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The adventures of Marky and Frankie the MF5445 - Born on 09.05.2008


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good to see her doing some real work.....in mud!!

i did say a 4CX would have been more fun! :D :D :D :D

Indeedy.... but I don't own a 4cx... unless you count the Britains one... then I would have been there for days  :D :D - and looked a bit silly as well  :-[
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Indeedy.... but I don't own a 4cx... unless you count the Britains one... then I would have been there for days  :D :D - and looked a bit silly as well  :-[

thats a 3CX.....but would be amusing! :D :D :D

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Well... I really am pleased with the service offered at Mark Weatherheads...

I called in this morning... they started diagnosing her straight away (and set to work on her too).... It seems the switchgear for the combined flow has packed up... although it's proving a little difficult to diagnose at thge minute - the soloniod has been off and been cleaned - no effect  :'( - there are two 'one way' valves in this system which will be checked out next - I got bored and left in this little lady... what a lovely machine she is too  :o:-*

IMAG0192.jpg

Here is Frankie soon after I have arrived... she looks a little different now mind you... wheel off and half the side missing already  :'(

IMAG0190.jpg

As I arrived she just clocked 400 hours... which is the second service interval... so she's going to get that as well while she's in - and MOST importantly... a *** lighter fitted too  ;D:D :D

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Mark, having seen how much stick you've got for yet another mechanical failure on your beloved Frankie, I've a serious suggestion for the baler to take the pressure off your hydraulics when it's being hauled on the road.

Some check straps or chains from the top link clevis on the back end of Frankie running down to the lower links on the baler itself.... a la un hedge trimmeur.... that would allow you to lift the arms, clip your chains on and then drop it onto the chains.... hey presto she's not constantly pumping herself back up to keep the thing in the air.... get to work, lift it up, drop the checks off and you're away.... ???

Suggest it to the dealer and I'm sure they will make you something up... ;)

This is the version on a McConnel trimmer and  - on the trimmer it is to keep the link arms level when the trimmer is stretched out as well, hence the checks are solid steel.....

Suggest you swap the 'Stabilser yoke' flats for chain to make it less of a precision job to fit them on every time you head off down the road....

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mcconnel.com/images/products/3pl.ht3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mcconnel.com/features/3pl.htm&usg=__CHZzaMqwpm8Px2C5gQX-15g5iIU=&h=250&w=200&sz=11&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=JXWWxf-1kTPcNM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmcconnel%2B3%2Bpoint%2Blinkage%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN

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Thanks Johnny...

One thing that I find amazing... you can't lift the baler off the ground full up without the front wheels heading skyward... looking at the extra length you'd have thought she'd lift it no trouble if Frankie did... it just goes to show what a front belly weight and a loader add to the front of a tractor  :o :o

Simon...

Brilliant idea... BUT... the problem is with the combined flow pump... which is the auxillary pumping system (ie. through the spools.. and not the linkarms) - the hydraulics don't struggle a bit with the baler (lift capacity at the link ends if 5t... the baler weighs in at 2.5t empty... just over 3 loaded) ... so it don;t think that will solve my problem.

The crux of the matter is that I think we are pushing too much oil through the spools (100ltr/min) - although I have a HUGE coupling and pipe for the return part of the circuit it's the physical output that's the problem I think.  I'm still not convinced that this tractor should run as hot as she does on the backend - the heat can be 'egg fryable' after a run on the top cover  :-\

We reckon the system has some nylon parts internally that have melted in the hot oil.  It's got a front mounted oil cooler (thermostatically controlled) which is also subject to some further investigation as well  :-\

I'll keep you all posted on what happens (for those who are interested).. but once again Simon, many thanks for taking the time to make that suggestion.

What the baler really wants is tipping up and mounting on a set of wheels in my opinion  :-\

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You're more than welcome! ;);D

So it's not overheating while driving around, it's overheating in work, when you're actually baling...?

Have you thought about changing Frankie for a tractor with more oil in the back end and a bigger pump ???:-\ :-*

Stabilising chains will achieve the same as putting it on wheels so it may be worth looking into even if the problem is principally with the auxilliary circuit... if you have built up a lot of heat in the system on the way to a job and then start banging it through the spools it's going to make things a whole lot worse.... It's the same oil after all. If the 3095 struggles to lift the baler loaded, it's going to be putting that oil under a lot pressure, even empty, irrespective of whether Frankie keeps her wheels on the ground when lifting.... I think you may have to try helping out all areas of the system rather than just focussing on one part of it because long term it's going to put a lot of wear onto the transmission & hydraulics.... cooked oil is not good for modern gear boxes y'know! :-\ I know how hot the back end of our T6030 gets running back and forth between farms with a full hopper of fertiliser on.... and it's not doing any work other than holding the weight of the spreader [sod all] and the fertiliser [2.4t] up - and it's a far bigger machine than Frankie.... if you're driving somewhere for 15 minutes, half an hour, with a couple of tonne on the back, then the oil is going to have done a fair bit of work before you even start.... and these modern tractors with a heavy reliance on the same supply of oil for various high demand jobs are a whole lot different from old fashioned mechanical boxes...

On the baler front, do the spools operate individual functions on the machine itself or does one spool feed a valve chest which then operates the various functions of the baler... Perhaps a PTO powered pump with a small oil tank on the baler itself with its own cooler and a fan, all plumbed directly into the valve chest would be a better option ??? Give it a self contained system so all Frankie has to do is carry it and drive the PTO...?

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One easy way to solve this mark, dont know why the dalers havent said it, Get a pto hydrolic pump kit made up, no strain on the hydo system of frankie at all,  would mean you could use the baler (non movable) on mavis then if needs must

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Not a bad idea chaps... although... with 2 years warranty I'm buggerd if I am going to the aditional costs of buying a new pump and tank system when I can get Frankie repaired FOC

Reading that back that sounds a little harsh... but what I am trying to say is... I spent a considerable amount of money on a tractor that was 'sized and spec'ed' for the job by MF themselves - so I am leaning towards getting them to come up with a solution - or a running repair program at the very least  :-\

In answer to your question Simon... the system is a 'free-flow' system... runing through an open spool... it's powered out of the spool and piped directly to the back end (top cover) on the return of the circuit - via a Hoooooge big pipe and fitting (connector)

The combined flow pump is relatively common as an option on loader tractors in the MF range... it pretty much doubles the cycle time of the loader (which is effectively run through the spools really as you know)

Actually... I must admit I am quite enjoying the 3095.. my first 3000 series experience... and a smashing little tractor really... I've got a 40 mile trip in her tomorrow to collect and deliver carrots... so I'll update you on my thoughts on her when I've done that.  I've already noted some things that are 'missing' from Frankie's cab...

Ashtray & Lighter...

CLOCK

Sunroof

Datatronic system - that's brilliant

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Fair enough mark, might have to look in to it when she is out of warranty, just depends how much down time you want realy .....

I'll have a 6480 by the time the warranty runs out hopefully  :D :D - someone else can have the problem then  ;D:D :D
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Could I suggest a McCormick???  OK Ok I will go stand in the corner :'( :'( :'( :'( :D :D

No you could not Roboplops... in fact.. go and stand outside the room... we will call you when you can come back in  >:(

about December at a guess  :P

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What sort of oil flow does the baler need to run Marky  ???

It will run off any flow rate.. Mavis would run her... 2500psi minimum for full compaction... but realisticly... to keep the cycle time to something sensible... about 70-80ltrs/min minimum really at a guess  :-\
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Ashtray & Lighter...under new health and saftey your not allowed to smoke in a work vehical ::) ::)

CLOCK to show how late you are :P :P

Sunroof so the birds have a target :D :D :D :D :D

Datatronic system - that's brilliant datatroni ok mine on the 3090 kept blowing every 400hrs £3000 for a new one autotronic was better

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