MF1200 restoration part 3

Removing and refitting hydraulic pump,PTO shaft and clutch. painting rear axle, and fitting back axle.

[@Rickwardful]

I'm rather surprised that your tractor has a 7 spline 540 rpm PTO shaft rather than the 21 spline 1000 rpm PTO that was fitted as standard. I didn't realise that a 540 shaft was available. You are doing a cracking job, by the way.

[@MF-ob6tg]

Ha ha keen eyes. It is in fact a 1000 rpm pto the one you can see is set so far into the housing that it wouldn’t be possible to connect a 540. They then have a bearing carrier and pto extension that has the 21 splines. I believe this was made as the week point so it could be easily serviced/replaced as to not damage the inner workings. My pto extension is broken in that exact spot.

[@Rickwardful]

@@MF-ob6tg I can see that now. Ironically, I had to put an adaptor on the end of the 21 spline to get it back to a 7 spline, to operate a baler! Which meant the engine RPM’s were quite low. Did you do any more videos beyond number 12? Would love to see the final tractor completed.

[@MF-ob6tg]

Yes I believe that might of nee the cause of our extension failing due to the extra unsupported length. I think you could get a reduction gearbox the make it 540 at normal rpm. Yes more videos to come. Just been very busy.

[@Rickwardful]

@@MF-ob6tg Yes, you could get a reduction to bring it down to 540. We didn’t bother as we were running a conventional baler that didn’t need anything like 110 hp to run it. The 1200 had a massive advantage of not stressing the PTO shaft as you turn round at each end of the field and being able to see right over the baler to see if the flat 8 bale sledge was behaving itself. My dad bought the first ever non-demonstrator 1200 in the UK. MF took it back after a year to test what stresses every bolt on it had suffered. They changed the flanged shaft between the engine and gear box from 4 bolts to 6 bolts. Years later we bought another 2nd hand 1200 which had a yellow painted marine replacement engine fitted. More HP made the exhaust manifold glow cherry red at night! Eventually it cremated itself and we replaced it with a 2nd hand 1250. That was the best, but they were all good and a pleasure to drive and use. Happy days!

[@paulhurrell631]

I’m dead jealous used to drive One whenI first made them👌

[@MF-ob6tg]

I am yet to use it in anger. Hopefully I can do some ploughing whit it when it’s done.

[@paulhurrell631]

@@MF-ob6tg spent thousands of hours sitting in them