weak hydraulics on my 806

I used my new old 1963 I806 today for the first time for real work. I hayed 10 acres with it and a New Holland 495 haybine.

One problem I had was that the hydraulics seemed barely up to the task of raising the haybine when it came time to transport it. It seemed like there was a sweet spot on the valve that would allow the cylinder to raise very slowly. Otherwise, no raise at all.

I hope I'll be able to operate my round bailer with it.

The haybine has a single acting cylinder and one hose. At one point I found that putting the hose into the top remote coupler worked better, but that didn't hold the next time I tried.

Do hydraulic pumps get weak? The tractor has seen a lot of use and is fairly rough around the edges. What can cause low hydraulic pressure?

BTW, the power steering seems to have enough power as do the brakes. Although today I think I detected a bit of "chatter" or vibration in the steering. My case backhoe does the same thing sometimes when the hydraulic system is tressed and you ask it to turn.

An 06-86 series has two hydrolic pumps. One is low pressure and operates the steering, brakes, and T/A, and feeds the high pressure pump. It is located on the left side of the tractor on the speed transmission housing behind the multiple control valve(MCV). The high pressure pump is also on the left side but is behind a plate near the bottom of the trans housing just in front of the of the axal. A weak high pressure pump will usually cause low flow at the remotes and decreased lifting of the three point. If the low pressure pump goes bad you loose steering, brakes and the clutches in the T/A will not lock up and make the tractor move.

Ah no the MCV pump does not feed the main hitch pump. And the MCV is not a low pressure pump . The valves and pressure regulator feed the correct pressure to the wright places .

Well with out putting a pressure gauge to it atleast you have know idea what you have . Now the best way is have the system flow rated by a mechanic that has the proper test equipment as this will save you time and money . It maybe the pressure regulator or it may be the main hitch pump or it may be both. If it needs both then myself i would update the pressure reg. valve to at least the 2100 lb. valve . Some of the newer equipment has smaller lift cylinders and needs more pressure to lift it. It would take me about a half hour to 45 min's to run the flow rate test by the time i got the oil up to temp.

on the farmalls, the hydraulic lever(s) work as such:
(as seated driving the tractor)

centered is neutral/hold--the implement will stay where it is. push forward a little is momentary/feathered drop. to the first click forward is locked in drop. all the way forward is float--the implement will drop, also it can drop or raise further following ground contours without hydraulic resistance; a hydraulic motor would coast freely to a stop.
back a little from the neutral/hold position is momentary/feathered raise, and all the way back is locked raise.

you should always hook up your lines so that forward is drop and back is raise, because if you accidentally put it in float the implement will immediately drop and cause a problem if you needed to raise in a panic situation. there is a float lockout, but i still prefer being in the habit of lift-back just in case.

also if you have a 3pt or fast hitch some manuals state that if it"s position/inner control lever is all the way to the bottom/forward of the quadrant the remote behavior will be slowed. if not using the 3pt/FH the draft/outer control lever should be all the way forward to HEAVY and the position/inner control lever should be all the way to the top or all the way lowered but not in the action control zone at the bottom--just before the offset in the quadrant.

karl f