656 - Front Axle Bolster / Pin

[GFleck]

I'm new to working on tractors and I bought a 1972 International 656 (serial 15528, C-263 gas engine, gear drive, has a loader on it).

I'm in the middle of replacing the belts, radiator, thermostat, and water pump on it. While I was in there, I noticed the Pin running through the lower cast housing had a thin metal sleeve on it that was spinning freely and no longer went completely around. I looked from the front head on and the pin is not setting in the housing hole centered. I've attached a few pictures both of the rod coming through the well at the front of the tractor and one where it exits the casting on the other side. Did some research and it seems like the bushing is completely wore out and I most likely option is to take casting and pin to a machine shop. My question is how dangerous and or likely am I to cause further damage increasing my cost to repair if I put things back together with the new radiator and such and use the tractor to Bush Hog about 20 acres of my property that hasn't been mowed all spring or summer before addressing this front end issue? Anything else I'm missing or should know or consider about this situation? Thanks!

[brahamfireman]

That pin is SHOT. Now I'm not going to say what's safe to use or not but me,  I'd fix it over winter after I'm done using it for summer. 

Your risk tolerance may vary. 

[Jeff-C-IL]

By now, those parts are basically shot.   Very little additional damage will be done until you have time to pull the bolster.   And unlikely that it will snap either.

I don't think that I would try to do all this at once.   Get the other stuff repaired - then plan to pull & repair the bolster this winter.

I learned the hard way to not try to repair too many "different" things at the same time....forgot to tighten the oil plug on a 1486 while changing the oil and the clutch & TA etc.... and then I got to replace the motor too.

[stronger800]

Yea, that’s been very worn, for a very long time. (Anywhere you see an air gap…..there should be no gap)however,   It’s not going to fail anytime soon either. 

I’d call around looking for used parts this fall, take pictures to a machine shop,  see what works better for you 

[HydroTek]

Housing needs to come off and be either welded up or bushed -- then line bored 

the pin is not available -- but can be made from 4140
the brass bushings would have to come from some place like McMaster 

I have a 656 that is in a similar shape so sometime when I get a chance it needs this 

[R190]

I agree it can be a winter job  20 acres is not going to kill it.

[Shell1066]

 It wont hurt to run it , but I'll be in the other camp and ask you to think about this. You already have all the stuff out of the way. Radiator etc so why not do it now? A wise mechanic has told me this quote many times and I find it to be true. " don't pay for the real estate twice'. Meaning your already in there with half the labor done already. If you put it back together and repair it later, you have to pull it all again. Just a thought to consider.

[Jeff-C-IL]

My thought was he doesn't need to get all that moved again - just unbolt the bolster and remove the entire thing from below.   Or are the utilities harder to remove the bolster?

[HydroTek]

That is an "I" model 656 -- the whole front part has to be removed

so radiator and support
oil cooler and all that stuff