The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I thought you might like this little tale...
I was pulling the gang mowers using the fixed hitch. The hydraulics were down with the implement bar below the gang mowers' towbar. The hydraulics haven't worked for a few weeks but I leave the quadrant lever up in the hope that work and bouncing will encourage them. After about an hours work there was a sudden engine strain. You've guessed it - the arms rose, caught the mower towbar on the implement bar and bent the gang mowers towbar. The mower still tows and my NPSD hydraulics are back in business. But why?
Rob

Think you have answered your own question.

Either the control valve or possibly the flow control valve was stuck. The control valve is not directly connected to the control lever so you are not pushing it when you move it. Only increasing the pressure on a spring. Your cure worked Don't think I will be recommending it though

Swan Neck connection on the mower might be an advantage if you ever want to pull it with a pick up truck though

The swan neck is rather elegant. What would stop the hydraulics stopping in the future? An oil change? More frequent use?

I would suspect that you have a bit of condensation and rust in there. Water can get in down the draft control spring. More use would help but you may have to take the top off, clean it up and grease the draft control rod where it comes through the top cover. I did a similar job on Oscar's Dexta before Barry took charge of it.