I bought an old massey ferguson backhoe I had a lot of work done on it by a local dealer and got took hard. Now I am going to do all the work myself but I need to know a little about this thing. Can anyone work with me to find out the year and model?? Here is what I know. It has a M.F. 50 sticker on the frame and a tag that says Massey Freguson Model 300 SS# 1196004178---- another tag at the back that says M.F. Model # 54 SS# 1409005306. I need to get the year and some specks like what kind of hydro fluid it takes as well as other things. The dealer tells me he isn't shore as to the age because of one of the reasons he charged so much is that he has used different years to order parts for simple repairs. He gives me a range from 1961 to 1972 and tells me most of the parts come from different models. I think he is stocking his shelves with my wrong parts and billing me for them. Will someone please help???
Got any way to take pictures of it from lots of different angles???
that sounds like the model numbers for the tractor, front loader, and backhoe. Now you need the serial number for the tractor, probably in front of the gearshift, approximately. Forget about the year, the year won't tell you anything about ordering parts for it, that is entirely based on the serial numbers for the tractor and attachments. What do you need to do to it? The hydraulic fluid for this is the least demanding fluid you'll see, any hydraulic fluid will work fine. If you're draining it and refilling pick out whatever AW 32 hydraulic oil you like, and stick with it.
Sorry for the time delay on getting back I've been away. Anyway here are some pics and I see the tag at the shift knobs but it is for patent numbers no other tags Fastener
Also what would be a good fluid for the trans and real end???
if the hydraulics have their own reservoir, it will likely take 85w-90 gearlube in the trans and differential. when I was a teenager I ran an older version of that but I don't remember much about it except that it had 4 levers for the hoe and it really kept your hands busy.
Take a can of flammable brake cleaner and use a rag to gently wipe the paint off the top of that tag, it will say that's your serial number. They don't stamp patent numbers on tags, only apple updates their flaws that fast. Best way to find parts is to take the old ones off and match up the new ones, use any numbers you find online as a suggestion only. Any hydraulic or universal tractor fluid will be fine for the hydraulics, drain the water out of the bottom of the loader arm before you use it everytime until you don't get anymore water, then every other time you use it. Universal tractor fluid/transhydraulic fluid for the reverser, and will be fine in the gear box, rear end, and planetaries too. Drain the water out of them the same schedule.
9A serial numbers cover all ** tractors under 100 HP. Your machine looks to be a 1972. 1972 started at 9A128141 and 1973 started at 9A152025. The loader is a model 300 and the backhoe a model 54. It is a US built machine so my educated guess is an MF50A. MF50 was a UK model. It should have a Perkins AD4-203 engine. It looks to have the instant reverse transmission with forward and reverse foot pedals that also control throttle. Hydraulics are separate from the trans. and rear end. I would suspect it specifies to use ** Perm-Tran fluid for the transmission. I think the latest is Perma-Tran XL821. I wouldn't use anything else. I've tried other universal tractor fluids in my ** AG tractor but it does work better with the Perma-Tran. I say this because of the instant reverse transmission. You don't want to mess it up. A manual shuttle trans. would be more forgiving. Hydraulics should use regular hyd. oil. https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-MA...ING-BROCHURE-50A-BACKHOE-LOADER-/303089097811 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Massey-Fer...noa=1&pg=2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Massey-Fer...er-Workshop-Service-Manual-6-72-/323995828471
The earlier Fergies used ATF in the powershift trans so my guess is this will be the same.
I stand corrected on the trans-diff oil. I was thinking of the real old stuff from the early 50's and not the machines with reverser or multi-power, etc
Definitely not gear oil in the reverser, this has a gear box behind the reverser, and a differential and planetaries. The gear box and differential are probably connected, the planetaries have their own level and drain plugs. Any oil is better than no oil, and drain the water. I wasn't correcting you, just adding some more info.
The instant reverse transmission was used in a lot of ** machines and the oil is also used for the differential.
Well, I'm all messed up. The torque converter has to be the same oil then too, right? One oil level from the torque converter to the differential?
I believe all the oil for the drive train is Perma-Tran. The original spec. was likely ** M1129A but it has since had several upgrades. Below may shed some light. Edit. Looked in my ** industrial book and had a section on the instant reverse trans. It was used from 1959 till the power shift came out in 1984. Early versions used ATF for the torque converter and clutch packs and UTF(Perma-Tran) for the 2 speed gearbox and drive axle. Later versions used the UTF in both the torque converter, clutch pack housing and gearbox. I believe a 1972 would be the later version. A charge pump fills the torque converter and clutch packs. But, your tractor has the instant reverse transmission instead of the typical farm tractor transmission. The instant reverse transmission has a smaller transmission part where the gear leavers sits, than the farm transmission. That is why it does not take as much fluid as the farm transmission, but only 6 US gallons. In front of this transmission the instant reverse part sits, with some gears and 2 clutches of the same type an automatic transmission in a car have. In addition it has a torque converter on the flywheel, and on the left side of the tractor you have a small filter, and in front of the radiator you have an oil cooler for the instant reverse transmission. And some pipes in between. Under the instant reverse transmission you have a cover, and if you want to replace the oil in the instant reverse transmission you can open a small unbrako plug in the side of the cover and let it empty through that hole. When it is emptied you need to replace the filter on the left side of the tractor, sometimes at the side of the engine, sometimes at the side of the converterhousing/transmission, and you need to take down the entire cover under the transmission, and clean it out, and there is a screen up there you also need to either replace or clean in a solvent, or gas or something. You can buy a new screen at your ** dealer, and I think it includes a new gasket. But, the filter on the pipe is not included in that as far as I know. And, the oil needed for this is as I said in the Ferguson forum, 9,5 liters, or 10 quarts or in that neighborhood. When you drain the oil from the centerhousing the oil in the transmission will not drain, there is a plug for that on the left side of the rear part of the transmission. But, when you fill through the fillerhole at the side of the gearlevers, it fills up, and then it runs to the back end of the tractor. And, as I said, you need to use a tractor universal oil intended for wet brakes. If not, your brakes will be gone. They might call it hydraulics back there, but, the oil should serve as a combined gear oil, differential oil, and hydraulic oil. This means you can not use a pure hydraulic oil, because that will ruin your gears and differential. A pure gearoil is not very good either, because it does not have the best hydraulic properties, except a GL 1 oil. And, a differential oil, can't be pumped very good, and neither of these oil can be used on a tractor with wet brakes. So, you are actually stuck with a tractor universal transmission oil.
Look for a site called yesterday's tractors. Like this forum, it has a lot of shared information about old tractors. Go through and look for the Massey Ferguson section. I have an old Ferguson tea 20 and I get a lot of help there. They also have a parts section. Be sure to go to the Massey Ferguson forum, not the Ferguson, totally different animals
Wow you really know your tractors you gave me more info than the shop that worked on it. You were spot on the front loader is a MF300 there is a sticker on the tractor that reads MF50 and the backhoe attachment is a model 54 and I do have the Perkins engine. I want to thank you for the info on the fluids it is one of the things I needed to know. There is something else that maybe you could help me with would you know where I could buy a repair manual or any books on this mach?? I have tried the library and got a small general parts book for M.F. but nothing else. Have any ideas?
I also want to thank everyone else who replied
Thank you for the information I'll check out that site
Thanks again the links to the e-bay sites really helped me out
Thanks again Welder Dave the links to the e-bay sites really helped me out
Looks like you can order all the OEM manuals directly from Agco for pretty reasonable prices. http://www.agcopubs.com/default.aspx?model=50a&brand=44096&keywords=backhoe&searchForm=0
You have been a god send I ordered the service manual from the link on e-bay that you sent again thank you for all your help
Looks like a massey ferguson ** 50 a I have one just put all new parts on it and found out block must be cracked.So if you need parts let me know i'm in maryland
Why not look for used engine and repair your backhoe? Same engine is used in an MF165 AG tractor that were very common.
Sure looks like my 1971 MF50A without a cab. I liked it so much I picked up another. I think it is a 1967 MF50. I love the 2 pedal forward reverse transmission and diff lock. These are heavy tractors and do good work. Here we go hauling 7 tones of rock out of its hole. Pretty much the limit for what I could move. Some problems. I had a bad piston in the AD4.203 motor and eventually blew a head gasket. Not the easiest thing to get apart, oil pan off, lines out and all reinstalled, but worth it. My advise is keep fixing your beast. Solid tractor. Parts are cheap compared to new. These MF50's can WORK.
1967 is probably an MF304 if it has the instant reverse transmission. There wasn't an MF50 in the US.
I tried ordering parts from the ** dealer for a 67 MF304 (filters, steering parts) and they did not fit Parts on the 67 are exactly the same as my 71 MF50A, so that is what I have been ordering for for. There are many MF50A machines here in Canada, most are early 70s vintage. The original poster is in New York state, not far from Canada. Here is his tractor's picture: Below is my 1967 machine that exactly matches my 1971 MF50A with the exception of weighted wheels and grill headlights. which might have been options. OP's engine looks like the AD4.03 although with a forward exhaust, which is readily and cheaply available. He has a canopy mounted to the loader frame where both mine had cabs made by the SIMMS CAB Co. My 67 pictured below is missing some tin work under the dash, but otherwise the dash and gauge placement on all 3 seem to be the same. The under belly brace seems to be a MF50 feature not common on the MF304. Mine below is hard to see where it is rusty. His is missing the rad/fan side guards, and both of us have the hoods off in these pictures. Looking identical. Below is the serial number for my 1971. I could not read his serial number but this will give him an idea of his year. My best guess on his serial number was either 6000 or 26000 newer than mine. Both seem out of line. And below is the serial number of my 300 loader, his Model 300 is SS# 1196004178, only 434 after mine. As well as the MF50 stickers on his it seems conclusive, it is likely a MF50A, probably 1971 or newer. I have no indication on either of my machines what they are, other than the 1971 registration states MF50A. Where I bought the older machine he thought it was a 1962 MF50, which would have been a red farm tractor. I know nothing for sure, but I hope this helps. Parts for the MF50A seem readily available and cheap enough.
Maybe newer than 67?