First tractor!

[scottyboy]

Hi i bought this major a couple months ago. Glad to be a part of the forum. There an issue with it though. The high and low lever will move halfway up the high and low range. It wont go all the way up. This is a 1959 power major. Everything works on it just wondering what everyones thoughts are on it. I dont want to tear it apart just wondering if it could be a quick fix. Thanks for any help!

[blackbob]

Hello and welcome, are you going to post some photos?

I have a small issue with my tractor, which may be the same problem you have - the high-low lever is clamped to a shaft, and the keyway (I assume) is worn so the lever can rotate slightly on the shaft. It isn't really a problem as I can still change gear, and it only rotates if I am too forceful with it; but as your lever sprouts from a slot in the dash panel, maybe you need to check its alignment?

Sorry if I haven't explained this well, I should have taken a photo before it got dark..

[paudie]

Black bob is correct I'd say,it will take a bit of ripping up the dash and even maybe raising the fuel tank abit so that you can see if the lever is slipping on the shaft,if it is not that then the fault is in the primary gearbox which will take a lot of work to remove.
Paudie

[scottyboy]

Yeah heres a picture of the old tractor! It has the high and low lever coming out of the dash. If its to big of a job i will probably leave it be. I cant get it to engage low. I believe it is in high. I bought it for 1200 dollars which i thought was great deal for a diesel tractor.

[henk]

Nice find.
A Power with a undersweped exaust.
The key will be the problem I think also.

[oehrick]

Looks like you have found a good one there, as Henk said the underbody exhaust both looks good and is unusual.

Anything other than the high / low gearchange obviously adrift ?

Oh and welcome to the forum, there are a few other Stateside Fordson owners on here from time to time

[scottyboy]

The tractor works great havent had any other issues than the injectors leaking some diesel overnight. i think its the rubber seal. I thought these tractors would have came stock with the underbody exhaust. Nice to be on the forum. . I just waiting for the extra money to fix the injector leaks. Im really loving this tractor. Are front end loaders over there common? I havent seen any with loaders over here.

[oehrick]

Not experienced leaky injectors so can't offer any help

Yes lots of FELs around on Majors and other models / makes (try Googling for images - then try to identify some of the oddballs) most small farms would have a loader or two. Power steering, worn out steering box or front end joints etc are often the indicator of life with a loader - the Majors were so reliable and manouverable that many survived their natural end of farm life by being relegated to mucking out or yard scraping - the end of this bit of life often determined by their ability to start easily and not needing an expensive part - the requirement for ROPS also put a few out to grass.

There are operational reasons why I'm not keen on the underneath exhaust but it does result in a nice profile - some early Majors had both this and no 'hood' mounted air intake and they look particularly sleek.

Any luck with the Hi Low bpx lever yet, if not, no rush, work on it when you can afford to and enjoy a real classic as the result.

[scottyboy]

I havent done much with it lately been pretty busy hoping to get to it eventually. Im hoping one day to find a front end loader for mine one day. Are they powered by the pto?

[oehrick]

FEL Usually powered by internal hydraulic pump running off a gear on the PTO shaft - does yours have have a three point lift fitted ? if not, (I understand because of the persistence of trailed ploughs over there the US models often shipped minus hydraulics) probably no pump either so you may need an external pump. If yours is hydraulics fitted, they usually get fitted to the trailer tipping pipe connector.

[blackbob]

I did think about taking a photo of my own high-low selector lever to show you the clamp on the end which is loose - but someone has already done it, and it's easier to show with it off the tractor.. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORDSON-SUPER ... SwlndZLdmj

I haven't had mine apart yet - is there a key in there, does anyone know?

[scottyboy]

Yeah my tractor does have the 3 point hitch on it. Ill have to take a look at that clamp that picture helps a ton. This is an awesome forum many helpful people here!

[scottyboy]

Sorry for the double post i took the dash out and got to the high and low lever and cant get it off the shaft. Is there a special method? Mine almost looks like someone welded it before.

[henk]

When the clamp is removed it should come of easily.
Maybe a bit of paint or rust is in the way?

[scottyboy]

Heres a picture that i grabbed. Any ideas on to what i should do with it?

[blackbob]

Hmmm. It does look like it's been welded - and from what you have said, it seems like they have welded it in the wrong place, with it wrongly aligned.

The weld shouldn't be too difficult to remove, with an angle-grinder, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hitachi-G12ST ... SwU-pXtsTf just grind the end flat and keep going until you can see the join between the 2 parts. Access might be tricky, and be careful not to grind anything else, eg the fuel tank, or your fingers..

Looking again at the colour I wonder if it has been brazed (similar to welding, but using brass, which melts at lower temperature). It doesn't matter really, I don't think you'd be able to remove it just by heating, you'd still have to grind it off.

[scottyboy]

I see why they welded it. It appears to have split in half and they tried welding it to the shaft. I believe i need a new lever. There is no clamp to clamp it to the shaft that i can see. What do you guys think is the best course of action? Also i might have possibly ruined the seal on this shaft does anyone have a part number? Im really appreciating the help you're all giving me! Also im not sure if this is a problem but the high and low lever shaft move in and out quite a bit.

[blackbob]

Do you have access to oxy-acetylene kit? I was thinking, as the lever is scrap anyway, you have nothing to lose by trying to heat/bend it upwards?

I suspect you are stuck in high range (lever upwards, assuming it's Live-Drive) and you can't get the lever down far enough to engage low?

And if heat is not available... I think I would try to avoid using brute force to bend the lever, in case you damage some selector or something inside the gearbox... but I might try cutting part (or even all) way through the lever, then bending it and welding it back together?

If you can dismantle enough to fit a whole assembly like the ebay listing above, then that is obviously the best way to go. But I don't know what second-hand parts availability is on your side of the Pond; so I am trying to think how you might bodge it up without spending too much time or money.

The welding which has been done already, has probably already melted that oil seal.

And just a note about gear patterns: you should have a plate like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORDSON-Major ... Swz71ZO~CB beside your gear lever. If your tractor has 'Standard', ie single-clutch transmission, high ratio is downwards. With Live-Drive, dual (two-stage) clutch, high range is upwards.

[scottyboy]

I have the two stage clutch so i would be low. The lever i all the way down and would only go about halfway up. Im thinking about seeing a local fabricator to see if he can make me a lever he is pretty talented. I tried playing with the lever a bit and what was left of the clamp fell apart. If he cant make one im guessing that i will have to see if i can gather up the money to purchase that assembly. I did get the lever off. I was thinking it was in high all this time.

[scottyboy]

I got the lever fixed. Works in high and low. Thanks for all the help im going to keep an eye out for a loader. If anyone has any pictures of the hookups for the lines and such would be awesome!

[oehrick]

Great news scottyboy - low tech has a lot going for it