Fitting a FlowFit spool valve and cylinder to a Massey Ferguson MF135

Описание: The MF 135 is probably one of the best and most loved working tractors still found in good use on farms. I’ve had mine for a while and use it across a range of jobs on the yard. Mine dates back to the seventies but it’s still going strong and is easy to maintain.

The only problem with the Massey Ferguson 35 and MF135 is that they only ever came with one hydraulic valve. When these tractors were new, this wouldn’t have been too bad as many implements only used a single acting actuator (hydraulic cylinder). In the case of 1 to 3 ton tipping trailers, the hydraulic system would push hydraulic fluid at around 20 litres per minute of flow into the cylinder to raise the trailer bed. When ready, the user would move the lever back and the weight of the trailer bed would force the hydraulic fluid from the actuator back into the hydraulic fluid tank (T) on the tractor.

I’ve had a small Danelander flail mower/roller/vacuum implement for a while, and while this would work well on my John Deere, I would much prefer to use it on my MF 135. The problem is the Danelander is a lot smaller and lighter than a trailer, and it has a double-acting actuator/hydraulic cylinder on the back. This means it needs two feeds across two separate pipes, and with an open flow return on each.

I did some head-scratching and then decided to fit a double-acting control valve with open centred - spring return - from FlowFit. Basically, a control valve that you would typically use on a log-splitter. Its rated up to 300 Bar and 45 litres per minute so no bother for my little Massey. I then bought some hydraulic pipes with 3/8” connectors from Parkers and got them made up specially to the size I needed. I could have also bought these from Flowfit. To make a quick and seamless change-over of implements, I also bought some male and female quick release couplings to fit onto the end of the pipes. Even later bought some plastic covers for both sides which I’ve still yet to fit.

Don’t forget make to male couplings and a few Dowty type, or bonded seals.

Connect up the following the markings. Feed flow from the tractor’s hydraulic pump to the ‘P’ on the valve block, and then connect ‘T’ to the return back into the tractor’s fluid Tank. Ideally the width of the return pipe should be wider to enable more flow than the pump side. But for me, so far so good. ‘A’ and ‘B’ connections can be made straight to the double-acting cylinder in any order.

Then enjoy connecting some new, shiny fluid pipes, connectors and fittings to an old working tractor, and get even more use out of it on the farm.

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