MF50 Power Steering Cylinder Question

[kenojoe]

An old fella down the road has a MF50 and his PS doesn't work. I pulled the front grill after adding fluid to the pump and watch the oil leak out of the cylinder after he started it. There is about a 1' dia.disc with 3 screws in it holding on a felt gasket, thats where the oil comes out. I was wondering if anyone has rebuilt one of these cylinders and what's involved. The parts supply guy knew exactly what we were talking about and said sometimes they can be a real "bugger" to fix. My neighbor is 72 and has been using it that way for a good while and I hate to see him fight that steering wheel. Any help is appreciated. Thanks Joe

 

[hurleyjd]

You might go to this webssite and post your question: http://www.ytmag.com/mf/wwwboard1.html

 

[kenojoe]

I posted my question there in Dec. 08 and never got any response so I thought I'd try here.

 

[dyates]

Are we talking steering gearbox or a hydraulic cylinder attached to tierods on front end? I don't remember ever actually tearing into a Massey, but have been told that the problem is usually in the gearbox. The part that makes them such a pain in the a$$ is the fact that the steering is plumbed in with the rest of the tractor hydraulics. If we are talking about an external hydraulic cylinder, it shouldn't be much different than any other cylinder. Just remove it and take it to your local hydraulic shop and let them rebuild it.

 

[kenojoe]

Thanks for answering. The cylinder stands alone in the front of his tractor and doesn't look like it would be too hard to get out. We have no hydraulic shop around here to take it to. I didn't know if we could order a rebuild kit and fix it or not. The local parts guy said it's usually a "O" ring that goes bad. I have never done a cylinder before but have fairly decent mechanical skills. Is this something the average guy can do or does it have to go to a hydraulic shop?

 

[Phil in Tupelo]

The Yesterday's Tractor site that did not answer is still one of the likely places. Go to the Massey Ferguson forum and ask the same question and then ask if anyone knows if "Big Dean" still monitors that site. He is a former MF mechanic and he even has a CD rom or two that covers some of these tractor repairs that you are speaking of. Someone on the MF site would likely give you an answer.
Good Luck,
Phil in Tupelo

 

[Phil in Tupelo]

As a follow-up just go to the web and search "Big Dean Tractors". Several of his posts will pop-up and with any luck the URL is still active.
Phil in Tupelo

 

[john250]

I have a MF 165, I don't think there is much difference.
When you turn the wheel, you open a valve up front. Then, oil flows to the cylinder which turns the linkage which turns the wheels.
If anything has a felt gasket, you have an abused tractor. Massey gaskets leak like crazy, but they aren't
made of felt. They are made of something which mimics a gasket, and gives up its function six months after the warranty expires.

 

[crats]

you made need some specail tools to fix that like brake hones snap ring plyers and picks and awls its a job that some people send years of profecting and 5 min.s destroying 1 bad cylinder and your nuts no more for you. get an idea and some tools and try for him, might take two or three days but you he can put your heads togheter and get it, he'll know about it, he spent 20 years driving it if it was easy he'd fixit :lol: :lol:

 

[dyates]

If you don't feel up to the task, bring it down to Kermit's Hydraulics in Winchester. Only about 30 miles or so.