were Dextas prone to any problems when new?

[startinghandle]

40 years ago I used to work at main IH dealer and I remember there were problems with certain new IH tractors .. fluid leaks from hydrostatic steering chests … gearbox problems on 454 .. silage trailers coming unhitched when tipping on some 84's … but what I would like to know is were there any problems with Dextas when new... as I have mentioned here before I have a Dexta which my late father bought s/h in 1964 or 65 but at the moment is still waiting for engine overhaul

 

[tomlad]

I've a super dexta
Ive had problems with hydraulics for years .
Beating me so far .
Engine always started and run fine
Prone to frost cracks i think .but that's no antifreeze isn't it, not really fordsons fault ?

 

[tomlad]

I'll add gear change issues too
1_3 selector jumping out of pocket
Wear to bottom of g leaver i thing .

Also stearing boxs worn out . Because bearing at top goes dry so wears out.

 

[timff]

Great little tractors. Dad bought ours new from Perry's of Finchley in October 1958. It worked hard for many years until circa 1985 and has been in retirement since with a transport box or topper. I remember the gearbox issue meaning the cover had to be unscrewed occasionally to unjam the sticks, as well as a cracked block one winter caused by lack of antifreeze in one particular spot behind the starter motor(?). Dad still says the old girl never let him down (frost not her fault) and the only issues being wearing parts - kingpins, track rod ends, front bearings, brakes, overhauled steering box all done once... but I don't recall ever having a new clutch. She had a re-bore by Skinners of Reading in about 1975. Dad gave her a thorough spruce up in about 1995 so she's in good nick and has always been under cover. Happy days!

 

[Two Tone]

Wasn’t the Dexta engine either a, or based on the 3 cylinder Perkins, but with a Simms injection pump?

 

[timff]

Deffo Simms. I read up on the engines but can’t remember but I think perkins

 

[8100]

Were they live drive all models or was the Super Dexter pto on a clutch

 

[Tigger]

The engine castings and most parts were Ford but with a few Perkins parts also, almost a hybrid of sorts (the F.3144)

Single clutch was fitted to some Dextas, others had live pto double clutch.

 

[startinghandle]

The engine castings and most parts were Ford but with a few Perkins parts also, almost a hybrid of sorts (the F.3144)

Single clutch was fitted to some Dextas, others had live pto double clutch.

ours is single clutch and baling was interesting

 

[agrimax]

Don't know if there were any problems when new but all those above are from after years of use.Probably no different from the majority of other tractors.........Wonder if today's tractors will still be going after 50-60 years use?
The engines were Ford .... F3.144 in the Dexta and F3.152 in the Super D. Ford made the majority of the engine and Perkins assembled it. Here's a link on it's history........
http://www.agriline.co.za/tractorparts/fordson/dexta/data.html

Live drive was optional on both models.

 

[timff]

As per Tigger they were both. Dads is live drive with two stage clutch which you can make one stage by changing the link on the rod. In two stage the pedal is higher. Brother has non live drive and they are not favoured for baling or ploughing as per Startinghandle above comments

 

[Netherfield]

Father bought one new in 1963 ACX 765A , fitted with a MIL loader, didn't stay 18 months the hydraulics were so poor, it was because of the loader overheating the oil I believe.

 

[timff]

I agree Netherfield. When I see a Dexta with a loader I fear for the front end as they seem more delicate than a 35 which is a great loader tractor

 

[tomlad]

I always think top link rocker bracket looks febel on my s dexta .
I think it would lift my skh 2 fw reversible but i dearnt .

 

[timff]

Give her a go Tomlad. Dad used to hitch a vicon varispreader with a two wheel trailer hitched behind that loaded with fert all on the top link rocker

 

[tomlad]

I have had my chipper on it
That aint light
Its done it
Chippers better on mf 65 tho

 

[Maico490]

were Dextas prone to any problems when new?

The main problem was that they weren't quite as good as a MF35

 

[v8willy]

We had 1 from new, father always carried a 1/2 spanner to lift the lid on the gearbox & free the gearstick, think a few bolts were missing to speed up the job.

 

[betweenthelines]

MF 35's had a large nut on top of the gearbox that you could take off so you could use a lonf screwdriver or prybar to move the gears when they got stuck.

I dropped the screwdriver once and spent about three hours taking the whole top off the gearbox to get the screwdriver out. What a PITA!

 

[DeeGee]

Dexta was ok and when introduced it grabbed some sales from the four cylinder FE 35 which was a renowned poor starter. However the 3 cylinder MF 35 was a much better tractor IMO with far more guts and torque.

The only Dexta that I think really matched a Massey Ferguson was the short lived New Performance Super Dexta that had virtually the same 44hp Perkins engine as the 35X; before the introduction of the new Ford 6X tractors and the (much better) Massey Red Giants in 1964.