# 1984 MF240 - trouble with draft control



## agdoddge4x4 (Dec 7, 2016)

I have read the manual and I am quite familiar with the operation of the double handled three point control, but I don't think my machine is operating correctly. Fluid is new, filter is new/clean, etc. Anyway, I am trying to use an old cultivator and I want it to sit just below the surface of the dirt. When my position control is in transport, I should be able to use the draft control lever to control this. The first issue is that when using it like this, no matter where the response control is set, the implement takes FOREVER to go down. Even so, once I get that set, the cultivator will often dive into the dirt and the tractor doesn't do anything until it decides it should and then it lifts the implement completely out of the ground, and no movement of the draft control will make it move. I have to lower it with position control and then start all over. For what it's worth, the position control works fine and the response control does modify the rate of rise and fall when used that way. This post is purely about the draft control. Is my implement just not heavy enough? I don't know, but its impossible to use the cultivator in draft control mode.


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## agdoddge4x4 (Dec 7, 2016)

So, I fooled around with this for about 30 minutes today just sitting on the tractor idling working the levers. The response control works like I expect when I am using the POSITION control. However, when I am using DRAFT control, and position control lever is in transport (per the manual), there is no change in drop speed when I adjust the response control. As I worked this lever up and down, sometimes it would drop quickly as expected, and other times it would be very sluggish. It was very random with no change in any other settings. This leads me to believe something is hung up or somewhat hung up. Does anyone have any knowledge of this system and can help me out?

Again, to clarify, the response control works well in position control, but not at all or very sporadically in draft control.


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

Hello agdoddge4x4, welcome to the forum.

Draft control is used for plowing and not much else. Plows working depth 6-8". I doubt you can make it work with a cultivator barely scratching the surface.


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## agdoddge4x4 (Dec 7, 2016)

BigT said:


> Hello agdoddge4x4, welcome to the forum.
> 
> Draft control is used for plowing and not much else. Plows working depth 6-8". I doubt you can make it work with a cultivator barely scratching the surface.


Yeah, I agree, but I guess I feel like the operation should still be functional whether the implement is held above ground or in ground. As I had mentioned, the implement starts a couple of inches below the surface, but it will, in a few short feet, be 6-8" in the ground since the draft doesn't seem to be funcitioning quite right, and it seems its purely related to the response control having no effect on the implement when operated with the draft lever. I cannot use the position control on the implement for the same reason, the ground sucks the cultivator down so far the tractor stops moving. I have to manually lift it and start over and that's not ideal.


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## EdF (Sep 15, 2014)

I think you need a disc harrow.


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## JLSteiner (Aug 6, 2017)

Unhook the TopLink, check the spring in front of where it hooks, is it loose? it should be tight, if loose, you need to unhook the yoke and most likely have to spray it with penetrating oil and wait a while then tighten it until it is just tight then try again. The draft control should definitely work in draft control.


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## Busted Tractor (May 22, 2018)

You say the position control works as it should, but in the last post you said it doesn't. Does the 3 point drop slow all the time? If so the response control may be the problem. As for the cultivator "bobbing" that can also be caused by the response control adjustment. You may have to take the RH cover off and see if anything is broken or stuck.
FYI To test proper draft control Move draft lever to between the marks on the quadrant (about half way down) move lever so implement will stay at a height above the ground, this should not be too far off the marks. With implement suspended go to back of implement, press down with light force, implement should go down, now pull up with light force implement should raise.
As for the draft response implement should not drop or drop very slowly when set to "slow" and drop quickly when set to "fast" Note it also controls the "cycle" rate of the draft. Too slow and implement will be slow to respond to draft input, too fast and implement will bob up and down quickly.
Remember only use position to hook and unhook implements or where precise control is needed, use draft with ground engaging implements and NEVER hooking or unhooking implements. Draft without top link input is full up or full down


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## agdoddge4x4 (Dec 7, 2016)

JLSteiner said:


> Unhook the TopLink, check the spring in front of where it hooks, is it loose? it should be tight, if loose, you need to unhook the yoke and most likely have to spray it with penetrating oil and wait a while then tighten it until it is just tight then try again. The draft control should definitely work in draft control.


I don't seem to have any play in the top link. I can't really feel the spring behind the rubber grommet. The spring must be down in the cylinder a ways. I have no way of really checking that.


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## agdoddge4x4 (Dec 7, 2016)

> You say the position control works as it should, but in the last post you said it doesn't. Does the 3 point drop slow all the time? If so the response control may be the problem.


OK. Let me clarify. The response control lever by my right foot seems to only make a difference in the rise and fall rate of the implement when it is operated in POSITION CONTROL. When I use it in DRAFT CONTROL, that response control lever does affect the rate of fall or rise the same degree as it does in position control.

In draft control mode, and the response control set to slow, the implement will not drop. When it is set to fast, the implement will drop slowly, sometimes it will randomly drop faster, but usually not. This same exercise in POSITION control will yield both slow and fast drop rates when the response control is set accordingly.

The position control seems to do what it is supposed to do, which I believe is simply hold an implement like a shredder at a set height of my choosing.



> FYI To test proper draft control Move draft lever to between the marks on the quadrant (about half way down) move lever so implement will stay at a height above the ground, this should not be too far off the marks. With implement suspended go to back of implement, press down with light force, implement should go down, now pull up with light force implement should raise.


I cannot complete this test with any consistency. There are two || sets of marks like this on the draft control side. Setting my lever between the || || raises the implement to full height. The is all while the position control is all the way back against its full height stop. If I finally horse around and fenagle the lever to let the implement hover above the ground, light down pressure, or even standing and bouncing on the back of the implement will not make it drop. Lifting lightly on the rear of the implement initiates the implement to be raised to full height and it does not return without moving the levers.

This is a 1984 vintage tractor and me and our neighbor are the only owners of it since new and I don't think I ever recall the draft control working how we expected it too, so whatever it hung up has been this way for some time. The side cover has never been opened. It's just now I need it to work.


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