# Hydraulic lift capacity of a 3 cylinder Ford 2000



## Guest (Oct 4, 2017)

It seems it was lucky that I went through all the systems on my (working) tractor and among other things, changed out the fluid in the transmission and rear end/hydraulic sump before the condensation loaded fluid ruined something.

Throughout the summer, I used the hydraulics for post hole digging and lifting fence panels that weighed over 200 pounds. Now it's going to be some months until I get back to the fence building. I've heard here that the only way to keep the fluids in the transmission and rear end/hydraulics in good shape is to use the tractor. Using the tractor is not a problem as there's a gas station about a mile away that sells non ethanol gasoline and I can go fill the tank, come home and siphon this into a can and either run it through the lawn tractor or siphon it into my car eventually.

As for the hydraulics, I have a useless hunk of concrete that's about 2 cubic feet and so weighs around 300 lbs. and I lift and hold that with the tractor running. Raising and lowering it several times in a period of 15-20 minutes.

Here's my questions......What should the lift capacity of the hydraulics be at the lift arms? Is the 300 pound weight enough to accomplish my goal of heating up the fluid to prevent condensation contamination? What do people with "restored" tractors do as they don't want the engine hours?

I would appreciate your opinions, thoughts, and discussion.


----------



## Ultradog (Feb 27, 2005)

Lift capacity of a 3000 is supposed to be about 1700 lbs at the end of the lift arms.
Your 2000 is nearly an identical machine so I would say it is about the same.
I don't know which causes more heat in your oil, cycling the lift arms or the friction from the gears. I know that heavy pulling from the drawbar will get the rear end warm even if you aren't using the three point.
I think you would have to lift and lower that concrete weight for an hour or two to get the oil warm enough to start evaporating the water out of it.
I once read in an old Case owners manual that if the tractor has been sitting for a week or more you should, on occasion, crack the drain plugs before using it.
Since water is heavier than oil and sinks to the bottom it will drain out before the oil does. Might be something for you to try. 
I have a 3000 and think the 2/3000s are great machines.
Mine is a diesel though so no whacky fuel or spark problems.


----------



## Guest (Oct 4, 2017)

Thanks Ultradog. I appreciate your inputs!


----------



## Guest (Oct 14, 2017)

Update on using a weight to exercise the hydraulics. I believe it's a good policy to exercise a complex system like a tractor on a regular basis especially as it ages (under the theory of use it or lose it). I also know myself and know it must be fairly easy to do, and non-destructive. The 300 pound concrete block hanging from a lift arm mounted draw bar was chafing against the under mounted tractor draw bar and didn't seem like enough of a load to give the hydraulics a workout. I bought a 50 gallon plastic drum with lid that attaches with a metal band, filled it with water so that it weighed in at about 400 pounds. The under mounted tractor draw bar was still in the way, so learned it is held in with only a pin and a "jesus clip", and removed it. Then gave the 400 pound water filled barrel a test lift. It worked fine. The next step was to gauge how much more weight it would take to give the hydraulics a true workout. I mounted the boom that attaches my auger to the tractor and found this extends the reach of the tractor lift arms by about 5 feet. (if you want some mental exercise, try the formula for a class III lever) Then gave the 400 pound water barrel a careful lift from the end of the boom and it worked fine but it seemed the hydraulics were working harder. (I hate to use this auger boom for lifting as I fear warping it) With this experience, I got an extra drawbar to attach to the tractor lift arms and a top link mounting bracket and set them into the plastic barrel at appropriate locations, filled the barrel with 6 cubic feet of concrete (hand mixed in a wheel barrow from secrete which gave me good physical exercise) which gives 900 pounds of concrete. The concrete is still curing but I am confident of the drawbar set and until cured, using a chain at the top of the barrel so as to not overtax the uncured concrete at the top link anchor. It is a success! While the tractor is relatively inactive in the winter months this will make the hydraulics work, and in the meantime, makes steering a bit easier, and useful when needing to pull an object from a high hitch point.


----------



## Ultradog (Feb 27, 2005)

I only have questions.
Who taught you that this exercise business is a good idea for your tractor?
Are you comparing a mechanicsl device to your own body?
How long do you plan to "exercise" your hydraulics at a time?
Did you ever consider that taking your tractor for an hour long drive, which is fun and non wearing to your pump and lift cylinder would accomplish the same thing?
What did it cost you to build this counterweight? Did you ever consider you could just change your hydraulic oil every year or two and keep your hyd system free of impurities that way?
What do you think will become of this artifact you've built, that is terribly heavy and will last for a hundred years and can't be recycled or gotten rid of very easily?
Why don't you crack the drain plugs like i suggested before?
Why do you think a bit of water is so destructive to your hydraulic system when millions of these old Fords have run for 50, 70, 90 years with a bit of water in them?


----------

