Massey Discussion Forums > Massey Talk > tractor design faults
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RE:tractor design faults

Not a design "fault"as such this time but certainly an "oddity".

In setting up the magnetos on the 12-20s, green PA/CHs and green 25s one has to have the timing mark on the bottom pulley a certain distance from the inside of the U frame.  On the 12-20 it is 10 inches, on the PA/CH 8 inches and on the 25 9 inches. Whilst I can see the 25 being different it is strange that the similar size 12 20s and PA/CHs  are different.

Any words of explanatory wisdom??

John

RE:tractor design faults

Back to my snowmobile and that problem broken off collar of a plastic pipe on the nipple at the base of the engine.

I fiddled for another hour or two but no success.  Then my willing young mechanic from the local garage took a look and announced that he had a tool for the job.  He had spotted a route through to the nipple from the side.  He turned up with a sort of two foot long very thin screwdriver but instead of having a screw point on it it had a angled V  small fork.  He was able to reach this through to the offending nipple and slowly prise the collar off - about a two minute job!  I was toying with having to lift the engine out but he saved the day.

Onwards....

John

RE:tractor design faults

As the GP engines fire in the order 1243 I wanted to check on what order to set the valves. 

I looked in the SV engine book but their are no instructions.  I have not got a book for the OHV engines so I wonder if anyone knows?

Overe here for 1342 engines we set the valves to add up to nine.  Eg. set No 2 with 7. No 3 with 6 etc.

John

RE:tractor design faults

Here's how I do a 4 cylinder engine.  With No. 1 at TDC on compression stroke, you can set valve lash on both intake and exhaust of No. 1.  You can also set either the intake, or the exhaust, on No. 2 and 3 (you can tell which by where there is lash).  Then roll the engine over 360 degrees until No. 4 is on TDC compression stroke.  Now you can set both valves on No. 4, and the other valve on No. 2 and 3 from what you set when No. 1 was on TDC compression stroke (again, you can tell which one has lash on 2 and 3).

I'm sure there are other ways, but with this method you can do all the valves with just two positions of the crank.

RE:tractor design faults

Another one for this thread! 

Can anyone explain why the designers of some of the MH tractors never thought of the convenience of the drivers?

The Challengers fitted with their mechanical lift arrangments, the GPs and the 55 riceland/western tractors are infernal things to mount and dismount. 

The sheer height of the 55  platform has required me to fix a step at the back and I am over 6 ft - God help anyone shorter or rather their wives who would always be repairing their split trouser crutches.

For the GPS it is easier for a long legged spider to mount them than a man.

I have ended up fitting step arrangments to them all.  Maybe it is party age but they are a very real requirement if only to prevent fit young men slipping and doing themselves a nasty.  Clearly the design engineers never drove them!!!!

Happy Masseying!
John

RE:tractor design faults

Hi John,

Unfoortunatley (or fortunately) I don't have any of the tractors you have mentioned but the older we get the harder it is to get on any of them!!

My challenge tractor is my 820 Vineyard.  I first hired a ballerina to drive it only because I could not get my feet in a postion to even get on and off  the stupid thing.  I finally enrolled in a ballet class just to learn the foot moves it takes to mount and dismount the tractor!.  Unfortunately (or fortunatley) there are no pictures of me attend class in my tutu!!

Merry Christmas!!

Gary

RE:tractor design faults

Gary,

I know exactly what you mean about getting on and off the 820 vineyard!!!!  Mine actually has a factory fit step plate which also serves as the tool box lid - has yours got this?  But it only makes life one little jot easier.

The tractor is suited to anyone not more than ten years old as very small feet are required both to mount the tractor and then swivel round inside to get one's feet on the pedals.

Then there is of course the additional problem of one's girth!!!!  Ideally one should not be more than abot 100 pounds to sit on the seat and fit between the mudguards!

This is a French built tractor so maybe French men have different dimensions to us??  I would hate to think of spending a day on one, yet there were many built.

John

RE:tractor design faults

John,
           I had the same difficulty as you getting on the GP so have fitted not only an intermediate step to the PTO support bracket but also a small platform on both sides to put one's feet on instead of  the foreward pegs which aren't long enough anyway for my big boots, I felt I should have been riding a Harley Davidson with my feet foreward like that!,  it also felt more secure going uphill when I have to hang on to the steering wheel to avoid falling off the back and being ploughed in!!. OR maybe I'm just getting too old and doddery!! 

Gary.
       The vision of you in a tutu gives me nightmares!....A succesful 2017 to all.
                                                                      
                                                                                  Jack.                                       

RE:tractor design faults

Jack,

Here is a shot of the step that I fitted to my 66 inch GP.  It is basically a copy of  a similar step that Lyn Jones has fitted on his 76 inch GP - it was on when he brought it in from the USA a good few years ago and we had actually seen it out at shows there.  Sorry the pic is a bit dark but it's that time of the year!

I was thinking of fitting a similar step on to my 50 inch industrial GP but something I had not noticed before - there are no implement attachment lugs on the back axle to fit one to. The same applies to my 48 inch GP but that is not a problem as it is an orchard type and has a low rear platform anyway.

Jack - have you a shot of how you have fixed your steps please?

John
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RE:tractor design faults

Hi John.
      I will post the photos of the mods I have made to the GP, also the modified Drawbar the previous owner had made. I should have explained that the setup I have installed means that you mount the tractor from the front which means that you have to go between the wheels, which is possible with mine because they are the original steels wrapped with treads from pneumatics instead of lugs( got them!), whether you can do the same depends on the gap between the lugs. The footplates however, still apply whether you get on either way. If you can hold your horses while I get someone to show me how to get the photos out of the camera into the computer because it's a question of 'Old dogs and New tricks' so bear with me.
                                                                                            Jack.