MF 290

[blackbob]

I don't think I've seen cast fronts on anything other than a 175, 178 or 1080?

(oops, 595 of course)

 

[multi power]

I don't think I've seen cast fronts on anything other than a 175, 178 or 1080?

188 as well. I only ever seen cast front wheels on any with cast rears

 

[Henarar]

Unusual to have to split a massey

had the gear box go on the 290 at least 3 times, snapped the input shaft broke a gear and had a bearing go
also broke two pinions on the spreader and cracked two transfer boxes in half, one went when I was halfway up a very steep hill, having lost six wheel drive it soon all ended up backwards back down the bottom of the hill

 

[blackbob]

Wow that must have been steep, even with front-wheel weights our 2wd front wheels were dancing going up a steep hill, no weight on them

 

[Henarar]

It was a bit steep 4wd 290 had more weight on the front, I also remember it was snowing as well, just to make life more interesting, when we went back to finish the job I tipped the spreader over it was only on singles then like yours, lucky we were loading with a slew so he tracked up and put it back the right way up and off we went.
before I tipped the lot over I would drive anywhere, if anyone asked me to do a field I would do it, bloody stupid really

 

[Mrs Brown]

188 had double bolt on weights one set inside and then an outer set ,185 just had the inners.

 

[Richard Devon]

This thread has gone quiet so I will pop in 2 more lime-spreading photos for @Richard Devon

Suuuuuuuuuuuu.....perb Bob, fantastic pics

Did you ever tow ramps as well, or the lime was tipped out in the field?

I vaguely remember the fellas down this way having tractor/spreader/ramps, then they had a way of backing the spreader up on the ramps and moving them, then latterly they had some kind of bin with a grab affair mounted on it that the lorries tipped the lime in

 

[blackbob]

No the lime was waiting for us usually. Tipped anywhere... ruts, stones, gateways
One time an artic went in a grass field and got stuck and daren't tip, perhaps luckily it was a drop-side trailer and we were able to scoop it out.
Usually the local hauliers could pick a nice spot. But sometimes 'townie' drivers got stuck, or just didn't care..

 

[blackbob]

Twice I found 135's bogged in wet holes, and abandoned while the drivers had walked home.. we carried a chain in the loader, so I took it with me next load and dragged them out myself. Great traction even with the narrow wheels.

 

[MF-ANDY]

So the fast one had multi power? Are they not all quite quick? Then there is the swapping the cogs around in the m p pack

There are no gears you can swap in a m/p box. You may be able to fit gears from a different model if you knew the ratios

 

[SMID]

The 575 4wd multi power we had was slower the 590s with 8 speed boxes here at the same time , 16.9x34s hd epicyclics in all 3 never had to dig in just assumed the difference was the in put end of the gear box.

 

[Henarar]

Suuuuuuuuuuuu.....perb Bob, fantastic pics

Did you ever tow ramps as well, or the lime was tipped out in the field?

I vaguely remember the fellas down this way having tractor/spreader/ramps, then they had a way of backing the spreader up on the ramps and moving them, then latterly they had some kind of bin with a grab affair mounted on it that the lorries tipped the lime in

I use to tow ramps and we had a dump box with a little mcconel crane and grab, then we made a loader out off a lorry hiab with an engine to drive it and tipped the lime on the ground
me mate drove off the back of the ramps once

 

[joe soapy]

just for a bit of nostalgia has anyone got any pics of their old 290 and lime spreader?

Back in the 70s and early 80s at home we used to have ECC (ECLP) Lime Distributors, Newton Abbot, in to spread lime with theirs, which replaced a 575 with axle-bolted dual wheels.

Ha, Lime distributers. Driver arrived here shaking like a leaf, had coasted down to Marsh Mills roundabout and found he had no brakes. Bit vague, but seem to remember they drove the spreader axel in 540 to give a good road speed,, Even goats would balk at going on some slopes the drivers covered

 

[Richard Devon]

Ha, Lime distributers. Driver arrived here shaking like a leaf, had coasted down to Marsh Mills roundabout and found he had no brakes. Bit vague, but seem to remember they drove the spreader axel in 540 to give a good road speed,, Even goats would balk at going on some slopes the drivers covered

That rings a bell......putting it in 540

again...vague recollections now but there was one mouthy bu99er called Bev, drove taxis when he wasn't driving for them, knew everything about everything.......always been involved in a calamity somewhere jamming up the country lanes with the poor old ladies couldn't reverse their cars.

I've an idea they (ECLP) used to do direct drilling as well.

 

[joe soapy]

That rings a bell......putting it in 540

again...vague recollections now but there was one mouthy bu99er called Bev, drove taxis when he wasn't driving for them, knew everything about everything.......always been involved in a calamity somewhere jamming up the country lanes with the poor old ladies couldn't reverse their cars.

I've an idea they (ECLP) used to do direct drilling as well.

Yes, bettinsons drills. drilling kale in spring and stubble turnips after corn.
They also drilled some corn , but that dident go well
john moss used to run DB's round the clock drilling turnips using rotacasters and moores

 

[Henarar]

Ha, Lime distributers. Driver arrived here shaking like a leaf, had coasted down to Marsh Mills roundabout and found he had no brakes. Bit vague, but seem to remember they drove the spreader axel in 540 to give a good road speed,, Even goats would balk at going on some slopes the drivers covered

Putting the pto in 540 and pushing the tractor with the limespreader would only work if you had two speed transfer box that came of a army lorry, a normal QL would run at the same speed as high second

 

[FE35]

Just thought I should update now I've finally got the tractor home. Wussed out of driving it 60 miles & putting it on the ifor so got a wagon to go for it! Done a few lile jobs with it & everything seems to work, bad points so far are the hand break ratchet being seized & the PTO constantly turns unless hooked up to an implement- both to be sorted! The cab needs some tidying but there's little rot except for the doors but I've a lad sorted to weld these up hopefully will be fairly straightforward.

smart in cab tool box & cup holder even came with full can of coke!!

just need the weather to be good for longer than a day at a time & we can get amongst some hay with it!!

 

[multi power]

Just thought I should update now I've finally got the tractor home. Wussed out of driving it 60 miles & putting it on the ifor so got a wagon to go for it! Done a few lile jobs with it & everything seems to work, bad points so far are the hand break ratchet being seized & the PTO constantly turns unless hooked up to an implement- both to be sorted! The cab needs some tidying but there's little rot except for the doors but I've a lad sorted to weld these up hopefully will be fairly straightforward. View attachment 169950View attachment 169952 smart in cab tool box & cup holder even came with full can of coke!!View attachment 169954 just need the weather to be good for longer than a day at a time & we can get amongst some hay with it!!

Don't worry about the pto running all the time. They all do it. Just put the car on the shaft when not using it

 

[msheep66]

Hi new to the forum.I like your 290 I remember when we had one new in 1983 a 2wd it was a good plodder of a tractor, we used it for numerous jobs such as ploughing,muckspreading,baling etc.We also had Leyland tractors including a 282 which pulled like a train.I have now got some old yellow Marshall tractors which took over from Leylands.

 

[Highland Mule]

Resurrecting an old thread. Auction tomorrow has an old 290 for sale - 2wd, 9,500h, 3 gear sticks and a tidy Sankey cab. To save me wasting time if I'm not in the ballpark, how much is it worth?