Two weeks ago we were leading muck with our 1990 MF3080. When tipping the 10 tonne trailer, the trailer drawbar came detached from the pick up hitch and came straight through the back window on the tractor. The driver squatted down out of the way to see the drawbar come to a halt about 6 inches away from the steering wheel, with hydraulic hoses and electric wires still attached to both tractor and trailer.
The glass was smashed and the frame had been buckled, so today’s job was to fit the new rear window frame and glass. The glass went easily together with the frame and after fastening it all back to the tractor all we had to do was fit the new lifter-mats. You can see the catches being held open with a screwdriver in the photo. The last job was to fit the wiper blade motor and then clean all the glass out of the cab.
Before the tractor is used again for trailer work it will need new pins and bushes in the pick up hitch as it would appear that they have become worn. With 9,700 hours on the clock, time has obviously taken its tole on the pick up hitch mechanism.