With the multi-power system there is one hydraulic clutch pack and also a ratchet type assembly. When in low multi the hydraulic clutch is dissengaged and the drive goes through a pair of gears into a ratchet clutch which takes the drive to the gearbox. There is no engine breaking in low multi because of the ratchet clutch. When you move the transmission to high multi it locks up the hydraulic clutch and the hydraulic clutch gear drives another gear. Because the drive is now turning faster than through the low-multi ratchet clutch, this now becomes a free-wheeling device. It is for this reason that there is engine breaking in high multi power, but no engine breaking in low multi power.
This is also why if you are in high multi going up a hill and you depress the clutch pedal that whilst in gear no roll-back can occur because of the ratchet clutch. ie. both systems are locked together.  The hydraulic multi-power clutch is not torque converter, but is merely a multi-plate hydraulically operated clutch pack. The good thing about this is that there is no loss of power through to the gearbox.
The clutch is a conventional clutch and so is the 3 speed gearbox.

I’ve just got my 1953 MF 28 running, but have struck a problem.

It has jammedin gear, 3rd or 4th, not sure which. Happened after I had it in reverse for about 70m, took it out of reverse facing slightly downhill, and then it somehow got stuck in gear. The next job was to change the gearbox oil which looks milky. Looking in the oil port – can’t see any obvious problems.

Thanks,Derek

Hi Derek,

I think I’m correct in saying that the the Ferguson 28 is the equivalent of what we call the TE20 in England or the TO20 in the states (correct me if I’m wrong) – in other words the ‘Grey Fergie’.

Is the gear lever tight or slack? If it is slack then the gear lever will have come out of the selectors. If it is tight then it may be that it all needs realigning. Either way you will need to remove the gear lever, check it for damage and make sure that all the selectors are alligned in their central position. If one of the selectors is out of its central position (therefore the tractor is in gear as you say it is) then you will need to take it out of gear before refitting the gear lever. You may need to use a pry-bar to take it out of gear whilst gently rocking the back wheels to-and-fro to help it release out of gear.

If all the selectors are lined up and it is still in gear it points towards a broken selector. You will need to take the gearbox top off, split the tractor between the gearbox and rear transmission housing so that you can take out the selector rails. It is, however, rare for a selector to break.

Hopefully it should be a relatively easy repair.

Steve.

Steve,

Thanks for that info – yes the TE20. The gear lever was loose, and as you suggested it was a problem with one of the selectors that the selector must have jumped when I was swapping between forward and reverse gears. It was simple to take the filler cap off and pry the far selector back into line – problem solved.

Simple – when you know how.

Thanks again

Derek