Hello orange tractor talk people. I've been lurking for the last year and a half while I've been fixing up my first tractor (L2000DT with L245DT decals) and the site has been a great resource so thanks to you guys for that. I've rebuilt the steering box, done brakes, wiring, fluids and filters and countless little things but I seem to have hit a dead end with this 3 point hitch issue.
Here's some context leading up to the incident:
What I've done now:
Obviously the hitch is just about toast... Valve, cylinder and piston. Even if they were available those 3 parts alone would be almost $2k CAD which I can't really justify on a 45 year old tractor I paid $5k for.
So if you wise people have any advice, a source for parts or could even shed some light on what happened here I'd be very grateful. I've read just about ever post I could find on 3 point and hydraulic issues and I'm just about at a dead end.
I was debating doing up some aux hydraulics and a front blade and using it to clear snow since I know the pump is still good and write off the 3 point all together.
Maybe the valve can be rebuilt but then what about the scored up cylinder?
I have the back half of a L1501 that I got for a song but the hitch lift parts are not compatible as far as I can tell.
Sorry for the novel, thanks for reading!
Here's some context leading up to the incident:
- Since I got it, the 3 point hitch would make a kind of honking or whining nose if I'd try to feather up the lift. No noise if I pulled the lever all the way back to raise it.
- When starting from cold, I would have to open the drop rate valve quite a bit to get the hitch to lower. Once warmed up I could tighten it up otherwise it would slam down.
- I changed the hydraulic fluid with Kubota UDT and replaced the screen which was damn near packed solid with filings. Old fluid looked ok, not cloudy or glittering with metal
- One of the rockshaft arms had been welded and there is a leak at the rockshaft seal on that side.
- The tractor has done a fair bit of work with a 3 point box blade/arena drag (TR3-E from ABI) in a horse arena, smoothing out gravel driveways and a bunch of grading around my property.
- My uncle ran the TR3 over the arena while I hauled manure then I took over to do his wife's driveway
- Did a couple of passes then I slowed the drop rate since the machine was warming up as usual, went to lift the implement and the lever got stuck (it's the kind of lever that you pull up on or push down like a remote unlike the usual type of 3 point lever where you set the position) and the drop rate valve sized!
- Implement was raised about 2/3 of the way up so I drove around back and parked it
- Came back a week later and the implement was still up.. Didn't leak down at all
- Used the pallet forks on our loader tractor to lift the implement to take the pressure off and this freed up the drop rate valve which was now leaking oil but the lever was still stuck
- With a bunch of fiddling with the valve and lifting the implement using the forks I was able to get the lever freed and the hitch would work like normal but each time it would seize up again.. so I took the TR3 off the hitch and drove the tractor back to my place for further troubleshooting.
What I've done now:
- Took off the cylinder cover and the cylinder and piston were severely scored, I wish I had a picture! The edges of cylinder and piston were sharp!
- The drop rate valve looked ok but obviously it needs new o-rings now
- Cleaned and put everything back together, lever still stuck
- Bit the bullet and pulled off the 3 point cover, took off the control valve and a little metal bit came out with the hydraulic fluid that was in the valve
- Once that little metal bit came out I was able to get the rod in the valve to move with some persuasion but still stiff. Some scoring on the rod thing (sorry not sure about the proper term)
Obviously the hitch is just about toast... Valve, cylinder and piston. Even if they were available those 3 parts alone would be almost $2k CAD which I can't really justify on a 45 year old tractor I paid $5k for.
So if you wise people have any advice, a source for parts or could even shed some light on what happened here I'd be very grateful. I've read just about ever post I could find on 3 point and hydraulic issues and I'm just about at a dead end.
I was debating doing up some aux hydraulics and a front blade and using it to clear snow since I know the pump is still good and write off the 3 point all together.
Maybe the valve can be rebuilt but then what about the scored up cylinder?
I have the back half of a L1501 that I got for a song but the hitch lift parts are not compatible as far as I can tell.
Sorry for the novel, thanks for reading!