TO30 position control

pomester

Member
Does anyone have experience with this?

I have a 8N pump and top cover. I spent some time today removing the top cover and pump from a TO30. The only mention I can find with a search here was a fellow saying it was a straight bolt in swap for a TO20. I'm certain that I read somewhere/sometime that someone doing this swap had to grind a web to make the top cover fit.

Cover coming off my machine.

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Cover/PTO/pump removed, ready to clean. I'm guessing the web at the right rear inside might interfere with the extra controls of the 8N top cover? I will test fit it soon, but if anyone has experience I'm listening.

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8N top cover.


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I have been looking to do this to the wife's TO~20, and I have heard that the grinding down needs to be done.
Currently I have too many pokers in the fire to play with it at this time.
 
This morning I moved the machine outside. I unleashed the cutting torch and tidied up with a grinder. Did a bit of cleanup and got it back inside just as the rain was starting.


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There's a bit more cleanup to do. I am debating whether to instal the top cover or the pump/PTO first. Probably won't get anymore done today as I have obligations later this afternoon.
 

I am looking forward to seeing how this works out. I have a TEA-20 with week hydraulics. I also have all the Ford lift parts readily available. I was told they will "just drop in". Are the castings on a TEA-20 different than those on a TO-30 I wonder?

Thanks for the great photography and generally leading the way ;).
 
AGCO used to have a 1/4 inch thick tog gasket that is not prone to blowing out at the pressurized oil port.
Might be worth a look.
 
I spent a little time on this project today, in between other responsibilities.

I test fitted the top cover and discovered I had not removed enough of the web.

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So I ran the machine back outside and torched some more away and ground the rough edges.

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Close, but it was still not enough. I pulled the cover again and ground the proud area to look like this. I'm not super proud of the neatness.

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This is the draft/position control mechanism which was interfering with the case. The pin was the last offender, maybe it could have been driven in a bit more, but the last grind job was enough to get clearance.

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Top cover installed.

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The Ferguson bolts work except for one. The bolt near the position control lever needs to be longer to engage. Fortunately I have a bin of salvaged bolts and found an appropriate replacement.

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Tomorrow hopefully I'll install the pump and PTO and give it a test.
 
It's been a few days, I've been busy with life and have only had spare moments for this project.

I've had the top cover off 4 more times seeking to eliminate interference with the Ford position/draft control mechanisms. It's tight.

I found the draft control spring was interfering with the rear end housing and pushing the controls forward. Took me a while to figure that one out.


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When I got that squared away, I found the pin of the position control interfering with the rear housing again.

OK - that pin is sticking way out, I'll just grind it off....



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...ya - not so fast. When the position control lever is moved to draft, the mechanism slides out part way on that pin. So, Friday afternoon at 3pm I drive to town to find some 3/16" rod to make a new pin. The good hardware doesn't have it, so across the river I go to the steel supply place. They don't have it either, but they do have 3/16" dowel pins. In boxes of 100. $18.00. I'm standing there needing one, "did you check Fastenal? The industrial supply place? etc?" Well, no I didn't and it's 3:30 Friday afternoon, traffic is busy, these other places are some distance away and there's no guarantee.

So I pay the dumbazz tax and now have a box of 99 dowel pins that will set on my shelf until the auction.
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Anyway, I fixed it. Then shortened the pin with them mechanism extended.

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Ground some more relief in the case.


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Dabbed a bit of primer on the raw metal and replaced the top cover for the 5th time and everything works.

I jacked the pump into position, which is a fussy job, particularly by yourself. It's hung with a handful of bolts waiting for me to continue. Control lever looks to work, but will probably need adjustment. I have meetings Monday and Tuesday, and preparation tomorrow. It may be a while, but things should button back up pretty readily now. I'll update when I get back to it.


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An update: after a few days with no shop time I got to spend a hour or two there this evening.

I installed all the pump retaining bolts and ran them up to snug but not tight. Installed the PTO shaft, ran the machine/pto while tightening the pump bolts (as suggested in the shop manual). Added oil and fired it up again. Pump primed and lift arms raised.

Raised all the way to the top and do not want to come down. I fussed around a little, making sure the control rod was still moving the control valve as it was before filling with oil. Then decided to call it a night rather than fuss while tired.

I can pick up on the lift arms and the lift shaft arms will raise about another 3/8", so the system is not tight against a stop. Tomorrow I'll pull the plug at the pump associated with the pressure line and see if that will release the arms and go from there.


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It's getting close, I think. I don't believe this issue has anything to do with the swap itself, but rather some issue with the pump exhaust or possibly a mechanical lock-up someway with the ram/cylinder.
 
I spent a couple of hours this evening investigating. Removing the plug from the pressure line did not allow the lift shaft arms to lower. That suggested mechanical interference of some sort, so I pulled the top cover again.

What I found was the "lift ram arm", the piece the 'dog bone' ("Connecting rod for ram piston") is pinned to, interfered with the rear housing of the tractor.


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And if you look critically at the top cover assembly, it's obvious that the lift arm is offset slightly to the left, presumably to clear the control linkage. Dog bone runs at an angle.


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Lucky I didn't break anything. A bit more grinding on the case coming up. I may have to buy a tool. The rest of the grinding I did with a 4" angle grinder which is not going to reach this spot. A die grinder would be nice, I don't have one. I guess if I were patient with a drill maybe....
 
Gentlemen: With some satisfaction I declare victory on this installation. The tractor is back together and position control operating properly.

To gain clearance for the lift ram arm, I took about .025" off the side of the arm, and about 1/8" or so off the rear housing.

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To recapitulate: To fit the Ford 8n cover, the web at the right rear of the housing must be removed and in this case at least, a grooved ground for linkage pin clearance.

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Clearance for the draft control spring.
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The pump fit without any alterations.

A bigger job than I'd hoped, but only because of having to repeatedly install and remove the top cover to identify interference. If I'd had these pictures, one or two installs likely would have been enough. I surely would not tackle this without a cherry picker or fork lift to handle the weight of the top cover.

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I am missing the drawbar pin....
 

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