Fordson Dexta / Super Dexta 1958–1962 Workshop Manual (P/N FOO.1566-D)

• Covers Fordson Dexta and Super Dexta tractors with the 144 cu. in. (2,360 cc) and 152 cu. in. (2,500 cc) 3-cylinder diesel engines; the electrical section also carries Fordson Dexta, Super Dexta, and New Super Dexta coverage.
• The 408-page PDF combines the Ford Motor Company Limited workshop manual with the illustrated Fordson Dexta and Super Dexta 1957/64 Parts List, publication FOO.1566-D.
• Distinguishes single-clutch/standard-transmission tractors from double-clutch Live P.T.O. versions, plus Standard Dexta and Super Dexta gearbox, rear-axle, and P.T.O. differences.
• Provides serial-sensitive service information, including the major gearbox change effective with tractor Serial No. 957E-63953.

Document Technical Scope

This factory publication was prepared by Ford Motor Company Limited, Service Department, Tractor Division, Dagenham, England, for servicing and repair of the Fordson Dexta. Its ten workshop sections go well beyond routine maintenance: brakes, wheels and tires, front axle, steering gear, engine, lubrication and cooling, fuel injection, clutch, gearbox, rear axle and P.T.O., hydraulic power lift, electrical equipment, automatic pick-up hitch, and belt pulley are all covered with repair data, adjustments, specifications, and illustrated overhaul procedures.

The engine section separates Standard Dexta and Super Dexta data rather than treating the two engines as interchangeable. Standard Dexta is rated at 32 BHP at 2,000 rpm and 92 lb-ft at 1,200 rpm with a 16.5:1 compression ratio; Super Dexta is listed at 39.5 BHP at 2,000 rpm and 112 lb-ft at 1,250 rpm with a 17.4:1 ratio. Factory clearances include piston-ring gaps, connecting-rod alignment limits, main-bearing clearances, timing-gear backlash, and 0.00225–0.01025 in. crankshaft end-float.

Always practice standard shop safety protocols and securely support the tractor before engine/front-axle separation, rear-axle work, or other heavy-component repair.

Model, Serial, and Configuration Detail

The manual identifies tractor serial numbers by the 957E prefix and uses serial breaks where component design changed. Effective with Serial No. 957E-63953, Ford introduced new-ratio gearboxes with dimensional changes to shafts and gears that affected some tools and procedures; P.T.O. specification tables also flag pre-957E-63953 values. Separate material covers the Super Dexta gearbox, including different main-shaft spigot bearing, main drive shaft, secondary output shaft, and reverse-idler arrangements.

The included 1957/64 parts list adds another layer of configuration control. Its figure index separates fuel-injection pumps with pneumatic governor for 1957–March 1962 from mechanical-governor applications for April 1962–1964, and it separates generator assemblies used through October 1962 from those used November 1962–1964. Exploded parts groups cover the hydraulic lift, D.A.R. valve, transmission and clutch, Live P.T.O., differential lock, engine, fuel system, electrical equipment, sheet metal, and other assemblies with part-number references.

Specification Highlights

Engine tightening data lists cylinder-head nuts at 55–60 lb-ft and main-bearing cap bolts at 90–95 lb-ft. The cooling system capacity is 15 Imperial pints (8.52 liters), with thermostat opening specified at 156–165°F and full opening at 185°F. Fuel-system coverage includes injection timing, pump phasing, governor adjustment, injector testing, lift-pump checks, and fault diagnosis for hard starting, starting-and-stopping, loss of power, knock, and excessive smoke.

Hydraulic coverage is unusually detailed for this tractor family. The power-lift section explains Qualitrol and Position Control, control and unloading valves, lift-cylinder and linkage adjustment, hydraulic pump overhaul, and the Double-Acting Ram (D.A.R.) valve. Updated pump data specifies 2,100–2,300 psi relief pressure and 3.31 Imperial gal/min (15.03 L/min) flow at 1,550 engine rpm. The gearbox section covers six forward and two reverse ratios, main and secondary shaft overhaul, selector rails and forks, bearings, seals, and Standard versus Live P.T.O. layouts.

Factory Repair Procedures, Tools, and Diagnostic Depth

Major procedures include engine removal and tractor splitting, cylinder-head and liner service, crankshaft and connecting-rod inspection, single- and double-clutch overhaul and setting, gearbox shaft and bearing repair, differential/crown-wheel-and-pinion overhaul, P.T.O. service, hydraulic top-cover and pump repair, fuel-injection pump calibration and phasing, injector testing, generator/regulator checks, starter service, steering-gear overhaul, and brake repair.

Named illustrations show the actual depth of the material, including Engine Lubrication System, Calibrating and Phasing Test Equipment, Exploded View of the Double Clutch, Sectioned Gearbox, Sectioned View of Rear Axle and Hydraulics, and the full Wiring Diagram. Special-service equipment is identified by tool number where required, with examples such as the T.6093 valve spring compressor, T.6101/a cylinder-liner remover adaptor, T.7000 gearbox main tool, and T.8503 hydraulic pressure gauge.

The repair instructions also preserve assembly details that matter. Injection-pump delivery valves and guides are lapped matched pairs; mixing them can compromise the precision sealing and fuel delivery the pump depends on. Rear-axle bearing cones are kept with their respective cups, since interchanging matched races can upset bearing contact and preload. Cylinder liners are an interference fit, and Ford specifies tallow for pressing them into the block while expressly prohibiting oil or grease; using the wrong assembly lubricant can compromise correct liner seating.