Hydraulic Lift Pump Valve

[OldFart187]

The '53 Ferguson TO30 hydraulic lift pump valve is actuated by a fork with a cross piece with ball ends. Mine broke but the replacement is about an inch too wide. The cast aluminum keeper that keeps the forks from spreading too wide keeps the ball sockets about 2-1/2" apart but the new cross piece is 3-1/2" wide. What's going on?

 

[OldFart187]

I just noticed the tangs on the cross bar. Apparently the balls are supposed to slide into the fork end sleeves rather than butt into the chamfers on the insides. The tangs keep the balls from disengaging side-to side. See the first photo. The second photo shows what happened when I tried to install the cross bar. The arms needed to be spread an extra inch and the cast keeper doesn't fit. The ball ends measure 0.315 but the holes are only 0.305. One of the parts is wrong. A 5/16 drill would be too small unless i remove some material from the ball ends.

 

[OldFart187]

Despite getting no responses to this post, I'll relate the followup. Steiner said they have sold hunderds of these valves with very few returns. Further, they measured the ball end diameter of one and it matched my measured size of about 0.315. Could it be that the bores of my fork end sleeves were undersize? We'll never know. That said, my solution was to drill out the sleeves with a letter O drill (0.316) and sand the balls to get a slip fit. At this point, everything works.

 

[used red MN]

Despite getting no responses to this post, I'll relate the followup. Steiner said they have sold hunderds of these valves with very few returns. Further, they measured the ball end diameter of one and it matched my measured size of about 0.315. Could it be that the bores of my fork end sleeves were undersize? We'll never know. That said, my solution was to drill out the sleeves with a letter O drill (0.316) and sand the balls to get a slip fit. At this point, everything works.

You should have posted this on the Harry Ferguson forum, probably would have gotten a response there.

 

[OldFart187]

Didn't know there was one. Actually these are on some Ford tractors too. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[used red MN]

Didn't know there was one. Actually these are on some Ford tractors too. Thanks for the heads up.

Okay forgive me but I realize folks of all situations come on here because they like old tractors and or use or play with them. Apparently back in August you knew it existed, because you posted a thread there, see the link in the following underlined words. Your August post on the H. Ferguson forum
Maybe this will help you out, anytime you want to post there just click the YT logo on top of the page, it had the red tractor silhouette. That will open the main index of forums, then you can find the Harry Ferguson forum in the Manufacturers section. Have fun and enjoy your Fergie!

 

[OldFart187]

Thanks again. A brain has two parts: the Rememberer and the Forgetter. Funny, as I age, my Rememberer keeps getting worse but my Forgetter gets better and better.