Dexta 'Newbie' here... and a few questions

[60dexta]

Hi All,

I am new on here and have just bought myself a little 1960 Dexta. A couple of years ago I had a Standard N just as a project but soon realised it was not at all useful as a tractor. I have been looking for a Super Dexta with live drive and diff lock but a road registered standard Dexta with a Horndraulic loader came up for sale not very far away so I zoomed out and did the deal.
I got it insured and drove it back here and am happy enough with it. It has an issue with the hydraulic lever needing a bolt missing to allow it to move move beyond the quadrant so something is a bit odd there but hopefully not too bigger issue.
The left axle 'trumpet' where it bolts to the gearbox had about half its nuts somewhat loose so had an oil leak that side. I can't figure out any reason why they should be not tight / loose.
The oil pressure guage does not work. I have not started properly delving into things yet but I can't see any pipework connecting it to anywhere on the engine. Can anyone tell me where it should be connected at the engine end? It is one of the first things I want to get working.

I have got all the numbers off the tractor for the 'Dexta Register' on here but have not found the rear axle casting number. Can anyone enlighten me where to find that one?

The gearbox oil looks quite milky and I can see a few water droplets in there. I suspect the milkiness has occured with the drive here. I will be changing all the oils but wondering how water gets in there?

Rob

[Lesfen]

Hi Rob,
Way to go and welcome.

Rear axle casting number is on the right hand side (brake pedal side) towards the back and near the bottom although....... some early ones seem to have the date code above that nearer the top.

Oil sender tap is mid block on the clutch pedal side. Originally was a switch up to the warning light by the temp guage.

From the engine serial number posted in the registry it looks as though atleast the block was replaced with a Super Dexta one.

Sometimes the water can just be condensation in the rear end. After sitting awhile we occasionally tap a bit off at the bottom drain plug.

Cheers,
Les

[60dexta]

Ah,,
I assumed the oil pressure guage would be a mechanical guage with a small diameter pipe.
In the block is a sender I assumed would be the oil pressure light switch.

If it has had an engine change that might explain why there is a spare union on the inlet manifold. Maybe that was for a vacuum govenor ?

It is sunny and not raining outside so I will go and search further into things.

Rob

[Lesfen]

Yes,
A 1960 Dexta would have the pneumatic governor.
Looks like the entire engine was switched with the mechanical governor and pump giving you Super Dexta power. Guessing from the engine serial number maybe even a New Performance Super Dexta.

Les

[60dexta]

That makes a bit of sense with things being disconnected and a few mismatches on parts.

Is that a recipe for transmission issues or will a STD dexta gearbox and back end take the Super Dexta / New Performance Super Dexta power increase?

Edit: I took this picture of the inlet manifold today ..



The green arrow points to the heater lead that fell off.
The yellow arrow points to the heater ?
The blue arrow points to presumably the diesel atomiser?
The red arrow points to a union that I am presuming was where the vacuum govenor was once connected?
Do I have that correct?


Edit 2:
I just got the codes off the left side of the engine. I can't reply in the engine codes thread so just putting these down here to see if they mean anything to anyone.
Stamped Serial: 1650***
Cast Date code: B284
Cast Numbers: 37111310
Cast 'badge': monOcyl
A single cast number: 6
Cast number down at block/sump split : GKN13721C


Rob

[Brian]

Looks like your engine is a January 28th 1964.

There is no difference in the transmission so a Super, Dexta or Petrol engine would fit straight on.

[Bensdexta]

There is no difference in the transmission so a Super, Dexta or Petrol engine would fit straight on.

Is the S Dexta transmission beefed up at all to handle the extra power?

[60dexta]

Hi Rob,
Way to go and welcome.

Rear axle casting number is on the right hand side (brake pedal side) towards the back and near the bottom although....... some early ones seem to have the date code above that nearer the top.

Oil sender tap is mid block on the clutch pedal side. Originally was a switch up to the warning light by the temp guage.

From the engine serial number posted in the registry it looks as though atleast the block was replaced with a Super Dexta one.

Sometimes the water can just be condensation in the rear end. After sitting awhile we occasionally tap a bit off at the bottom drain plug.

Cheers,
Les

Could anyone supply a picture of the location of that number. I have crawled over, around, under and behind it and scraped and wiped off most of the muck and filth but still no sign of the casting number. I found the En-Fo marking on the right hand side, hiding under the thick paint, but no other makings on it.
Rob

[Lesfen]

Rear Axle photos,



1958 Dexta Differential Code (position/draft control lever pointing down at top right)







1961 Dexta Differential Code

Cheers,
Les

[60dexta]

Hi Les,

Thank you for the pictures.
This picture

shows the same En-Fo logo but I don't have the date markings there.
I am not sure if the side of the case has been machined flat for some reason.
I will have a better look in a while. I have removed the top cover to fix a hydraulic problem so I can get to that side much more easily now.

The hydraulic problem looks like it might just be a worn out pin. The pin runs on a cam on the inner end of one of the lifting arms. The pin is worn to about 1/3rd its original thickness. The mechanism needs a strip down and the brown slime removing, a few bits tidying up and then carefully rebuilding.

I also found the differential pinion adjusting nut and lock nut are not tight together. They had not come undone because of the locking washer between them.
The oil was rather milky and there is a 3/8" layer of brown gloop sitting at the bottom which I will wash out.
I think the water got in there through the top plate split line as only had a few patches of broken gasket here and there as if the top had been previously taken off, the gasket discarded but a few areas of it still remained stuck on the casing. It would not have sealed and there were water droplets sat there when I lifted the top off.

Off out into the darkness now to carry on

Rob

[Lesfen]

Rob,

Maybe your date code is lower as in the last 2 photos.
My red arrow in the middle photo is pretty small but shows the location of the date code only.
The ENFO and T2 are in the same place on both tractors.

What progarm did you use to make the large arrows in your photo?

Les

[The Swanndri Guy]

Hey Les , any chances of some better pictures of your Dexta with those North American Ford mudguards TSG.

[60dexta]

Rob,

Maybe your date code is lower as in the last 2 photos.
My red arrow in the middle photo is pretty small but shows the location of the date code only.
The ENFO and T2 are in the same place on both tractors.

What progarm did you use to make the large arrows in your photo?

Les

It is just Paintshop Pro (version 4, I think). It came on a CD on the front of a magazine in the mid 90's. It is very useful for simple doctoring of pictures.
Rob

[Brian]

Pictures and location of all date codes are on the Wiki, from the Home page or via the link on "Misc". Codes are "fordsontractorpages" and "dotty". There is also an article on Dexta Hydraulics.

[60dexta]

Pictures and location of all date codes are on the Wiki, from the Home page or via the link on "Misc". Codes are "fordsontractorpages" and "dotty". There is also an article on Dexta Hydraulics.

Hi Brian,
Thanks for that.
I found the casting code that I was having a job finding. Well I say found.... I found the remains of it. The number has been ground off there are just the two screw impressions at either end of where the number would have been. Not sure what has gone on there in the distant past but I was just hoping to find the numbers all matched at 1960.

Rob

[60dexta]

I have now taken the hydraulic parts to pieces to get it working correctly again.

I think the reason the lever was being used beyond the quadrant is because the pin that runs on the lift arm cam is worn away.....

The lift arm cam is very rough and abrasive...


I will have a go at carefully draw filing the cam back to a smooth surface for the pin to run against. I realise I will need to watch i don't alter the cam shape but the surface needs sorting out.

I might need to replace some parts or bush them to get rid of some of the slop caused by corrosion.

The hydraulic system and valves are fine and will just want the o'rings and seals changing.

One question I have is should this part be captive or not? Where the lever was being used beyond the quadrant it was forcing these two parts, hence the bent edge to the piece on the end of the valve.


It is quite surprising that there is no oil sprayed up under the top cover, even after my 20 mile drive in top gear. The linkages were bone dry and corroded.

Rob

[tom lad]

hi m8
often water gets in the the backend by running down the big control spring on the out side of the hydraulics ,
top link conection , behind the seat , big spring on a threaded rod running inside the backend .
the linkage helps to operate the qualitol / draft control system .
this will have had a felt washer or symular to help keep out water , but prob not working , i made a new washer from rubber belting .

same problems on te 20 fergusons

tom

[60dexta]

Hi Tom,
Yes, it does have the felt washer. It does look a bit thin and sad so was thinking of doing something with it.

I am also concidering tapping the hydraulic exhaust on the ram and installing a short piece of steel 'bundy' pipe to aim the exhausted oil up over the linkages to keep them nice and oily.

Rob

[Brian]

If you get too much oil in that area you will find that it will leak out of the lift arm cross shaft and the Draft Spring. Better to coat everything in a good quality grease. I use Moly grease and it works well.

There is little/no oil splash in a Dexta back end because the crown wheel is seperate from the rest of the works.

[60dexta]

Hi All,
I had a good morning cleaning parts of the hydraulic system.

Main cylinder and piston stripped down washed and all the little passages blown out with the air line...


The offending pin replaced next to the old one. The new pin was a few thou bigger diameter than the old one so the link needed reaming through first and then the pin pressing in with loctite just to make doubly sure it will never fall out.


All the small bits cleaned down..


Gloop to clean out next...


Rob

[Brian]

Rob,
Just a word of warning, on no account use any abrasive cleaning material on those valves!. The only things you can use are metal polish or Jewellery Polish, Anything else will cause damage to the oil sealing properties.

[60dexta]

Rob,
Just a word of warning, on no account use any abrasive cleaning material on those valves!. The only things you can use are metal polish or Jewellery Polish, Anything else will cause damage to the oil sealing properties.

I haven't used anything on them other than cleaning in deisel and then a quick rinse in petrol. They did not need any cleaning. I just wanted to strip them out to blow out all the passageways and make sure there was no muck hiding somewhere. I am waiting on new seals arriving and then I shall start to put it back together again.
I am just going out to turn up a bush to take out some of the slop on the corroded links.

Tomorrow I will flush out the 'sump' and final drive area to get rid of as much of the gloop as possible and change the hydraulic exhaust filter. Somewhere in the gloop could be half a small circlip as there was only half of one on one of the small linkages.

Rob

[tom lad]

hi m8
out of interest what type of seal was on the main piston ?
if is was the lip type then replace with the same type , not the o ring and back up ring , or you'll be stripping it all down again like i did.

[60dexta]

hi m8
out of interest what type of seal was on the main piston ?
if is was the lip type then replace with the same type , not the o ring and back up ring , or you'll be stripping it all down again like i did.

It has the lip type seal. The rubber is rather hard so hopefully I will get a new one the same in the set of parts I have ordered from Malcolm Hipperson.

Rob

[60dexta]

Hurrah... The log book returned in the post

I got the gaskets and seals from Malcolm Hipperson. They turned up on Friday.
The gaskets look ok but some of the o'rings just seem the wrong size. They are in a little bubble pack from Sparex so not something Malcolm has come up with. I don't know what the o'ring material is either so measured up all the o'ring recesses yesterday and using the Dowty catalogue worked out what seals should be used. Those are now on order. I don't want to be messing about stripping it all down again.

I removed the hydraulic exhaust filter yesterday. Glad I did... it is packed full of muck.
Todays job is to wash the gloop out of the casing.

Rob