Ford 340 industrial loader control

[Danp1956]

I have a 340 Ford Industrial tractor with loader. The loader control has become so hard to move it’s almost impossible to use safely. Any suggestions for rebuilding or parts available? Any ideas of what is going on? Thanks

 

[Jim.ME]

I have a 340 Ford Industrial tractor with loader. The loader control has become so hard to move it’s almost impossible to use safely. Any suggestions for rebuilding or parts available? Any ideas of what is going on? Thanks

Pictures of your valve and the control arrangement?

 

[Danp1956]

Pictures of your valve and the control arrangement?

This tractor is 4 1/2 hours away but I will be back out there in a week or two.

 

[wore out]

This tractor is 4 1/2 hours away but I will be back out there in a week or two.

Looks like the spools face upwards and have rubber caps on them?

I'd suspect moisture got in and is attempting to rust the spools solid in place. Some penetrating oil and "working" the levers MAY loosen 'em up.

 

[Jim.ME]

Below is a link to the 340 parts book on the New Holland Industrial website. In the loader section you can find breakdowns of the loader valve controls and valve. Look the controls over for worn and binding linkage. As wore out posted the centering and float mechanisms under the caps on the upper of the spools may be dirty, rusty and binding.

Ford 340 parts book

 

[Danp1956]

I will spend some time inspecting and cleaning when I can. I am sure any kind of replacement parts are a challenge to come up with. Hopefully some cleaning may help. I’ll let you know! Thanks

 

[boxahammers]

I have a similar problem. There is a guy on Youtube who goes through the most common problems with the 340 and mentions that lever. If I remember correctly, he said he had to replace his and the part is hard to find. It looks like it weighs 20 pounds. Mine works until it gets around 20 degrees then it doesn't. My entire hydraulic system is ridiculous. The tractor was originally for a landscaping company and has a 745 loader. They used it for like 10 years then decided to put a hoe on it. The hoe requires 11 gpm but the pump puts out like 20 or so. The manufacture said to put a diverter valve for too much flow but the owner put one on for pressure, not flow. Everything moves a hundred miles an hour and it wore out everything so it sat...and sat. It gets so hot you can't touch the lines. I'm in the middle of fixing everything and must fix what you are working on but its lower on the list.
If you are going to buy a book for it and only one id get the "FORD PARTS MANUAL". I literally have almost a foot tall of manuals and had to go online to find the part number for an oil filter-until I got this parts manual. That ticks me off. I just saved the link put on by Jim.ME, who I want to thank.
My old 63 Ford 4000 had many things I liked better than this 340. Having 2 hydraulic pumps were better but I didn't have live power.
One thing I wish I could find is a better understanding of how these Ford tractors are organized. In other words, which tractors used the same parts. All of that stuff just confuses me. I wouldn't mind a cab but have no idea where to start so I'll probably just do without. Its currently stuck in a mud hole with a blown hose down over the hill-waiting for a part.
I'll tear apart that valve body you mentioned someday and look into that. I'll probably make something I like better than that 20 pound lever. My old Ford 4000's was a better design in that regard, too.

 

[Danp1956]

I have cleaned it the best I could with penetrating oil working the lever. Oiled everything up including linkage. Didn’t help a lot. Ran it 3-4 hours cutting down some trees, shoving them into a pile and got along ok but it still just works hard. Not real handy. Ready to take it apart and see if I can figure out why it works so hard. Everything on the tractor works pretty good except that loader lever.
This tractor was owned by a ditch company at one time also. Never had a back hoe on it that I can tell. 1450 hrs showing but doubt that’s actual.

 

[Danp1956]

I have cleaned it the best I could with penetrating oil working the lever. Oiled everything up including linkage. Didn’t help a lot. Ran it 3-4 hours cutting down some trees, shoving them into a pile and got along ok but it still just works hard. Not real handy. Ready to take it apart and see if I can figure out why it works so hard. Everything on the tractor works pretty good except that loader lever.
This tractor was owned by a ditch company at one time also. Never had a back hoe on it that I can tell. 1450 hrs showing but doubt that’s actual.

 

[Danp1956]

I have cleaned it the best I could with penetrating oil working the lever. Oiled everything up including linkage. Didn’t help a lot. Ran it 3-4 hours cutting down some trees, shoving them into a pile and got along ok but it still just works hard. Not real handy. Ready to take it apart and see if I can figure out why it works so hard. Everything on the tractor works pretty good except that loader lever.
This tractor was owned by a ditch company at one time also. Never had a back hoe on it that I can tell. 1450 hrs showing but doubt that’s actual.

This tractor has been stored in the shed for 25 years when not in use.