# Massey 285 shifting quirk



## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

My 285 (which is in a constant state of being for sale) shifts wonderfully smooth for the first minute or two and after that tends to behave as if it’s completely non-synchronized. I don’t want to dig in very far due to not wanting to keep it but I’m still curious if there’s anything about these tractors in particular that will cause this. Is it as simple as the clutch? It’s a multi power if that matters.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

I might be wrong, but other than shifting between hi/low on the multi power the gears in between are not synchronized, just as a non-multi power Massey with a 6/2 or 8/2 transmission.

Don't know if that addresses your question?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

leeave96 said:


> I might be wrong, but other than shifting between hi/low on the multi power the gears in between are not synchronized, just as a non-multi power Massey with a 6/2 or 8/2 transmission.
> 
> Don't know if that addresses your question?


Good point, but it's still ten times tougher to shift once it runs for a few minutes. I'd like it to shift like it does in the first few minutes all of the time. There has to be a reason for the difference.


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## rankrank1 (Mar 30, 2009)

Does it shift any better if you put the MP on the low side? (as you likely know The MP freewheels on the low side).

I know on some of the Oliver's with the 2 speed hydra-power like the model 1550 or 1555 can be a bugger to shift when the hydra-power is in high. Move the hydra-power to the low side and they shift easy. The hydra-power free wheels in low just like the Massey MP does in low.

On the Oliver the tranny shafts can move either direction needed for gears to align when in low (why the tractor also free wheels and has no hold back on hills) but tranny shafts can not move or shafts can move in only one direction instead of both directions when in high which makes shifting difficult.

Not necessarily anything wrong just could be one of the limits of the design type as I think both of these designs have an internal 1-way wratchet mechanism or Sprague clutch..


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## rankrank1 (Mar 30, 2009)

Posted Yesterday, 10:03 PM

Does it shift any better if you put the MP on the low side? (as you likely know The MP freewheels on the low side).

I know on some of the Oliver's with the 2 speed hydra-power like the model 1550 or 1555 can be a bugger to shift when the hydra-power is in high. Move the hydra-power to the low side and they shift easy. The hydra-power free wheels in low just like the Massey MP does in low.

On the Oliver the tranny shafts can move either direction needed for gears to align when in low (why the tractor also free wheels and has no hold back on hills) but tranny shafts can not move or shafts can move in only one direction instead of both directions when in high which makes shifting difficult.

Not necessarily anything wrong just could be one of the limits of the design type as I think both of these designs have an internal 1-way wratchet mechanism or Sprague clutch..


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

rankrank1 said:


> Does it shift any better if you put the MP on the low side? (as you likely know The MP freewheels on the low side).
> 
> I know on some of the Oliver's with the 2 speed hydra-power like the model 1550 or 1555 can be a bugger to shift when the hydra-power is in high. Move the hydra-power to the low side and they shift easy. The hydra-power free wheels in low just like the Massey MP does in low.
> 
> ...


High and low, it does it. It may be a little worse in high but low is not smooth whatsoever.


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## rankrank1 (Mar 30, 2009)

Well that was my one and only idea especially since I have never ran a MF 285


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

rankrank1 said:


> Does it shift any better if you put the MP on the low side? (as you likely know The MP freewheels on the low side).
> 
> I know on some of the Oliver's with the 2 speed hydra-power like the model 1550 or 1555 can be a bugger to shift when the hydra-power is in high. Move the hydra-power to the low side and they shift easy. The hydra-power free wheels in low just like the Massey MP does in low.
> 
> ...


Actually the three speed Oliver/White over/unders are the same way, shift into under and no problem. All later Olivers and Whites used them for a LONG time, pretty bullet proof, anytime they aren't in gear and are running shift them into Under, this drastically reduces the wear on both the sprague clutch and shaft. Sprague clutch isn't bad far as price, the shaft it runs on is mucho dinero. The 4-270 used a four speed power shift with the clutch pedal dumping the oil off to the clutch packs so no real clutch in it.

Could your shifting issue be as simple as somebody has the wrong oil in the tranny?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

mlappin said:


> Actually the three speed Oliver/White over/unders are the same way, shift into under and no problem. All later Olivers and Whites used them for a LONG time, pretty bullet proof, anytime they aren't in gear and are running shift them into Under, this drastically reduces the wear on both the sprague clutch and shaft. Sprague clutch isn't bad far as price, the shaft it runs on is mucho dinero. The 4-270 used a four speed power shift with the clutch pedal dumping the oil off to the clutch packs so no real clutch in it.
> 
> Could your shifting issue be as simple as somebody has the wrong oil in the tranny?


It's still around for another week until the buyer comes to get it so I may explore that idea.


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## rankrank1 (Mar 30, 2009)

So did you ever figure out the quirk?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

rankrank1 said:


> So did you ever figure out the quirk?


Nope. Finding it a new owner reduced my interest in it!


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## rankrank1 (Mar 30, 2009)

So what were the good points of the MF 285? As well as the bad ones? I am guessing there were more bad since you did not keep for all that long.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

8350HiTech said:


> Nope. Finding it a new owner reduced my interest in it!


Would have been interesting to know.

Some of our Whites depending on model either used gear oil or hydraulic fluid in the transmissions. The ones with gear oil shift easier as once the clutch pedal is depressed even hot gear oil creates more drag than hydraulic fluid and acts to stop everything from free wheeling quicker.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

rankrank1 said:


> So what were the good points of the MF 285? As well as the bad ones? I am guessing there were more bad since you did not keep for all that long.


I didn't keep it long because my third tractor gets changed frequently as I find a good deal on one. I can barely justify two tractors let along three so the third one has to pay the way by getting sold every year or two and getting more than I paid for it.

All in all, it was a good loader tractor for moving round bales which is why it managed to stick around for two years but ultimately as I inch my way toward mechanical handling of small squares it wasn't going to have enough capacity for the 18 bale grab. It also would've required more money to modify (joystick, third function plumbing, quick attach plate) to get it close enough to limp by.

My biggest complaint was it was a turd when trying to pull anything uphill and I can probably blame some of that on a less than new transmission and clutch and some on it weighing nearly 12,000 pounds by itself. I also didn't like having the remotes occupied for the loader but that I could've solved if I liked the way it pulled.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

My biggest complaint was it was a turd when trying to pull anything uphill and I can probably blame some of that on a less than new transmission and clutch and some on it weighing nearly 12,000 pounds by itself. I also didn't like having the remotes occupied for the loader but that I could've solved if I liked the way it pulled.

Did it have the factory remotes where they worked at same time the 3 pth would or did you have dealer install option where the 3pth had to be raised for the remotes to work? But what was added to that tractor to make it so heavy. Per tractordata it was standard weight under 8,000 lbs. My brother has I think a 282 MF and years ago helped a guy who had a 155 with the hi lo shiftier and I used it the most and seldom ever shifted the MP. No idea why but just didn't.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Remotes fully independent of hitch.

Cast wheels, fluid in tires, loader, rops, operator.


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