The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hi all,
Have just re-joined the forum in its new form and am looking for parts supplier in Australia. - I have a 1954 ish Major. I am chasing seal and gasket kit for the hydraulics. Also bearing liners for the lift arm cross shaft. Can anyone put me onto a supplier?

This is my first tractor and always thought it lacked hydraulic power, but did not know what to expect. Over a couple of years it has really degraded. Used it to pull some fence posts out but it really struggled. Then bought a post hole digger which it could hardly lift. Now the hydraulics can only take up the slack with the arms, but has no power to lift the implement at all.

When first bought, I replaced all the fluids using gear oil in the axle as specified in the handbook. But now will replace with engine oil thanks to the sticky on this forum. I will probably use 20/50 multigrade because it is cheap (read because I am cheap).

I have the lift/axle cover off - used the kids' swingset to attach a chainblock - and have dimantled the valve gear & cleaned everything up. Bit of gunge around the place, but no metal. Can't get the NRV out, too tight. The cylinder has a bit of rust at the rear which I will hone. The seal and all the o-rings look OK, but If I renew them then I know it's done. Want to do the work myself, to save money and it seems pretty simple.

The lift arms seem sloppy, so pulled it all apart and there was only 3 bearings inside, instead of 4. Where on earth would I get another one? Then thought I'd just look in the box of spares that came with the tractor. What do you know, one spare bearing, the PO must have forgot to put it in. Anyway the outer bearing liners are badly worn and need replacing. Can they be drifted out? Athough I could probably live with them as the machine doesn't do much work.

Sorry about the long post, but don't you think a bit of a story makes a "help with hydraulics" post a bit more interesting? Regards, Adrian. I am located near Rockhampton in Central Queensland, Australia.

Have you had the pump and intake filter out?

Pump will come out of the top but you need to get underneath to take out and clean the filter.

The problems you describe are more pump/filter related than valve gear.

Hi Brian,
Thanks for the reply. I have had filter out, more of a strainer really, and it had some thick gunge stuck to it, but not so much that I should think it would stop working. The magnetic bolts were missing. I haven't pulled the pump apart because I am usure If I can get parts and thought I would eliminate easier things. Are special tools needed to dismantle the pump? Would I be looking for blockages or damage? Should I have a go anyway? The previous owner told me the hydraulic pump had been rebuilt, certainly it has a nice shiny casing. Also of interest is that the lift works without engaging the pto, so maybe there has been a modification in there. Adrian.

The pump would be my first port of call. Thet are always nice and shiny but "O" rings inside can fail.

There is no way that the hydraulics can work without the PTO engaged as the pump drives from the PTO shaft after it leaves the gearbox. I think you have a "raised" PTO which is an extension with a seperate gear lever on the back.

You need to keep the pump parts in order as they need to go back in the same place as they were removed.

Hi all, pleased to report that the hydraulics are fixed. The relief plate seal in the pump was broken. Also the relief plate had been assembled into the wrong side of the pump. Does anyone know what the symptoms this would cause? The broken seal seemed to be a non genuine item because when I put the pieces together it was too big for the plate. The larger seal also seems wrong as it is slightly too small in diameter. I guess the previous owner could not get correct parts, my supplier could only get the smaller seal. The kids can have their swingset back now. Thanks for help received, Adrian.