The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

after post knocker episode (now got a new home) i'm a bit reluctant to procceed with hydraulic log splitter has anyone used one of these on a 55 major

You are going to have similar issues with the log splitter - if you are using 90W oil. Either warm it up first or use 30W oil.

Also you are going to have to wedge your auxilliary (not the TPL one) lift control lever up in the up position and the return will either have to be connected to the main TPL valve but in the down position, or connected to the axle oil filler.

These major's will do the jobs you are asking of them, but you have to remember that they were designed to use 90W oil - although I know a lot of people use 30W oil, which I don't think will hurt.

Maybe you should use something between 90W and 30W - not sure if mixing them is a good idea though.

the auxhillary valve does have a little nib on the lever slot that lever rests on to keep it in the continuous flow position i would then put the return into the filler plug behind the seat

It makes no difference which unit you take the oil from, when you exceed the unload valve pressure it will drop the hydraulic pressure to around 500psi and you will have to release the lever and start again.

This was your problem with the post knocker and, it will be the same on everything you try and use unless it has a relief valve set lower than your tractor unload valve and your pipes and couplings can take the oil flow.

53 years ago Ford changed the oil spec to use 30W or 20/30W in these tractors. Thousands of tractors use that spec, all Power and Super Majors had it as standard so there is no question about what oil you should be using. The lower viscosity will flow through the valves and pipes on attachments easier and cause less problems.

Quote from the Fordson Manual.

gnly three items o n the Hy d r a u l i c Power Lift
h a v e been affected by changes since the introduc-
tion of the Ma j o r t r a c t o r a n d details of these
modifications together with revised testing instruc-
tions a r e contained in this section.

I t is however imp o r t a n t t o note t h a t the
hydraulic unit uses the rear transmission lubricant,
the specification of which was changed in J a n u a r y ,
1959, to S.A.E. 20 W/30 H.D. f o r all Ma j o r (1952
onwards) tractors.

If you are just going to use your tractor as a pulling one with no external hydraulic attachments then 90W is fine.

is it possible to check or change these settings or is "rusty" confined to the sawbench

There is no way to change the hydraulic operation without a re-design of the system but the tractor works fine within the constraints.

I use mine to operate a high tip trailer and to run the potato harvester at times, and I still have 90W oil in the back. Just have to remember that it will keep blowing the valve when the oil is cold as already stated. Once warmed up it is fine.

thanks for that, i'm finding this a very helpful and interesting site, well done

Chriss, if its any help I run a hydraulic splitter on my 1960 FPM. I use 30w oil, took the feed off from under the RH side of the drivers seat, returned through the filler cap. Pin the tractor`s hydraulic lever up to give constant pumping and mine works a real treat.The ram travels faster than I expected and it split all the tough old logs left over the last 2 years in a few minutes

Daves rusty bits wrote:Chriss, if its any help I run a hydraulic splitter on my 1960 FPM. I use 30w oil, took the feed off from under the RH side of the drivers seat, returned through the filler cap. Pin the tractor`s hydraulic lever up to give constant pumping and mine works a real treat.The ram travels faster than I expected and it split all the tough old logs left over the last 2 years in a few minutes

What splitter are you using?
TIA

Ben,
Harrows r us on a well known auction site

Daves rusty bits wrote:Harrows r us on a well known auction site

From video, it looks like it's single-handed operation. I thought they all had to be two handed these days for H&S?

Any probs with it? Are you pleased with it?

No, its single handed and works well.