1977 L185DT questions

[Rosher18]

I have two maintenance related questions for my favorite tractor forum users.

1. When I lower the loader (weight on or off the 3PT) the motor strains. Sometimes the hydraulics squeal and sometimes not, usually squealing happens when the 3PT is carrying a large load. What should I check which would be the cause of these symptoms?

2. I grade our sand horse arena every week or slightly more often, and as the drive loads and unloads due to riding up and down the hoof prints, I can hear a distinct gear whine from the right front corner only, which is linked to how loaded the right front wheel is (climbing up out of a hoof print causes a loud wine). I just checked the right final drive and front axle gear oil, they seemed to be at a good level and smelled like good gear oil. I am beginning to suspect the top bevel gear set at the right corner where the axle and kingpin pivot drive shaft meet. What else should I check? I'm hoping to get a look at my WSM and exploded parts diagram tomorrow to see how it's lubricated.

Thanks in advance for your help!

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[Tooljunkie]

You run loader, place 3point in a neutral position,not all the way up. If you need to carry something close the valve under the seat to hold 3 point in position. With 3 point all the way up it takes a lot of the hydraulic power from loader.

If you are running on hard surface or surface with good traction, disengage the 4 wheel drive. If you dont need it,dont use it. Especially with a front loader.

 

[Rosher18]

Thanks Tooljunkie, I'll use the 3PT valve trick when I carry loads with it from now on. I only own a box blade right now, but it's heavy and occasionally I will load a few bales of hay onto it to get the hay moving chores done faster.

My property is mainly grass and dirt, with some gravel in front of our horse arena. I usually only engage 4WD when I'm doing hard ground engaging work, turning the manure pile, or grooming the arena. I started that after I owned it for 6 months and realized that the wheels spin at slightly different ground speeds, causing binding when on asphalt

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[Rosher18]

Is anyone else able to shed some light on my questions?

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[Daren Todd]

Check your hydraulic lines and connectors to the loader. Sounds like either a plug in a line, bad quick connect fitting, plugged fitting or something similar.

The squealing sounds like the hydraulic system is going into bypass mode on that circuit.

When was the hydraulic fluid changed last? As well as any filters in the system for the loader?

What about the screen in the bottom of the transmission?

 

[Rosher18]

Thanks Daren. I have no maintenance records from the previous owner beside his word that the hydraulic fluid was changed within the past year (making this fluid roughly 2 calendar years and possibly 50 running hours old)
No quick connects on this tractor, but I'm going to start going through the hoses one by one anyway, because on a few of the dump circuit ones the outer rubber is cracked and I can see steel braided lines inside.
I haven't taken a look at the intake screen yet either, but I have plenty of power (I believe). I'll take a look at it when I go through the hydraulics in preparation for a big project that will be tractor-intensive this summer.

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[Daren Todd]

Hydraulic hoses do rot over time. I use hydraulic powered water pumps at work. They can have up to 400ft worth of hydraulic line attached. Occasionally we'll have a piece of the hose come loose inside and block up a fitting When that happens the line gets drained and disposed of. I've gotten to the point I don't screw with them. If the outsides flaking. They get tossed.

 

[Rosher18]

Thanks for the insight again, Daren. I haven't done any work on the tractor, mostly work with it. It still loads the motor pretty heavily (think dropping 10-25 RPM) any time I bring the loader arms down. It hasn't gotten any worse or better in the past 9 months.

I also have a slight leak in the lift control, right where the valve piston meets with the valve body. I've been interested in pulling the valves out to check them. It sounds like there's a relief valve in the loader circuit that is separate from the one near the pump, but I don't know. I'm hoping there's something to find if I pull those valve pistons out.

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