Open Center Hydraulic System

IMPORTANT: The hydraulic system design used on this tractor is known as an open center system. In general, it is not recommended to use continuous flow hydraulic motors with this type of system. Some hydraulic motors designed for open centered systems (high flow at low pressure) can be used if a pressure compensated flow control valve is used to control speed. The deluxe three-function SCV has a pressure compensating flow control valve built into the 1st SCV. If the tractor is equipped with a dual function SCV, you will need to control motor speed with an independent pressure compensated flow control valve. Using a non-compensated flow control valve such as a needle valve may cause over heating of the hydraulic system. Consult your nearest John Deere dealer or service facility for more information regarding this type of application.

Hydraulic motor applications such as those used in vacuum blower motors, centrifugal sprayer pumps, hydraulically driven rakes or other similar applications may cause overheating of the hydraulic system if the hydraulic motors are not correctly sized for an open center system. In such cases, the use of a PTO-driven hydraulic pump is strongly recommended.

Open center systems cannot be used for implements requiring “active” down force such as no-till, folding, air disk and no-till air drills as well as used to maintain optimum press wheel down-force on air hoe-drills.

Open center hydraulic systems with Deluxe Three-Function SCV's can be used with hydraulic motors requiring high flow at low pressure but not on motors requiring low flow at high pressure or overheating will occur and possible damage to hydraulic system.

Anytime one of above applications is considered, consult your nearest John Deere dealer or service facility for information on how to open center system in these applications.

Failure to observe this application information will likely cause serious damage to tractor hydraulic system.