Tractor - front loader jammed

[badhorsey]

Hi, I'm helping to restore an old Fergie tractor (circa 1970) and we'd like to remove the front loader. It's jammed good and proper but we've been advised to apply grease and give it another try. How long should we let the grease "settle" in for? a day or two?

Thanks...

[Clanad]

I'm in the U.S. so I'm not familiar with the "Fergie" but we have several fronte end loader tractors around the place and I think they all work pretty much the same...at least in my experience.
Is the loader hydraulic powered? If so, you may have a hydraulic cylinder problem that no amount of "grease" will help. There may be more than one cylinder depending on how complex the loader is.

Use safety first, since, if it is the hydraulics, it can be dangerous if the cylinder is stuck under pressure....

[AlBags]

Yes .. quite .. check pressure be releasing a ram union very slowly.

You need to be sure if it's a mechanical jam or hydraulic .. My guess is mech. as you will not have had it running?

Grease will not free off a seized ram. You may need to replace it. Check out breakers .. especially commercial breakers. They usually have a variety .. one will match.

[scotman]

If my ancient memory serves, the connection is 4 pins, 2 either side. One is used to attach the loader frame to the frame on the tractor and the other attaches the loader frame to one end of the hydraulic ram.
Is that what you have?

[Hopkirk]

If in doubt WD40

[scotman]

I have just noticed the date you mention. Are you sure it is a 'Fergie'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferguson_TE20

[AlBags]

How could it be 'jammed' with seized pins tho? Loader would still move.

[Hopkirk]

I used to be obsessed with Massey Fergusons, but I'm not any more.

I'm an ex-tractor fan.

[ChuckFickens]

I agree with clanad and al re: safety, and I would think scotman is correct about the layout!

You need to say what exactly is jammed, on a loader rebuild then assuming it's been sitting for years and it's the ram jammed get the load off the ram and remove it and worry about sorting that out off the tractor.

(If you can post pictures I'll show them to my father, this is his area of expertise, he a member of most the relevant clubs.)

[The-HouseHusband]

A better method is to remove the grease nipples and give the pins a good squirt of penetrating oil (WD40 or similar). If the pins are rusted in place then the grease will not be able to get around the pins correctly, where as penetrating oil is thinner and gets in easier. Having worked in the forces for the past 22 years I have had to deal with lots of problems like this due to the abuse the vehicles get and the different terrains/climates they are put into. If you are not rushed for time apply a good spray of oil daily for a week or so to give it time to work its way fully around and loosen up the old grease and rust. Then it is just a case of a BIG hammer and brute strength. Almost forgot to mention, check that the pins dont have holding bolts or roll pins through them which are designed to stop the pin coming out during normal operation. It takes over ten tons of pressure to shear a large roll pin as i found out in my younger years when i used a hydraulic press to remove a pin without taking the roll pin out first! Other side literally fell out in my hands after i had hammered out the roll pin. Big lesson learnt!!

[AlBags]

We need to hear back from OP .. as 'jamming' and 'seizing' are very different things.

[ChuckFickens]

As Al says, more info is needed, pictures would be good with a description of which bits are giving problems.

also a couple of wide angle shots of the full tractor would help to figure out what it is, there have been a lot of "after market" modifications to pretty much all agricultural machines from even as young as the 70's

[badhorsey]

Thanks for all your help! I have to admit to not being an expert on this... I'm just the volunteer who has web access :)

It's a mechanical loader all right and I suspect that there is rust stopping us from getting it off. Penetrating oil sounds like a good way forward?