The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Evening, chaps. I have a 1957 Diesel Major, one of the intermediate ones, half diesel major, half power major, which i dearly love despite his faults. There's a Horndraulic loader fitted which I use quite a bit for lifting. I'm just wondering - the loader works fine, really, but i have to move the control lever a very long way from the neutral notch, so to speak, before anything happens; is there a simple way to increase the speed of reaction? I'm often lifting or lowering heavy stone (I'm a sculptor) with someone else directing me or guiding the load, and they often think I haven't seen any directions they've given because they have to wait so long while I carefully move the lever up or down. This can cause confusion or even a hazard, and it would be nice to have more definite control.

It's probably just wear and tear, I suppose.

Is the loader powered by the major's hydraulic system or is there another another pump running off the crank in front of the motor or the PTO in back? In any case the speed of the engine will, up to a point, regulate the flow of fluid through the pump.

A picture of the "lever" and loader would be nice, if not for edification of the problem, it is always great to see what attachments have been installed on the majors through the years.

Thanks whirly. It's just run off the tractor pump, with an isolator valve thing to shut off the loader if the 3PL is needed.

maxnowell wrote:Thanks whirly. It's just run off the tractor pump, with an isolator valve thing to shut off the loader if the 3PL is needed.

Have you tried to increase the engine RPM to see if that increases the lift rate?

I think the question is if it is possible to make the levers more sensible/sensitive. (Unsure of the right word)

I have the same experience: someone is guiding me to lift the load and I slowly raise the lever, almost all the way up, and then it starts to move, often too abrupt, in the meantime the guide has waved to me as he thinks i have not seen the order to raise the load as it takes long time to cautiously move the lever up, or down.

If we have the same issue I wonder if the lever and valve mechanism can be worn that makes the movement abrupt not slowly increasing flow or pressure, our if it can be worn so that you have to move the lever a long distance before it actuates the valve.

That's exactly my issue.

God, or what to say, then we are two. Half the way is recognising the problem.

I attach an image of the building of my log house two years ago. Note the elongation to reach all the way up with the logs. A good way to amplify our issue...

That extension jib is going to seriously amplify any 'jerkyness'

Our old Super had a MIL loader fitted and had been previously owned & used by local tyre merchants Bussey & Sabberton for shifting tractor and other wheels / tyres around their yards. Whether original or something they had fitted to overcome a similar problem, it had a screw down globe valve fitted just after the tapping into the top cover and before the tee to the two hoses to the cylinders, with this you could screw down and keep the loader up indefinitely or by progressively cracking open, lift or lower from full speed down to a creep - I can see that helping with your improvised crane but if you try it make sure to use a valve rated for your maximum pressure - when lifting on a small opening or the globe valve shut the PRV valve will blow excess oil delivered by the pump, so the globe valve and pipe to it will see the full 2000 psi or whatever yours is rated at.

BTW dont waste your time trying a gate valve or home plumbing valve unless you enjoy an oil saturated crotch

HTH