Just dirty? (lower remote on 1066)

[Coytee]

I was going to ask....I then thought "you have an electronic version of the manual, don't be an azz, go look it up, this isn't rocket science!!"

So here I am with tail tucked!!

My 1066 came to me with packed and very dirty rear remotes.  Took me a while of spraying them out to get the gunk out so I could put the two hoses there for the raise/lower of the wings and mower deck.  Never used the lower remotes.

Now that I'm trying to attach this hydraulic toplink, I now need the lower.  Spray some WD40 on it to start soaking in (it's stunningly filthy)  Finally, take machine up to garage and pull pressure washer out.  Spray both lowers and they're looking clean enough to finally attach the adapter for the hoses.

Upper remote:  move lever (up I think), push lever  against the knob behind it and that via leverage will push the ball bearing section out so I can insert the adapter.

Fine....I get it.

Go to lower unit, it ain't budging.  In fact, if I push that lever (down???) to the knob behind it, the angles don't seem to push it OUT as much as more upward.  None the less, it isn't budging.  Finally got a long screwdriver to try to gently put behind it to help coax it to at least move.....  nothing doing.

I'm still concluding this thing has a layer of fine dirt packed inside the sliding motion of it and I'm still convinced I push that lever down/back....

What I'm looking for is , am I doing it correctly?  I don't want to bring in some higher leverage only to find out I was backwards and now messed something up.  If my presumptions are correct that it's a layer of crusty muck inside there, any preferred sprays to work in to loosen it?

If memory serves me, I've got WD40, brake cleaner, PB blaster, I think its called "Free All", possibly another but that's probably it.  Any of those preferred?  I used WD earlier, Im going to soak it again with PB this time.

By the way, the manual I have simlply shows someone putting a hose into the TOP unit (which is why I'm presuming it has to be the same thing, maybe just inverted)

 

[Alan Dinan]

Are there grease zerks on the side of the block that the fittings are in? I switched out the old IH style for the Pioneer style when I bought it 24 years ago. Been too long to remember if I put them in or if they were there from the factory. 

[Drysleeves]

There are no factory grease fittings on the hydraulic couplers.

If the remotes haven’t been used in a very long time they’re packed with semi-permanent dirt and possibly some rust. I remember tapping the back side of one or two with blunt force back in the day to free them up for use. Not easy to get in there for adequate purchase. You might have to remove the snap rings and the entire coupler body. There are two sets of o-rings with flat back up rings inside the coupler. 

[HydroTek]

Reach around and push on the backside of the coupler
and spray some PB or FreeAll there -- wd40 is mostly useless 

The lever is not much use to pry the coupler out
just use your fingers on the rear 

May need to gently hammer if there is a lot of crud 

Look inside at the cam that the lever connects onto
be sure it aligns when the lever is straight back
Sometimes those are bent from forcing 

[Coytee]

I appreciate the help, I got them.

I didn't realize (until now) that you can evidently push from the rear.  They extended just a little, the coupler wasn't going in.  The bearings were fully extended.  I had a vague recollection that this happened the first time I ever put couplers in there.  I thought they extended further than evidently they do.

I grabbed the lip of the stuck part and was able to pull it out just a fraction of an inch BUT, I was able to spray it down and roll my fingers over the bearings and that loosened them up a bit and all the sudden they disappeared!  (pulled out of the way).

So I've got all four couplers in there now.  Went to the next step.....  week or two ago, took the rotating cylinder off the starboard side (vertical adjustor for 3-point) and at least got the muck off.  I still need to get caps & just finish it BUT today was let's take off port side.

That thing is STUCK!  I can't find my 4' cheater bar but I had my stilson wrench on it.  It pulled almost horizontal as there's nothing holding it down.  Got a strap to take around axle and at least hold the arm as close to vertical as I can while now turning.  I'm not 23 (nor 33, 43, 53, 63) any more but giving it all I could, it won't budge.  Sprayed it all day to let it soak.  Tried moving it both directions however it's nearly (if not all the way) compressed.  So I know I've got room to unscrew it.  

You know, all this is just so I can put an undersized box blade (5' if I recall) in the back, won't even cover the tracks....  to try to smooth out the woods behind the house a bit.  My twisted sense of humor gets a chuckle that it's one thing followed by another, by another....

I'll get it there though.  If there's one thing I am (other than wife letting me know I'm a jackazz), is I'm a persistent little cuss!!!  

Probably be easier, faster, not sure about less expensive.....to just rent a bulldozer and smooth it out.  I did notice a couple hour drive away, someone had a land rake/leveler (not sure what it's called)  That caught my eye as it would do this, it's pulled like my mower and, could be used to better groom the gravel driveway which gets blown up every now & then with bad rains.  The 3-point assembly simply gets in the way with the speed increaser and hydraulic pump that my mower needs (and removing mower is a bit of a production as I have to bring the backhoe in to chain the front of mower to hoist it to pull the pin and pull tractor away.  Putting it back together is even more of a dance, especially doing it single handedly.  I probably have to jump into / out of the backhoe 12-15 times to fine tune the alighnment and of course, something then sags by 1/4 inch so have to try again.

 

 

 

 

[Drysleeves]

Glad you got the remotes to move. I also remember putting a piece of hardwood in behind the coupler body and working that back and forth, sometimes with a beating utensil. Doesn't take long for them to get sticky if not used regularly. The lever will only work when things are going smoothly and I've seen tractors with bent and broken levers due to overcooking the situation.

[acem]

They made aftermarket levers to mount behind the levers to help move them out.. pretty handy.

 

[Coytee]

I'm at a crossroads, so a bit of an update (just to talk about what's going on)

I tried to push from behind today and viola, the unit moved pretty easily!  Nice to know you can do that.

I said above that my twisted sense of humor gets a kick sometimes out of "what else can go wrong"......  well....  here's another thing!

I bought too large of pin the other day to work with my boxblade, so this morning, went back to store to get smaller.  Turns out it uses 3/4" not 7/8".  Fine.

Just went outside to try to loosen the adjustor part of the vertical tube.  Had my stilson on it (it's around 24") and cranking away, all the sudden it breaks FREE!  Gimme an A'men....  oh, wait.....I see something fly to the side and I hear a clink on the ground.

I give you the crank that you use to adjust the height.  

If this adjuster was in the middle or full length, I might leave it be and just use the other side for tilting my box blade.  This is totally compressed so it's as high as it can be.  I suppose I can try it on the box to see what it says, but otherwise, for the problems of pulling it off, getting it out somewhere, having them brutalize it, then replacing the crank....  I might just buy a new one.  Don't know yet, this just happened so haven't had time to focus on an approach.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the tube appears to be just as locked now as before.  No gains.

[HydroTek]

Weld the handle back on 

That threaded rod has a roll pin in the end to keep it from threading off the lower part
-- you arent against that roll pin are you ?

So you thread the link all the way together and remove the roll pin thru the hole in the casting 
-- then the rod will turn out

If the link threads are frozen , you can put turning pressure on them with that stilson while hammering on the side of the rod

Obviously turned some or would not have broken that handle off 

[Coytee]

After I broke it, I (later on) ended up turning the starboard unit to even them up.  I had to lengthen and lengthen....  I finally wondered if indeed, the port one was at the full extension verses compressed.  Too late now.  (didn't think of welding as I don't have welder so don't think about that as part of any answers)

Now I go to mount the hydraulic cylinder....  it doesn't fit.  I went to mount it in lower hole.  caked with dirt (the pin wouldn't go in either so had to clean out the caked on dust).  Then, went to mount the cylinder....  although I finally got it on, it seems as though the cylinder is just a SMUDGGGGGGGGGGGGGE too large.  I had to wiggle and wiggle, had to beat the pin to use it as my centering device.  It finally went on but I've got to think if it was 1-2 MM's more narrow, it would have been easy.

Mount up the hydraulic cylinder.  Go to extend/retract it....  both of the hoses at the ball valve have a drip.  I didn't check them for tight.  Got things working.  Went out to mount the box blade.  Don't you know that with all the bushing/sleeves I'd gone through, I had exactly what I needed!  Chalk a win for that.

Spent 45 minutes to get the box blade lined up well enough and got top link mounted and one side.  Could not get it alighed for the other side until I removed one of the two bushing to give the pin a wider target.

Bottom line, I think I'm going to L.O.V.E. this hydraulic toplink.  Never had one AND, on this tractor, never had to use the 3-point.  As I was driving the box blade back from the woods towards the house, I was playing around....  found myself grabbing the remotes (tilting) when I wanted to raise it and vice versa.  Stupid stuff but that muscle memory has NO memory so once I build, it will be fine.

The box blade (my opinion) is wayyyyy too small but, it will help do what I want and if I can hobble with it while I debate on getting a larger/wider one.  This essentially goes to just past the inside of the tires so better than nothing but will be leaving tracks.

Oh, regarding roll pins.....  the starboard unit was completely apart.  It was caked with dirt.  I wire brushed it but didn't notice any holes in it (for the roll pin) nor, did I notice any pin BUT, I also didn't know to look.  I'll be taking it back apart to clean it up better and will look then.  I had tried to rotate this (the now broken one) both clockwise and counter clockwise and it was absolutely stuck in both directions.  I was convinced it was compressed so really spent the time and effort to unscrew it but, if it was indeed at max length then I would have been fighting the roll pins.

I had tried banging on the side but, was trying to loosen it.  I didn't try it while trying the other direction.  When I lengthened the starboard unit it had roughly three threads poking out the top.  That's when I started wondering if the stuck unit was already long and I was fighting the pin.

Meh....  just more to tackle.  I'll get it done one way or another.  Given how nice the hydraulic top link is, I'm already debating on adding a hydraulic side.

 

[Coytee]

4 hours ago, HydroTek said:

Obviously turned some or would not have broken that handle off 

Forgot to mention....  the handle was in the locked position.  When it snapped, the entire unit rotated.  The upper/lower units are still stuck, relative to each other.

[HydroTek]

The mark on the thread shaft in this pic is to help level the arms to each other -- if you are seeing threads , then the rod is too far out

#3 is a grease fitting -- below that is the access hole for the roll pin in the thread rod
roll pin is about 1/2" from the end of the thread rod
if you have one apart , should see that the roll pin has been worn flush with the threads
use a wire wheel to buff the threads and look for the color of the roll pin

should be 5/16 x 1 1/2"

 

[Coytee]

Also discovered the port extender on the lifting arm, doesn't extend.  I fought and got the right side to extend but the left one needs more attention.  That would have  made mounting the box a bit easier yesterday.

Might I presume if I remove those two "springs" (the lower left corner items in your picture) ....  if those get removed, I'll have dug deep enough to pull the arm out and then can clean it?  When (this is low priority) I get this apart and cleaned up, does it go back in 'clean' or would a coat of grease go onto it?  Kind of seems to me grease would end up attracting and sticking to dirt.

Thanks for explaining the mark on the shaft.  I've not even noticed it existing.  

[iowaboy1965]

There is a roll pin in the arm pieces (extender) also. at least on an 826 there is. I assume there would be on a 1066 as well. You will have to drive those out before the extenders will come out.  Just taking the spring off won't do it. In fact I'm not sure you have to take the spring off. Would have to have one in front of me to recall.

[HydroTek]

Spray on graphite is best for the balls and extender parts 

would be good on those threads when you get them loose 

[Coytee]

This is going to sound stupid....  (but it's the truth).

Been involved with helping folks with their retirements for 38 years.  Went to a trade school, had a guy come in and I recognized him.  I'm thinking what on earth can I help him with today, I've already seen him five times...  (over past 3'ish years)  well, I guess that showed on my face.  To be honest, I don't care and it doesn't matter (I'm not commissioned) I get paid the same so for me it's another meeting....

Interestingly, he stops and says "You might wonder why I keep visiting with you when you're on campus"  He went on to say "every time I sit with you, I learn something.....so if you don't mind, I'd love to keep meeting with you when you come to collect as many nuggets from you that I can"

I thought that was a nice thing to say and to be a bit honest, it's true, especially to someone who's maybe in mid 20's, low 30's who's not had much experience in investments.  I've tried to explain to folks every now & then that I realize (in my world) I've got all kinds of nuggets and if I could have my way, I'd copy all of them into each person I meet with to help speed up their learning curve.

 

Well.....folks......  your wives might say you're full of something, but I say you're full of nuggets and it's valuable to try to pick up as many of them as I (anyone) can.  It sounds somewhat stupid, but really, a heart felt THANK YOU, for you just being you and willing to help others.  It really is greatly appreciated.

As for the spray on graphite..... it's not in my cabinet so it's going on my list!!

 

 

[HydroTek]

Kind words @Coytee
there are enough nuggets on these forums to fill a rail car
it is my hope the younglings will learn some from us old heads 

Knowledge if not passed on, is not worth much 

[acem]

Spray on graphite is a hidden jewel.

Lots of good nuggets here on redpower but generally it's hard to separate the signal from the noise...