd service valves. We worked them both ways (up and down) with nothing attached. We also played around with the knob underneath for controlling the lift speed. This knob didn't end-out in either direction. Is this normal? Anyway, this solved it. Lift is working away fine now.
Running low in hydraulic oil must have airlocked the system and caused the problem.

grassroot1 · 06-07-2019 9:49am

Sorry Patsy saw the service manual somewhere in the house last week
If I find it again I will have a look

Cavanjack · 06-07-2019 11:30am

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Quick update - lift is working again.
We didn't change the filters yet, but here's what we did.

The lift started a funny clicking sound at the back when trying to lift. I put my hand on the hydraulic pipe at the back and could feel it vibrating. It felt like it was air locked. Then I thought of the two 3rd service valves. We worked them both ways (up and down) with nothing attached. We also played around with the knob underneath for controlling the lift speed. This knob didn't end-out in either direction. Is this normal? Anyway, this solved it. Lift is working away fine now.
Running low in hydraulic oil must have airlocked the system and caused the problem.[/quote
Follow the cable from the knob for the speed down underneath the tractor. I disconnected it below and tied it at the fastest speed so no more problems with it.

patsy_mccabe · 06-07-2019 12:13pm

Is it for controlling the lowering speed or lifting speed or both?
Thanks...

Cavanjack · 06-07-2019 2:58pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Is it for controlling the lowering speed or lifting speed or both?
Thanks...

Does both I think

Muckit · 06-07-2019 4:54pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Quick update - lift is working again.
We didn't change the filters yet, but here's what we did.

The lift started a funny clicking sound at the back when trying to lift. I put my hand on the hydraulic pipe at the back and could feel it vibrating. It felt like it was air locked. Then I thought of the two 3rd service valves. We worked them both ways (up and down) with nothing attached. We also played around with the knob underneath for controlling the lift speed. This knob didn't end-out in either direction. Is this normal? Anyway, this solved it. Lift is working away fine now.
Running low in hydraulic oil must have airlocked the system and caused the problem.

Can a hydraulic system get airlocked?
Like l changed seals in a few rams the last while (trailer, grab etc) so pressure would be gone out of those hyd pipes. Never had to do airlock system.

Could that 3rd coupler lever have got stuck on and the system was circulating oil around system (causing vibration on pipe you felt) and keeping oil from lift arms ?

patsy_mccabe · 06-07-2019 6:37pm

That could have happened too. Ya air can get get trapped in a hydraulic system, but usually works it way out eventually. Trapped air makes everything springy and bouncy. If you ever changed brake fluid and didn't get all the air out, brakes would loose the solid feel to them.

mad-for-tar · 07-07-2019 6:12pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Is it for controlling the lowering speed or lifting speed or both?
Thanks...

Cavanjack wrote: »

Does both I think

For lowering speed only, it doesn’t control the raise speed.

MF 4235 - back lift not working

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