SMTA Hum

I have the strangest hum in my SMTA. Neither my M or SM have the noise. If I activate the PTO it will change the pitch a little. What would cause this? Could it be in the transmission, TA (out on the low side) or the hydraulic pump? I have had two mechanics that have years of experience with IH look at it but neither had any ideas.

Retcol: Since the M and SM don't have IPTO driveline I'd be tempted to look there. Does your SMTA have a working seasonal disconnect on the belly of the torque tube? If so disconnect it and start the tractor, if the noise goes away, therein lies your answer.

Do your M and SM have live hydraulic pumps? if not, there is another difference. It could be that live hydraulic system, however engaging the PTO would not change the tone of the noise.

I think IPTO or drive line to it is the source of your problem. Do the disconnect, then come back to us.

Where do I look to find this seasonal torque tube disconnect? Neither the M nor the SM have live hydraulics.

Retcol: Do you have an operator's manual? It will tell you how to do this.

That failing, and I may be out of line here all 300 and 400 had the seasonal disconnect, just maybe the SMTA did not. If it has the disconnect it should be about half way along the TA section of the torque tube, on the belly and at center. You should see a flat starp lever about 5/16" thick, 1-1/4" wide and 3-4" long. It's welded to a shaft that goes vertical into tractor at one end. At the other end it has a 3/8" bolt up into tractor casting. You remove that bolt, and you'll find a second position for the flat strap lever. Inside the tractor just above that lever is a sliding coupler. One position has coupler engaged, the other disengaged.

The system was designed for cold weather starts at a time of the year not mant folks weren't using the PTO. I had a 300 and lived in an area where we quite regularly saw temps of -30F. It made the difference of tractor starting or not starting. If it was real cold, I'd disconnect IPTO, start the tractor and warm it up well, then shut down to reconnect PTO if I wanted to use it. I'm not familiar with SMTA, this may be one of those items that happened one year later, after farmers had problems. Most folks left it disconnected all winter. Those were different times, we were still using belt pully for grinding grain.

As Hugh said, the seasonal disconnect is on the belly of the torque tube.

It's not a "seasonal torque tube disconnect..." You mashed two separate statements together and got confused.

I own the 177th SMTA built. It has the disconnect. I think all early IPTO tractors had this feature. All seven of my SMTAs have it. It became optional later on during production of the 400-450-560.

Your response is why I get disgusted with this forum. If you can't answer the question don't respond. I think there are alot of experts on this forum that we can gain valuable information from but there are others that only like to criticize.

Have no idea what 'your' noise is, but can tell you that I've got a live pump off of a 300 on my H.

I can hear a slight "hum" in the loader's control valve which is mounted right close to my left hand. Can hear it anytime the tractor is running and it will stop anytime I move a control.

Allan

I moved the seasonal disconnect lever on the belly of the torque tube but it didn't change the noise. There must be a problem with the live hydraulics.

I have a 53 Super M with factory live hydraulics. It has a humming/buzzing sound that comes from the live pump and hydraulic system. I have a 54 Super H with factory live hydraulics and that does not have the hum.

I just replaced the hydraulic pump on my Farmall 504 and used the .024" gasket. Now I have some gear noise or "hum". I used the same gear from the old pump. It could be the gear meshing in a new location or the new gears in the pump its self. It doesn't sound like damage is occuring and it work fine. Just a thought.

Charles

My Super H stage II hydraulic pump doesn't make any noise either

Retcol: The cause of a hum in a hydraulic system can often be hard to find. My first place to look would be the pressure bypass. Hums are usually on the pressure side as opposed to suction side through the filter and on to the pump. Wouldn't hurt to check the filter or screen whichever it has. I suppose any noise caused by partially cloged screen or filter could cause a hum if the flow restriction were constant. Personally I'm used to intermitant squaks from suction side.

One other matter, are you sure the seasonal disconnect completely disengaged. If that hasn't been uncoupled for a few years it might have kept turning the IPTO. Did you try the PTO? You may find it's a two man job engaging the seasonal disconnect. One at the belly lever and the other guy turning the engaged IPTO until the coupler comes in line to mesh.

Also, some seasonal disconnects have been replaced inside with a solid no disengage coupler. Just make sure moving the disconnect lever did it's thing. If it's disconnected you should be able to turn IPTO with PTO engaged and tractor not running.

(quoted from post at 08:51:48 08/10/08) Your response is why I get disgusted with this forum. If you can't answer the question don't respond. I think there are alot of experts on this forum that we can gain valuable information from but there are others that only like to criticize.

Click to expand...

Yes - and then there are the rude ones, too.
mike

The "hum" is in the PTO unit, my Dad's SMTA has the noise and so does the 300. I think it may be worn parts in the live pto unit or something, but I'm not sure, I've been told that this noise is normal for these tractors now. If you turn the PTO on, the noise will stop, but when the PTO is off, you get the noise.

I would guess that you're hearing the pulsations from the pump up against that pressure relief valve.

Let 'er hum; not hurting a thing.

Allan

If you activate the PTO and the noise changes it is the PTO. My MTA hums too, it is the planetaries that make up the IPTO. Normal operation.