how to try out Torque amplifier?

I bought a 300 u last fall and the guy I bought it from said he heard that it is expensive to fix a bad torque amplifier, and he never needed it so he never moved it. I believe him because I had heard the same thing, and so far I have not moved it either.

Actually , If I remember right, I did move it once last fall soon after I bought it, but I am not sure if I remember right.

Anyway to the point of my question.... [b:11bad8248e]how should I go about seeing if the thing works?[/b:11bad8248e]... should I try it at all? If I never move it, will that hurt anything?

It seems to run fine otherwise... is that any indication of the TA's condition? I don't know that I need it to work for any reason, but I'd kinda like to know if it does, but if I bust something, I'll be steamed that I couldn't let well enough alone

thanks

Go ahead and try it. Pull the lever back and see if the tractor slows. If it does it works if it doesnt it does not work. The only way to know if it works or not is to try it. Be sure that you try it when it is on flat ground not on hills. Many of these old tractors have had the sprags blown apart in them long ago. Most of the time due to the lever being pulled on a hill. When pulled on a hill it over speeds the T/A and it comes apart. Replacing the T/A requires splitting the tractor and replacing it. It is a long and hard job to do and the parts are not exactually cheap either. It is completely usable the way it is. Any questions let me know. Good luck Jason

just pulling the lever back tells you little.
the best way to tell is when you have an impliment hooked to it in the field and a good load on the tractor. then pull it back and that will tell the story.

so the fact that the tractor seems to run OK other wise, doesn't tell you anything about the TA?

If the TA [b:76da901d06]WAS[/b:76da901d06] bad would the tractor run OK without it?
Jason you must be talking about down hill I assume.... I remember as a kid, that the Farmall we had did not hold back on a hill in TA

I guess going up hill would put a little load on it

The tractor will run fine if the TA is bad on the low side. But, on the high side power is transmitted through the TA clutch. If the clutch is worn enough it will slip on the high side. Relatively rare when compared to problems on the low side, but certainly possible.

think of it this way. the only time the ta is to be used is when your running out of power plowing or deep tilling , when your think you need to down shift you pull the ta then once through the tough spot you go back to direct. even for baling hay it is handy. thats what it was designed for. not to be used just because you want to. no reason at all to use a ta on the road. unless maybe pulling a heavy loaded hay wagon up a hill or some thing like that.in other words forget you have a ta and when you actually need it it will be there.what tractor is this on?

That is just wrong. Dad had a 350 and it spent half the time running on the low side. We would plow most of the time in low 4th or low 3rd. If the fluids(HY-tran) were changed regularly, and they were used correctly, they would last a long time. When you pull the lever, pull it quickly, and when you release it, squeeze the lever and let it go. Do not ease it in or out.

well that is why i asked what tractor it is on, as no info on that.
the info i gave is totally true for the old tractors up to the 660 model.starting with the 706 it dont matter .
if that is the way he is treating the ta that is just totally wrong. he should be plowing in 2nd or 3rd direct as the field dictates.THEN when he runs into a hard pull where the tractor is powering out pull the ta and get through it and go back to direct.ihc developed these ta's so a person dont have to stop the tractor to down shift in hard spots on the field. just like a big truck climbing a hill.
absolutely makes no sense to be plowing in 4th gear , too fast a gear and espessially using the ta. so sorry, but he is not choosing the proper gear for the application.

oops , blind found it. 300 u .

The most common failure mode for the mechanical TA is it'll "go out on the low side." That means the tractor will stop moving when the TA lever is pulled back.

It can be repaired fairly inexpensively if you do it yourself and only replace the parts that absolutely need to be replaced. That's normally just the ramp and rollers.

Normally, the tractor can still be driven indefinitely with the TA lever ahead, using the high side, even if the low side is out. It's not something that has to be fixed right away, or ever.

A lot of people freak out and try to "eliminate" the TA, but you're ruining the best part of the tractor! Yes, replacement is expensive. Rebuilt TA units are still available; the kit to eliminate the TA is not.

My recommendation is to fix the TA. You'll NEVER use the tractor as hard or as much as it was when it was new, and that TA lasted 50 years. A new TA will NEVER wear out.

You guys are all much more knowledgeable than I am... but I still don't think I know what is what...

I bought the tractor from someone who never used the TA. Neither have I.


Would all this time not being used be bad for it if I tried it to see if it worked... I sure don't want to cause some big expensive problem.

Would it be better to just leave it alone or would it be better to operate it occasionally?

From what I am gathering, the fact that the tractor seems fine without operating the TA means nothing. Is that right?

It's 54 years old I don't want to break it.

You've received some very good advice in the earlier responses already and I have very little to add. First, I would get the Operator's Manual for your tractor and read and understand the use for and the engagement and disengagement of the the TA for your tractor. I have a SMTA which probably has the same type of TA and since I have never used it in tillage or hay baling work probably don't know if it really works or not for sure. I do know it has a new rebuilt unit installed in the tractor as part of the restoration process from a fence row tractor. I have operated it under circumstances other then tillage and baling and it seems to work properly to me. As noted it is engaged and disengaged with a quick positive movement of the lever. Depends on what you are going to do with your tractor if you will have need to really utilize the feature or not. Tractor rides and parades are not the places where it can really be utilized for the purpose it was designed. The only areas I have utilized my TA on the SMTA is pulling loaded wagons of hay to the barn when going up a rather steep incline and the tractor would like a lower gear using the clutch and down shifting and it works great for that condition. Hope this helps and yours is probably fine and you don't have to use it unless needed, Hal.

they do like to be used every so often. I don't think you can damage
anything by trying it out. Go ahead and give it a pull and see what
happens.

Well if you don't have any trouble getting the tractor out of gear when using it. Every time the clutch pedal is pushed the T/A clutch is doing the same thing it would do if the handle is pulled, releasing. If not the T/A lock up parts are removed or shot.

About the only problem you might have is the TA lever rusting on its pivot from lack of use.

The TA unit itself runs in oil, and the TA clutch is actuated every time you push the main clutch pedal.