Going ploughing

[AdrianNPMajor]

That year passed quickly!
Ploughing in a different parish this year.
Made a good start. I was interested to see if the repositioning of the top link and lift arm pins would make a difference. I couldn't see any, though the repositioning did affect the lift height, which meant that the plough fouled on the ground when tripping it, so I decided to change the top link/pin configuration back to the original setting.
I didn't get much further before I encountered a hydraulic problem.
There's a leak somewhere, though I don't think it is the unloading valve plug this time. The symptoms are similar but not the same. Only by revving the engine will the hydraulics lift the plough, as with the leaking unloading valve plug, but this time a new symptom has arisen. When lowering the quadrant lever, either in qualitrol or position, the plough would not lower.
I'm currently looking through the workshop manual diagrams to diagnose the problem.
Any advice/wisdom would be gratefully received.
Best, Adrian.

[url=https://postimg.cc/image/hk36ra8qj ... .jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://postimg.cc/image/g6bjvz9h7 ... .jpg[/img][/url]

[url][/url]

[oehrick]

Trailing plough & wide headlands is the answer Adrian

Can't think of any obvious suggestion as I'm not used to the 'complications' in your version hydraulics but a standard loss of pressure symptom is something getting over hot (the energy has to go somewhere) not much help when the whole mass of that back end has gotten hot but might be worth a feel round before this has happened?

[AdrianNPMajor]

Thanks for your thoughts, Rick.
Yes, heat is an issue, I'm sure.
I've just had a chat with Brian to ask his advice. Brian recommends testing the ram seal first by pulling out the aux service control knob. If the plough sinks, the seal is leaking.
If it's not the ram seal, Brian suggests that the unloading valve is sticking due the heat causing the o ring to expand. Solution is to extract the valve, remove the o ring and chuck it over the hedge, and reassemble. The unloading valve can then float backwards and forwards as it is designed to do without sticking.
Hope to get to grips with the job in the next few days.
Thanks again, Brian.
Best, Adrian.

[blackbob]

In case you're interested... Spaldings had a special offer on bar-points last week, £20.. Last time I looked they were over 40

[AdrianNPMajor]

Thanks for the heads-up, Bob.
The points appear to be wearing relatively slowly. Not sure I'll need any replacements during my ploughing career.
I don't have any experience of the standard points, but I must say the bar points are really handy. Adjustment couldn't be easier.
Best, Adrian.

[AdrianNPMajor]

Just rang Ernest Doe in Marlesford, a CNH main dealer.
The part number for the O ring is 87035-ESB. It is a stock item for use on various Fords. Cost £0.70.
Just pondering on whether to fit a new O ring or fit the valve without. If the valve will shuttle back and forth without the O ring, I wonder if I wouldn't be better off without it when things heat up.
Brian reports that even Ford back in the day approved the removal of the O ring for tractors displaying problems in this area.
I've ordered the new O ring. Will decide on the day.
Best, Adrian.

[oehrick]

Trouble is nowadays Adrian they are likely to fob you off with an O ring instead of a 0 ring (0 being how many Brian has suggested is OK to fit) OK, please yourself,
meant to note what a super picture that one just stood on the stubble is, you got one of those Hasselblad phones then ?

[AdrianNPMajor]

Hi Rick
Another wise observation. Most helpful.
Brian said to be sure to get the correct O ring, otherwise ditch it, and yes, there's no telling what the current day CNH O ring is made of so many years after it was originally specified.
I'm going to dispense with the O ring altogther.
Thank goodness for this amazing website.
Best, Adrian.
ps It's actually one of those well known Canon phones!

[Brian]

Ask them the price of an unload valve with a metal ring Adrian.

[AdrianNPMajor]

Will do, Brian. I'll call Doe's on Monday.
The NH parts website shows the valve and separate O ring. No valve with piston ring.

https://partstore.agriculture.newhollan ... 51ar323051

I'm waiting for a delivery of the Loctite 603 I'll need to reseal the unloading valve plug. Hope my puller is up to the job of removing the plug, given that I've locked the plug in position with 603. If the 603 is as good as its billing, I may have a problem!
We'll see!
Best, Adrian.

[oehrick]

Heat destroys most loctite, 1-200C will usually do it.

What are the Canon phones like then ? don't get much of a signal on my Pentax

Happy extracting & hope it works

[AdrianNPMajor]

Rick, I think the puller will do the job. I've got some 1000 grit emery to clean up the old 603 once the plug is out.
To apply a gas torch I'd have to strip the ram cylinder block to ensure the galleries are no longer holding oil. The O rings in the rest of the block would also be vulnerable. With a bit of luck the steady pressure exerted by the puller will do the trick. The threads in the centre of the plug that the puller screws into are a little coarser than I'd like to be completely certain, but I think the weakest link will be the 603. At least, I hope so!
Best, Adrian.

[oehrick]

Best of luck Adrian, I thought that it would be the weak spot when someone told me it would hold in the wrist pin on the Corliss valve engine at Forncett (the original had fatigued and sheared off after a century + use & abuse. I wanted an interference fit with the pin pressed in but lack of a suitable press and the fact the chap who bored the old bit out for me (for nowt) had just fitted a new king pin into Trowse Swing Bridge using Loctite swung the matter, that was about 1985 and despite the welding allowance left on as belt and braces (I was convinced it would walk out sooner or later) it is still rock solid.

You could always loctite the puller threads in first to gain traction

Oh and since you have thumbed your nose at fotomuckit so successfully (sorry, just couldn't resist it!)

[AdrianNPMajor]

Back in action.
As I hoped and guessed, the hydraulics operated as normal this morning. Everything was cool, as in literally cool!
This suggests to me that the problem is indeed the O ring expanding and sticking when things get hot.
I spent six hours ploughing before the issue presented itself again. I took a break for about five minutes with the PTO disengaged, then hopped back aboard, and everything worked fine. Well almost, in that I was able to carry on ploughing, but the pump didn't cut out when the plough was raised.
Just wondering if the O ring is causing the unloading valve to stick somewhere between the raise and lower positions, thereby leaving a port partially open, meaning the pump is still able to raise the plough, but it's not able to cut out.
As the situation is manageable, I'm going to try and finish this field before removing the hydraulic lid.
Rick, as you rightly say ......

...... so here's an update image.
I'm glad to report on this issue with the hydraulics, but I hope nobody reading this gets the impression that the Super hydraulics aren't impressive, because they are. The Major glides along as the hydraulics make continual adjustments to overcome the varying soil conditions (rest a hand on one of the lift arms, and you feel the powerful nudges upward that the hydraulics provide as necessary). An O ring occasionally sticking in its bore is not an issue, especially when the solution is to dispense with the O ring.
Best, Adrian.

[url=https://postimg.cc/image/wmgso383f ... .jpg[/img][/url]

[oehrick]

I hate intermittents Adrian - shame there are no grit importing orifii, sorry I mean test points to screw a gauge into

Removing the current O ring (assuming it is still in one circular bit instead of a cut and tattered mess) will give you the answer even if you have to suffer another six hours of nail biting ploughing to find out, good job they don't make you drink beer as well

Fingers crossed for ya

[AdrianNPMajor]

Making good progress across the eight acre field.
Plough gave a decent burial to a wood pigeon, which looked as if it had been caught feeding by a sparrowhawk.
Best, Adrian.

[url=https://postimg.org/image/q02ij1vl ... .jpg[/img][/url]

[AdrianNPMajor]

A couple more images.
No recurrence of the sticking unload valve. [That's put the kibosh on it!]
Best, Adrian.

[url=https://postimg.cc/image/g9tfci6kb ... .jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://postimg.cc/image/uj6dgf8aj ... .jpg[/img][/url]

[oehrick]

Yup, thats par for the course

When you goind to treat the poor old blind dear to a pair of headlamps Adrian ?

[AdrianNPMajor]

Rick, I've got the original headlamps. They and the tank were the only bits of tinwork I could salvage after the tractor had been parked up next to a hedge for many years.
Unfortunately water got into the headlamps and rusted the reflectors, so I'm going to have to have a couple made.
I need lamps for the mudguards too.
I've actually just ordered a proper seat cushion and back rest. Must be getting soft!
A relaxing weekend to you and all.
Adrian.

[url=https://postimg.org/image/u82p8vvz ... .jpg[/img][/url]

[oehrick]

Has Suffolk run short of Ali foil ?? Where I got my car. there is an old chap who lives in a caravan and uses another to recover and fettle cycle parts for resale, haven't tried him out yet but he does electroplating and the item he showed me looked pretty fair.

I pulled a couple of very large laurel stumps out for a neighbour yesteday under a large cherry, the coolest shadiest place about (and draulic job), another one today, then a little trek to the local beer festival this or tomorrow afternoon other than that just trying to stay out of the sun.

Local shop let me down on some torx screws so ordered on line and no doubt at a standstill until tuesday - currently 'conserving' a shed and making suitable for the Major when she comes to live here, now dismantling the second half, muck dust and cobweb everywhere, mostly on me

Happy hydraulic logging and have a nice hol too

[AdrianNPMajor]

Rick, that sounds like a fun but not exactly relaxing weekend.
Did you use the Major to pull the stumps out?
If so, you know what we would all like to see .........

Best, Adrian.

[oehrick]

My spolleng want wrung Adrian - should have read handraulic, ie a Yale chain block anchored to a substantial adjacent cherry tree, the last one took some shifting this afternoon and I did have to use my 4 foot of ali scaffold pole 'torque enhancer' somewhat, but not much resists that slow sure pull for long, shoulder sore, neighbour impressed and appreciative (there may be beer arriving which should ease the shoulder ) - there are a couple of neighbours who call me the dentist due to having acheived difficult extractions for them where tree surgeons quoted silly money to section down form the top, my way got the rootballs out at the same time, all depends on reliable anchorages to pull from and prevent falling the wrong way. I did turn down the opportunity to take down c150 y/o Wellingtonia / Seqoia which as over 8' dia at 12' above ground and about 120' tall, it had grown in a vee and the new houseowners insurance wouldn't cover it.

The bark is amazing, like punching a sponge, the tree surgeon who dropped it in big sections had got landing them horizontally down to a fine art and didn't make any dents in the driveway or lawn but they needed a big loader to shift them ! the owner was going to have them slabbed so I have put in an order !

They left the butt at 12 foot and he carved a fair sized summerhouse into it - a chainsaw artist at work is a treat to watch.

Poor old Major isn't exactly photogenic atm, its suffering from what looks like a flock of owls having squitted and puked their pellets all over it, must get over and clean it before the weather gets damp again.

My load valve is blowing, TTFN

[mathias1]

[url=https://postimg.org/image/wmgso383 ... .jpg[/img][/url]

Adrian,

Is the plough at the correct width of cut? I see yours is at the maximum, while I had to put mine to the 14in to follow the wheels.
I must say mine goes from 14in to 16in, maybe yours is different.

[AdrianNPMajor]

Glad you got the better of the root, Rick. Never used a hand winch, but they sound like a very handy bit of kit to have in the shed.
Mathias, my TSR 102 is currently set at 14". I have played with just about every other adjustment on the plough, but I haven't touched the furrow width settings. It was set at 14" when I got it.
I got the plough six years ago shortly after finishing the tractor rebuild. At that stage I knew practically nothing about ploughing.
The first thing I did was set the front and rear wheel tracks. I didn't really know what the right track widths were, so I worked on what looked right when the tractor was in the furrow. It was as scientific as that! The original track settings on the tractor when I bought it were obviously far too wide for ploughing.
Going back to the TSR 102, or at least my TSR 102, it looks to have two furrow width settings - 14" & 12". I think I am looking at it correctly. Be grateful for any guidance if I've got it wrong.
The current wheel track settings as shown in the photos and the 14" furrow width seems pretty ideal.
One thing I have learned is that the skimmer adjustments are crucial. If the angle and depth are correct, you get a lovely clean finish. Today I had to reset two of them as they had both worn down and were not digging deeply enough, plus one of them had also swiveled on its post. Your photos show a perfect finish, so you obviously keep a close eye on the skimmers.
Forgot to take my camera today so no new photos. Also forgot my bottle of water, so this afternoon I climbed down from the tractor and staggered into the barn in search of water with a throat as dry as a sheet of sandpaper! All afternoon I was dreaming of one of these!
Best, Adrian.

[Brian]

Mathias, it is possible that you do not have a TSR 102 if your furrow widths are 14" and !6". What you have is a TSR 107 which looks exactly like the 102 but has more clearance and the wider furrow settings. Otherwise the plough is the same and it is hard to tell the difference between them until you get the ruler out.

Where the 102 was the common plough over here the 107 was not a good seller, I had one sitting in my yard at Wisbech for three years and could not sell it. 102's would come in and out but the poor old 107 just sat there.

One of the chaps in our village bought one second hand when he was looking for a plough but it was too wide a furrow and he ended up scrapping a perfectly good plough.