# MF35 Lift



## Fourteen (Aug 6, 2019)

Having problem with lift not lowering. At this time my brush hog is attached for weight. At startup the arms rise to the top regardless of location of control levers. When tractor is turned off the arms will lower. Today I removed side plate and with tractor running and arms up I was able to lower by manually pressing roller forward. The levers do go forward and lose contact with roller. Not sure if roller should continue farther forward. When roller is pressed forward the arms will come down. After repeating this cycle a few times the arms only lift maybe 6” but will not lower. If I raise the controls the arms will lift continuously but not lower. Am I having a relief valve issue or is it mechanical with roller not coming far enough forward? Thanks for any answers.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

If you can get the lift to both raise and lower on demand by working the roller by hand then the pump, valve(s), roller, etc. are probably all working as intended. The problem is in the linkage associated with the control levers. No way to tell exactly what without first removing the lift cover. All the suspect components will come with it. It's not something I would suggest you do without a manual or some proper instructions.


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## Fourteen (Aug 6, 2019)

Ok and thank you for that response. I’m thinking that while I work the control arms and see the levers move and they move forward and lose contact with the rollers that this may not be the case. Please correct me if I’m wrong...... while lowering the control arms and side plate removed I can see the levers move forward as they should for lowering and the rollers stop as they levers continue forward. By manually moving the roller forward to lower the lift, the rollers go back to original position before I manually move them farther forward. Sorry if I’m making this confusing or complicated.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

What I find confusing is that your description leads me to believe the levers are on the front side of the roller. In my experience they are on the back side of the roller and push it forward to lower. The control valve (including the roller) is spring loaded to raise. (roller to the rear) The levers visible in the opening are pretty much free floating when draft and position levers on the quadrant are both up. (raise mode) As the lift arms rise the levers down there begin to travel forward pushing the roller forward. At some point, depending on the position of the controls, the roller travels forward to a point where the arms stop raising and hold. Further forward and the arms begin to drop.


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## Fourteen (Aug 6, 2019)

I’m positive the levers are to be in front of the roller. Ok I’m 99% sure. So I did more research and everything I see says they are to be in front of roller.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

Okay. If you're right then why doesn't it work?


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## Fourteen (Aug 6, 2019)

Thus me asking questions on this forum.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Some pictures may help.


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## Stewart57 (Dec 6, 2018)

Hi Fourteen, I'm not experienced like a lot of these guys here but I do have a MF1423 with basically the same reoccurring problem. My problem seems to be with the hydraulic control which I think is a Nimco. My first symtoms are loosing the float control and then getting harder and harder to lower the bucket. Eventually if I remove the end cap on the spool and dump out the thimble full of oil it will work fine. I did order a new set of O-rings to replace in the controls but have not gotten to that yet. If I can figure out how to add a picture, the red arrow will show where the control cables come in and the blue is the cap I remove.


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## Stewart57 (Dec 6, 2018)

I should also state that the oil I remove is often cloudy and even a little brown. I have also ordered a new filter which is over due for being changed. You may want to check on your control if it looks anything like mine. Be aware that there is a spring in there so be careful removing those parts. My control sits under my right foot.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

Unfortunately you're comparing apples to oranges here. His problem is nothing at all like yours. The only thing common to both problems is hydraulic oil being involved.

In your case the problem is most likely just oil accumulating in the end caps where it doesn't belong. Yes, the O rings you mentioned are probably leaking by allowing the oil into the caps. You could "band aid" the situation by removing the caps and drilling a small weep hole in the lower corner of each cap which would allow that oil a path of escape. Not a fix, but a patch. 

Looking at your posted photo I see what looks like six hoses on the valve. Four to the cylinders and two to the tractor. IF that's the case, and the oil flowing out of the valve returning to the tractor is then going into other hydraulic functions, like three point lift, remote valves, etc then that could explain why the O rings in the loader valve are a problem to begin with.


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## Stewart57 (Dec 6, 2018)

Fedup said:


> Unfortunately you're comparing apples to oranges here. His problem is nothing at all like yours. The only thing common to both problems is hydraulic oil being involved.
> 
> In your case the problem is most likely just oil accumulating in the end caps where it doesn't belong. Yes, the O rings you mentioned are probably leaking by allowing the oil into the caps. You could "band aid" the situation by removing the caps and drilling a small weep hole in the lower corner of each cap which would allow that oil a path of escape. Not a fix, but a patch.
> 
> Looking at your posted photo I see what looks like six hoses on the valve. Four to the cylinders and two to the tractor. IF that's the case, and the oil flowing out of the valve returning to the tractor is then going into other hydraulic functions, like three point lift, remote valves, etc then that could explain why the O rings in the loader valve are a problem to begin with.


Thank you for that info. It just goes to show you that even when we or me in this case, makes a mistake we can still get something good out of it.


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## JES2 (Feb 8, 2018)

Fourteen said:


> Having problem with lift not lowering. At this time my brush hog is attached for weight. At startup the arms rise to the top regardless of location of control levers. When tractor is turned off the arms will lower. Today I removed side plate and with tractor running and arms up I was able to lower by manually pressing roller forward. The levers do go forward and lose contact with roller. Not sure if roller should continue farther forward. When roller is pressed forward the arms will come down. After repeating this cycle a few times the arms only lift maybe 6” but will not lower. If I raise the controls the arms will lift continuously but not lower. Am I having a relief valve issue or is it mechanical with roller not coming far enough forward? Thanks for any answers.


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## JES2 (Feb 8, 2018)

The levers go in front of the roller. As your looking at it the levers are to the right of the roller. Invest in a MF 14 service manual. The manual is around $35.00 from most after market dealers.


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## Stewart57 (Dec 6, 2018)

here's a nice how to on the MF 35 for this pump repair and confirms the info from JES2 that the levers are both to the right of the roller.


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