1975–1982 Massey Ferguson MF550, MF560, MF565, MF575, MF590 Workshop Manual (P/N 1856 072 M2)

• 619 PDF pages total — pages 1–575 contain the main Parts 1–10 material, followed by the 44-page Part 11 Special Models / Four Wheel Drive section. The opening contents sheet is Publication No. 1856 072 M2; internal Part dividers carry 1856 072 M1, and individual pages carry Issue 1, Issue 2, and Issue 3 markings.
• Covers MF550, MF560, MF565, MF575, and MF590 tractors, with internal engine repair matched to the correct Perkins build: AD3.152, AD4.203, A4.236, or A4.248.
• Documents model-specific tractor-splitting arrangements and repair of dual and split-torque clutches, standard and Mk II 8-speed constant-mesh/synchromesh transmissions, Multi-Power clutch and spool-valve units, selector rails, epicyclic gearsets, shafts, bearings, and seals.
• Details rear-axle and brake teardown, differential and crownwheel/pinion setup, epicyclic final drives, differential-lock mechanisms, brake actuator and plate service, plus proportional ground-speed and independent PTO configurations.
• Includes Ferguson lift-system operation and adjustment, pump and control-valve repair, lift-cover and ram service, auxiliary/Multi-Power/I.P.T.O. pressure and flow testing, and steering-system bleeding with pump, valve, cylinder, and hand-pump service.
• Provides body and cab repair procedures for sheet-metal panels, cab assemblies, seats, doors, window glass and seals, heater and blower units, plenum components, recirculation controls, and demister ducts.
• Supplies two full electrical wiring diagrams with color-code keys—one for starting, charging, gauges, and warning circuits, and one for lighting, indicators, hazard functions, and the trailer socket—along with fuse layouts and component service.
• Adds Category II and III four-wheel-drive front-axle repair, planetary reductions, universal joints, differential setup, transfer-gearbox service, hydraulic clutch and control-valve work, and pressure testing. Part 10 also covers hitch, drawbar, spool-valve, belt-pulley, weight, and trailer-hydraulic equipment.

Model-Specific Repair Coverage

The manual separates MF550/MF560 procedures from MF565/MF575/MF590 layouts where the hardware and support arrangements differ. The tractor-splitting chapter covers separation at the front axle and engine, engine and transmission, transmission and spacer housing, and spacer and center housing. It includes the support and withdrawal layouts for each group rather than reducing the job to a generic instruction.

The opening Part 1 also includes maintenance periods, pre-delivery checks, storage procedures, return-to-work inspection, and running checks. Part 7 covers two-wheel-drive front track and toe-in adjustment, hubs, spindle shafts and housings, beam assemblies, axle supports, and separate Plessey/Aeroquip steering-pump procedures.

Engine identification is equally specific: the MF550 uses the AD3.152, the MF560 the AD4.203, the MF565 and MF575 the A4.236, and the MF590 the A4.248. On the AD3.152 cylinder-head repair, the tightening sequence changes between engines up to serial 152UA 28410DSL and engines from 152UA 28411DSL, giving technicians a clear early/late-build distinction before reassembly.

Transmission coverage reaches well beyond external adjustment. The sections address selector mechanisms, clutch release parts, input and PTO shafts, mainshafts, reverse clusters, synchronizer cones, Multi-Power clutch units and spool valves, high/low shift controls, transmission-case removal, and complete internal overhaul. Rear-axle and PTO chapters also distinguish standard-flow and high-flow pump arrangements where they change the pinion, bearing, or PTO procedure.

Factory Procedures, Test Data, and Tools

The engine chapters cover cylinder-head and valve-train repair, valve-seat and guide work, timing gears, camshaft and tappets, flywheel and ring gear, rear main seal, oil pump, balancer unit, pistons and connecting rods, cylinder liners, crankshaft, and thrust washers. Cooling-system diagnosis and repair includes the radiator, thermostat, housing, and water pump. Related factory data is supplied as torque sequences, clearances, wear limits, liner-protrusion checks, crankshaft limits, gear backlash, bearing preload, fluid capacities, hydraulic pressure and flow tests, and electrical/fuse data. Fault-finding material includes engine symptom charts, clutch diagnosis, hydraulic test sequences, and a wheel-and-tire fault chart.

Special-tool references include the PD.150 cylinder-liner remover/replacer, MF.159A clutch centralizer, MF.215 PTO clutch setting gauge, MF.314 lever-height setting gauge, and MF.810-series Multi-Power/I.P.T.O. test adapters. The illustrations are equally practical: dual-clutch exploded and section views, engine timing-gear alignment drawings, Ferguson pump and control-valve exploded views, rear-axle differential and PTO assemblies, the two electrical schematics, and Category II/III four-wheel-drive axle and transfer-gearbox views.

Scope Notes and Workshop Cautions

Fuel-system coverage includes the dry-element air cleaner, tank, sender, Thermostart, lift pump, filters, injectors, injection-pump removal, de-aeration, and static timing. For detailed internal servicing of fuel-injection components, the manual directs the reader to the Perkins and CAV workshop manuals.

Several warnings are worth knowing before a major repair. During tractor reassembly, the housings must not be pulled together with flange bolts before the shafts and splines are aligned; the manual warns that this can damage the transmission and main-drive components. The clutch section says not to skim the false flywheel or pressure plates because it changes their heat-dissipation characteristics. The cylinder-liner section warns that even a slight burr or handling damage can distort a liner as it is installed in the block.

Tractor splitting, cab removal, axle work, and hydraulic testing involve heavy or pressurized assemblies. Support each section with rated equipment, isolate electrical power, and relieve hydraulic pressure before lines or housings are opened.