Poor Running Super Major

DanG · Post by **DanG** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:08 am

I have a Super Major with a Roadless conversion, Serial No. 1618987. It was my Dad’s tractor and he often said it was the best tractor he ever had. It always started easy. After he passed away I went and got it from the fellow that had borrowed it. I was told that the tractor ran great one day and the next day it hardly would run, also the power steering was not working.

I found no manual steering, and it would not start. I rebuild the steering box, new steering shaft and parts, but didn’t fool with the power steering. I had a heck of a time getting it started. It hardly would run but I drove it back to the home place and parked it. That was in 1997. I haven’t touched it since.

This spring I want to get “Old Blue” going again. I want to fix the mechanical problems first before I take on restoring the tractor.

What might cause the engine to hardly run? Could a stuck excess fuel button linkage inside the injection pump or a hole in the governor diaphragm cause an erratic running engine and low power? Something else?

The other problem was the tractor broke front axles often. Dad ran the front tires almost bald to reduce traction and save axles. Is there a problem with the front end? What adjustments can I make? It does have a loader.

Thanks
DanG

Post by **Brian** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:59 am

Welcome to the board Dan.

Your Super was built in September 1961. It would then have been sent to the Roadless works at Hounslow in Middlesex as a skid unit for conversion.

It is unlikely that you have a faulty excess fuel device as that tractor would not have the mechanically governed pump which was the version that gave problems. This was not fitted until April 1962. I would suggest that you start at the fueltank filter in the tap and work through to the injection pump, cleaning and replacing the filters. Your problem sounds more like a fuel blockage or starvation than pump problems.

Power steering problems can be a little more complicated as parts are not readily available for the ram but this can be overcome with care and time. Parts are out there but hard to find.

Front axle problems can usually be caused by overload, you have a loader fitted so this would not help. Tyre size, front and back, must be matched to get the rolling radius right, if you have worn tyres on the front and new tyres on the rear for example, this would increase the load on the axle parts. It would also be helpful to know if you had a slip clutch in the axle drive. This is a big unit between the axle drive from the back of the gearbox and the prop shaft to the front axle.

Another cause of axle overload would be not taking it out of drive when the tractor was being used on the road.

This should give you a few clues to start with. We will all try and help as much as we can. Picture and as many details as you can give us is also a great help. The Roadless is a much sort after tractor here in Europe.

DanG · Post by **DanG** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:23 am

Thanks for the information.

I'll post some photos of the tractor after I get it out of the blackberry bushes.

I do have a question on the front and rear tire sizes. The front wheels on my Super Major Roadless don't look like any of the wheels on other Roadless tractor photos I have found on various Fordson tractor sites. I am wondering if wheels might have been changed?

Thanks
Dan

Frans · Post by **Frans** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:51 pm

Hello Dan,

A picture from it in the busches would be nice too,

The tires front and back must fit together on mine it is
front 11.2 / 24 back 18.4 / 30

The wheels could be from Roadless, Selene or Thomas ? they build also 4wd majors

Grani · Post by **Grani** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:38 pm

Original tyre size is 9,5*24 and rear 11*36 or 16,9*30. If the steering angle is over 28 degrees then the joints are in danger. The "kingpin" bearings should be tight and allso the axles tight in the banjo, if not then the Bendixjoint opens with damage as result. Allways try to keep wheels straight when loading heavy loads and dont allow backlasch chocks when reversing with load. If equipped with torque limit clutch, the slipping toque should be at 75 Kgm min and 85 Kgm max. If it is an oilbath type then use engine oil not EP oils.

DanG · Post by **DanG** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:05 am

Thanks very much for the tire/wheel size information. That will be the first thing I check.

I have a few photos of the tractor where it is now, but I don't know how to load the photos. How is it done on this site?

Dan

Grani · Post by **Grani** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:18 am

You have to load the pictures to a server, photobucket or similar and then make a link to them in your text like this.

DanG · Post by **DanG** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 7:59 am

Thanks for the help. I will give it try to get the photos into this message.

I took the 4 photos of the tractor in December. The blue tarp behind the tractor covers a Caterpillar D7 that I have been working on to get running. When it gets a little warmer I'll hook up the cat to the tractor and pull it out of the blackberry bushes.

Dan
[img]
http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare ... i=SALBlink[/img]

DanG · Post by **DanG** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:04 am

Try again

Kiwi Kev · Post by **Kiwi Kev** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:24 am

Dan
Dont worry about getting the D7 going, so you can pull the Roadless out, just use the chainsaw, and then your half way there.
What a great pair of machinery you have. A Roadless and a D7 Cat.
What more could you want!
Keep the pictures coming.
Kiwi Kev

Post by **Brian** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:34 am

A Petrol Dexta!

Grani · Post by **Grani** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:02 pm

Your pictures needs registration at the snapfish and that is why they don´t work here.

DanG · Post by **DanG** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 4:43 am

I'll try one more time to include the photos.

Grani · Post by **Grani** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:57 am

Do You live i the jungle?

JC · Post by JC » Fri Jan 23, 2009 7:10 am

I think I'd drag the Roadless out with the D-7, too. Those blackberry bushes bite! I can't see much of the Roadless, but that's a good picture of the D-7. It looks like a 3T. Judging from the hooks on the blade and the dents in the hood, it must have been a logging Cat at one time. Does it have a Hyster winch on the back? I have a 4T with a LeTourneau double drum on the back.

Post some more pics of the Roadless when you get it out (the Cat, too), but if you make them a little smaller it would be easier to see them without scrolling back and forth. I usually make mine about 600 to 700 pixels wide.

DanG · Post by **DanG** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 7:56 pm

Sorry about the photo size. I'll make them smaller next time.

The machines are on the west side of the Cascade mountains. Lots of rain and the brush really grows, almost a jungle. I live on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, drier and colder. Plan to haul them home in the spring. I can haul the tractor but will have to hire the hauling of the D7.

The Cat D7 is a 3T with a Hyster winch on the back. Not sure what it did the first 25 years of its life but most of the last 35 years it was used for logging and land clearing (about 10 years parked/abondoned)

Thanks for the help
Dan