Introducing myself and my dexta.

[conar22]

Hi all,ive recently signed up on here,hopefully for advice and to learn more about my new-ish puchased dexta. Working on the farm where i stay (banffshire) i have got the bug for vintage tractors (we have an m.f 65 mk2,a 135,a david brown 950,an international 484, 784 and a 6cyl 955. I fancied a restoration project of my own so decided to go for a dexta (1958)-I bought her at a local farm displenish sale (where it had been sitting in a hedge for 21 years!)...the same age as me .
So i manage to get her up onto a trailer and home...and within an hour or two of tinkering i got it running...i couldn't believe it. The first drive revealed a horrific transmission whine,so my delight was short lived-into the farm workshop and we split her open to find water in the back-end and gearbox-thus resulting in the gearbox bearing races being heavily pitted. Managing to source all new bearings we fitted them and re-assembled everything,with new gaskets and oil-seals,then i took her out for a drive...no whine .
Next on the list was to get the hydraulics working,which proved problematic with sticking valves etc,but the lift now works...but is 'sticky' as so to speak,so will require further investigation. Next was to give the engine some work to see what condition it was in,so i coupled her onto a 9 ton grain-drier on the farm and gave her a few days of steady running-thinking it would free off my suspected stuck piston rings...but no,engine was still breathing very heavily so i took it back off the drier and into the shed. Now im away to open up the engine and have a look,im suspecting broken piston rings but time will tell.
Anyway,thats me and my dexta so far . I shall upload some photo's later on if its of any interest to you all?
Ta , conar!

[Bensdexta]

Welcome to the board, sounds like you've been busy.

21yrs laying outside, that's along time, longer than mine (about 15yrs) - doesn't do 'em any good.

Interested to know how you think she compares with an MF135?

[conar22]

No,your definately right-it certainly doesn't do them any good at-all. There are quite a few similarities with the 135,but (maybe not a good thing to say on a fordson forum) id say the 135 is a better tractor,as our one has livedrive but my dexta doesn't,same regarding the differential lock,the 135 has one but my dexta doesn't. Also 135 has been on our farm since new and has accumulated over 14000 hours and still goes strong-its had new pistons,liners and rings and is in really good genuine condition...but im sure the dexta will be capable of a good days work too when i get the engine sorted out.

[Bensdexta]

There are quite a few similarities with the 135,but (maybe not a good thing to say on a fordson forum) id say the 135 is a better tractor,as our one has livedrive but my dexta doesn't,same regarding the differential lock,the 135 has one but my dexta doesn't.

Setting aside livedrive & difflock which Dexta can also have, are there any other significant differences from operator's perspective?

[blue32]

Hi, my exp.. is that MF135 is devopled ten years after the first Dextas, even the late MF35,s is about similar as the 135,s.. This tractors is very good and I am sure this tractors range over the Dextas, but the Dexta is just as populare..mybee becouse of they beautys and the fact that they was on the market (in 1958) with theirs 3 cylinders engine,s (who is a Ford/Perkins) and at this time MF did,nt use this Perkins yet. (the first for the market for MF,is late 1959 for Norway) The first Dextas was also going very fast..and me as a farm-son who grow up with a new Dexta at that time, could never forget this blue beautys.
Me as pensioner at now, has a collect with a 53 MF 20 TEA deisel with halftrac, in top cond. (orginal halftrack for this tractor from Canada with brassplate from Bombardier stapled on) -I have also a MF 35 FE jubileum tractor from 1957, (Goldfish) who is vaiting at resto, next I have a 1962 Fordson Dexta with diff lock, in very good shape original. -and just now I am almost finish resto with an late1961 Dexta, who I got from free without wheel,s and crushed engine (talked about this in an earlier tread,s) -I also have a Mf 35 x with multipower 1964, (it goes very fast, and is just similar with my father,s tractor after his Dexta). Then I have an New Holland 4x4 with front loader who also take care of bigger jobs, as the snow, with snowblower too, for the winter.
Who of all this tractor,s has a soul?? Defenitly my two blue Very good small tractors, mybee better then MF up to 1959, equal with MF 35 from 1960 onto 1963... Well this is only my opinion.

o.b.s. I have alot of pictures of my tractors, but I am not able to send any to our,s forum at here

mikkel

[Brian]

Things to remember when comparing Ferguson and Ford tractors:

1. Harry Ferguson is praised for the invention of the hydraulic lift and draft control. It was not a successful invention until modified by Ford to get it to work as it should, in 1938. Ford engineers redesigned the control valve.

2. Ford designed the TE 20. Well not quite, but the TE range are a straight copy of the Ford-Ferguson of 1938 onwards. Ford designed and produced the 8N in six months after correcting the faults in Harry's design. Harry brought the design to England when the partnership broke up, got Standard Motor Company interested, and the rest is history.

I have said it many times, the Dexta hydraulic system is far superior to the Ferguson TE range and the MF 35/135. Again this year at Brimfield, I was ploughing quite happily when a MF 35 joined our plot. The result was a total mess as the MF plough was either in the ground or on top. The depth control could not handle the firm soil. The Dexta was purring along with the depth control working perfectly, with minimum wheel slip and with worn tyres.

[Bensdexta]

Brian,
Your post ^ would make a great article for the front page!

There seem to be alot of misconceptions out there on ford v ferguson. A description of the early history would be most valuable - perhaps there is one somewhere?

[blue32]

Things to remember when comparing Ferguson and Ford tractors:

1. Harry Ferguson is praised for the invention of the hydraulic lift and draft control. It was not a successful invention until modified by Ford to get it to work as it should, in 1938. Ford engineers redesigned the control valve.

2. Ford designed the TE 20. Well not quite, but the TE range are a straight copy of the Ford-Ferguson of 1938 onwards. Ford designed and produced the 8N in six months after correcting the faults in Harry's design. Harry brought the design to England when the partnership broke up, got Standard Motor Company interested, and the rest is history.

I have said it many times, the Dexta hydraulic system is far superior to the Ferguson TE range and the MF 35/135. Again this year at Brimfield, I was ploughing quite happily when a MF 35 joined our plot. The result was a total mess as the MF plough was either in the ground or on top. The depth control could not handle the firm soil. The Dexta was purring along with the depth control working perfectly, with minimum wheel slip and with worn tyres.

---Well Brian, we have to go for Fordson any way on this forum, but it is alot moore in the history between the old man "Henry Ford" and the handshake with Harry Ferguson, and who com up later between the company and Harry ferguson... mybee the people in here should know the right history of the hydraulik developing for this tractors. I think I will let it out from here.

mikkel

[conar22]

Thats very intresting,i don't know much about the histories between fordson and ferguson...indeed i would love to learn more about it.
Out of intrest what would be worth more,a normal dexta or the super dexta due to its higher capabilities?

[Bensdexta]

Thats very intresting,i don't know much about the histories between fordson and ferguson...indeed i would love to learn more about it. Out of intrest what would be worth more,a normal dexta or the super dexta due to its higher capabilities?

I think Supers tend to be worth a bit more, but condition/originality is more important.