[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

We're back. Finally north of the border and at the lodge.

Now to pick up where we left off. We have boxes and boxes of parts that were ordered and stored oh so long ago.

Tearing a boat dock apart to get the lumber to make a platform so we can saw the ole magician assistant in two. Or thirds in this case.

Will post pics and update the progress. As time permits. Still got a lodge to get ready for Moose hunters.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

17 hours ago, Jeff-C-IL said:

Caribou have been declining, black bear and wolf population thriving....HMMMMM.....

One of our furry friends left his mark. And I am not a small man.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

On 6/26/2020 at 11:18 PM, 660 driver said:

Hope your project goes well! The old dog is pretty clean yet from the picture you posted. I cant wait to hear how ya come out. My dad flies up to the northern edge of canada to hunt caribou. Says its pretty much tundra where he hunts. I cant remember what the resorts called. He met a guy at cabelas who used to guide up there and thats how he got into it. Hes an IH nut like me and we have a 966 as well. Good luck to you sir! As been said they are easy to work on compared to new stuff.

Thank you for the support and kind words. I will keep this post up to date no matter how long it takes to complete the project.

Your dads hunt is just a bit farther north of us. We are just south of the tree line. I won't drop competitors names here, wink,wink. Sad to say that the condition of the Caribou herds have been in major decline for a while now. Numbers in the hundreds of thousands have dwindled to tens of thousands. We still see Caribou sign but the migratory path they take has changed over the last few years to the north of us. But our Moose, Black Bear and Wolf populations have been thriving and growing every year. The Moose harvested during our season supports the community with much needed protein for the year and is distributed to the entire population.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

51 minutes ago, chadd said:

See below for pictures.  The IH recommendation was to replace the countershaft and nut with left hand threaded versions used in later production.  This was much cheaper and easier.  I didn't come up with the idea, the experts here recommended it.  No special tools required, just a drill and a drill bit.  The pin was from the local hardware store.  Regarding the 300 ft-lbs, you don't need to put a torque wrench on it or anything, just put a cheater bar on the breaker bar and guesstimate it.

 

Those are some outstanding pictures. Can see a fingerprint on that nut face. Can't be explained any clearer than that. Thank You. 

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

14 hours ago, chadd said:

It is retaining the locknut after achieving the 300ft/lbs...  Some tack weld the locknut to the countershaft threads.  On the ones I've done, I drilled a hole through the nut and countershaft (keeping chips from getting in bearing), pounded in a spring pin coated in red loctite, and then peened the ends of the pin over so that it can't come out.

Wow! Many different ways to insure that nut stays in place. Am I understanding correctly that in your method you are drilling the hole at 90' to the counter-shaft completely through the nut and shaft?

Did Big Red ever issue a tech bulletin addressing this issue with their best practice recommendation?

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

16 hours ago, ole 815 said:

Thought you might be interested in my shop project I jus started today.  966 bad clutch & Ta.  Shift linkage needs attention also.

Here is a pic 

Yes, yes, yes. I am so interested. So interested that I might jump on the bike and knock on your shop door! You wouldn't be the guy that has a row of every model of Big Red parked along the road in front of his place would you?

Dang, I'm also very envious. Big beautiful out of the weather shop. Hard, smooth, level shop floor. Rolling gantry crane at the ready. No fair I cry,, no fair. Just kidding. You are blessed.

In a past life I used to work for a company that had their headquarters in Newton, IA.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

Jeff, Mark, Doctor

We run a 100kw stand alone diesel generator that supplies our power requirements. The tractor doesn't provide any PTO service. We have nothing that requires attachment to the PTO. We just have a draw bar, no three point hitch. We pull flat farm wagons for cargo, some with benches for people to sit. A rolling road packer, a sheep's foot, and drag screens for runway maintenance.

Yes, we have an old 50 amp stick welder. We also have oxy/acetylene outfit. There is only one place the welder can be plugged in for use. I have on my wish list a new wire feed welder and a small plasma cutter so they can be a little more mobile. But then I have a lot of things on my wish list.

Already purchased those jacks. Yup, side crank, extendable leg, weld on type. Knowing I would have to fabricate and weld on a proper mounting plate to be able to attach them to the tractor. Got lucky, Princess Auto had them on sale for half price. Also picked up some 8 inch steel castors for the feet. Guess I should also pick up a engine stand to hold the speed trans while I play around inside it.

Would like to hear more about any "special tools" like the 2 3/4  inch socket, that are required? Aside from just routine hand tools and the like. 

I take it there is some controversy on the proper method to lock/secure the bearing lock nut on the speed transmission counter-shaft if you can't achieve the required 300 ft/lbs torque spec? Is red lock-tight suitable to aid in this issue?

When I drained enough of the trans fluid last summer to replace the trans brake I only found pieces of the TA clutch disks and nothing else that caused alarm. Like gear teeth or metal shavings. In taking the additional steps to replace the TA I cannot express the apprehension I have about the unexpected condition of what I'm going to find inside.

Asked the community for any pics they had of the tractor and Larry sent me this one of when they got stuck in some quicksand a few years back. I wasn't around in those days and missed out on all the fun.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

A quick update to bring everyone up to speed. If anyone considers the pace of a tortoise speedy.

Paul and the good people of Fawcett Tractor have worked their magic and have provide an extensive list of required parts. Thanks to everyone. 

Now to make a substantial monetary deposit to the Fawcett bank account and get those parts to our materials staging area for airlift to Big Sand. Made the decision to also replace the TA so the repair is going to be a little more involved than a simple split and clutch replacement.

The bad news is the border and travel north of the 53rd is still prohibited to non-essential people. Like me! 

The government will take another look in 30 days and advise if we can go in and get to work. I sure hope I can get to work on the ole girl before the snow flies. Only have about another month or two of what I consider warm weather. I've never enjoyed turning a wrench wearing gloves and three layers of clothes. Right now 20 hours of daylight comes in handy. Wish I could make use of it.

I will keep this post up to date as the situation develops. Thanks to everyone who has contributed and expressed their support.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

What kind of weight are we talking about here? Would Two 5000 lb rated jacks be heavy duty enough or do they need to be rated higher than that?

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

I'm starting to feel like Tom Sawyer and the picket fence!!

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

17 hours ago, FarmerFixEmUp said:

I have 2 sets made from that same jack. I put 8" HD swivel casters on mine I found on ebay. I don't use them much on tricycle front tractors unless I put a cherry picker attached to the radiator casting to hold it upright. 

 

 

 

This is more stable for the narrow fronts. 

I'm liking this idea. The up side for me is I can use them for other jobs when I need them. In my world everything needs to be multi use.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

Great pics. So many solutions.

Now if the Canadian government would just open the border and allow me and maybe some of my new friends to travel north. Knock this out we would.

We have been designated a non-essential business by the Canadian government because we are in the travel and tourism industry.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

OMG Why didn't I think of The King. He has helped us out many times. Lynn Lake is the closest hamlet with a all weather airport. We use Lynn Lake when our runway is soup and we can't land wheeled aircraft. The King is the only person with a van and he has been so kind to assist us and ferry our guests from the float plane dock to the airport from time to time. He even signed a few copies of his book for some of our guests.

Right now I'm stuck in Tennessee. Our governments have closed the border and shut us down until they think the world is safe again. So I'm using this time to stage materials so we will be ready when they lift the blockade.

Once we are able to get on site again I'll be sure to photo document the repair and share with all you good folks.

Check us out if you care to at www.bigsandlakelodge.com

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

Thank you one and all. 

Repair it's going to be. Given all the variables, fixing her makes the most sense. While I don't have a nice level concrete shop floor I do have the ability to cut 4X8 timbers up to ten feet in length. So making up something to provide the support should not be that involved.

In a post above a distance of separation of 12 inches was given as enough to replace flywheel and clutch. Is that enough? You guys that have done this, how much is ideal? I know the less their separated the less they can get out of alignment.

Now to round up the parts and get them to Winnipeg or Thompson CD. I've got parts from "Double "R" Farm Equip" in the past I'll check with them and also "Fawcett Tractor". Break out the parts book.

Yes that's a Otter in the pic. For us not the best cost effective option. We get the best dollar per pound from a Beaver (float) or Caravan/Chieftain (wheeled). A Basler for heavy, large items. Our fuel comes on a Basler at 1500 gal per load.

That's a 44 inch Lake Trout caught in the fall in 12 feet of water. They be guarding their eggs and don't like a yellow and black "Five of Diamonds" passing through.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

TB5288,  

Right I don't have to have the TA. Our use doesn't require what it is designed to do. Yup the cab can be tilted back. The tractor still has to be split to get to the clutch package and bearing. Correct? When you push the clutch in the tractor stops moving with no issue. But the trans gears will not stop. Is that solely a clutch issue and not an internal mid section issue?

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

FarmerFixEmUp, Nope never a clutch or TA. Easy to get out of gear, no problem. Can't get it in gear with the engine running. Hours?? Let's see,,, used 3 months out of the year X 8 hrs/day X 50 years = What? 36,000 hrs give or take an hour or two.

Jeff,  That's why I'm here consulting the experts. Fly in only. Or trudge across the tundra in the winter. No one is there when it's -45 F in the winter. Yup, we have a cab. Nope, no big trees. We are just south of the arctic tree line so our trees don't get much bigger around than 10 inches and 20 foot tall. I have considered constructing a timber frame gin pole lifting device. We are called Big Sand for a reason. No solid ground anywhere. I have considered a sliding rail system that would hold the two jig's in aliment. No materials but we do have a welder. Most of the time I can make things stick together.

Even if we separate the sections can the repair be made in the field? Not knowing what needs to be replaced inside? Is it conceivable  to transport a rebuilt middle and swap them out?

Tried the training exercise thing, they didn't think it was funny. 

Trying to find a good pic of the tractor. I'll add it when I find it. Meanwhile check these out.

[Repair of a 966 in the far North]

This is my first post in any forum ever. So bear with me, I'm old and tend to ramble. I post here to ask the community for their advice and recommendations. I have a F 966 #2510175U009030, built I believe in 1971. This ole girl is located at a hunting, fishing lodge on the shores of Big Sand Lake in northern Manitoba Canada. The tractor was purchased new and driven up on a winter road that no longer exists. We are a fly in lodge with our own unimproved runway. Everything we get must be flown up to us at great expense.

This machine has been used hard by many different people every summer of its life. Some of these operators were not as qualified as others and now she is showing the injuries of this hard life. Even with the hard use this tractor runs like it did in 71. Purrs like a kitten. I wish every engine I have ever had held up like this one.

Now for the bad stuff and why I need advice. As the years passed by the transmissions have received the majority of the abuse. From the shifting linkages on the column to the internal components of both sections. We are down to one forward and one reverse gear range that can only be selected when the engine is not running. Example put the tractor in forward using a old oar handle to move the linkage at the base of the column, start the engine, let out on the clutch and head on down the road, push the clutch in, stop the tractor , turn off the engine, use the oar handle to select reverse, start the engine, let out the clutch and back up.

When the engine is running, even with the clutch fully depressed the gears continue to spin and shifting is impossible. Last summer I replaced the transmission brake and installed the modified linkage. Adjusted the new linkage to provide the greatest amount of pressure to stop the spinning gears and this made no improvement. When I removed the access cover that holds the trans brake I found the remains of the torque assist clutches which explained why the torque assist has not work for many years.

If this tractor was at my home in Tennessee I would not hesitate to split the sections and dive in. I could re-manufacture the shifting linkages. New arms, bushings. I have a tractor grave yard just up the road for spare parts. However, where it is located we have no heavy lifting equipment, no holding jigs to support the sections,  no machine shop.

What would the community do? Try to fix her up or retire her with gratefulness for a long service. Keep it in mind that to replace her we have to buy a replacement, wait until winter when the lakes are frozen, cut a winter road through the bush about 150 miles long to get the replacement on site. Or Fly in the parts, jigs, special tools, expertise on a Basler aircraft which has a cargo capacity of about 18,000 lbs. and costs about $7000 one way. 

We cannot live without a workhorse like this tractor. Runway maintenance is not the only job we require of her. There are many, many others.

Thank you for your consideration and sage advice.