Now front end question 1466

[pt756]

We are kind of rained out for a bit, was going to try and tighten up the front end, have worked on them before, question I have is that trunion ball that goes into the wishbone of the axle, looks like it might be original yet, former owner kind of let it go, is that a tapered hole?? And what if its all slopped out? Is there a fix for that? And the main pin that hold axle on also needs attention, if I remember its a bushing and a new pin? thanks

[HydroTek]

Straight hole - splines on the ball shank help to grip the metal 

I have welded the hole and used a carbide cutter on a die grinder to get it back in shape

You need to drive the ball into the wishbone with a sledge 

Also have just welded the ball in place -- but not my favorite "fix" to the problem 

Drill that cap for a grease fitting -- and use it 

[pt756]

Thanks have grease fitting on all the others, I guess as long as the pin stays tight should be okay, will get new one tomorrow, fooled with it just a little before milking, last year I took the other 1466 front axle off and did the taper pin thing if you all remember , this one isnt that bad yet,  steering arms look okay, tie rods are loose inside pipe, at least I wont have to fight to get them apart.

[acem]

3 hours ago, HydroTek said:

Straight hole - splines on the ball shank help to grip the metal 

I have welded the hole and used a carbide cutter on a die grinder to get it back in shape

You need to drive the ball into the wishbone with a sledge 

Also have just welded the ball in place -- but not my favorite "fix" to the problem 

Drill that cap for a grease fitting -- and use it 

Can you describe in more detail about fixing the wallowed out hole.

And never seen a grease fitting on the ball!

[HydroTek]

56 minutes ago, acem said:

Can you describe in more detail about fixing the wallowed out hole.

And never seen a grease fitting on the ball!

I drill and put a grease fitting on all that I get in the shop 
fitting goes in the cap -- need to tilt the cap to drill in the drill press
want the fitting near (1/3 of the way) to the rear of the cap -- closed end
-- I use a 45 degree drill center guide that I made years ago -- just a pieces of angle iron welded on a plate to make a  "V"

I use chrome-nickel rod to weld the hole up where it it worn
-- middle is usually not too bad -- just the outsides of the hole  
-- die grinder and carbide burr
-- just do good work and get the hole "round"

I use a pin or socket as a test fitting to figure where to grind the high spots 
-- but use whatever you have handy 
-- would be best to measure the new ball shank and make a pin that is a little under size
-- need the ball to fit tight in that wishbone 

[acem]

I need to fix several of mine 

[pt756]

Good evening the hole is worn pretty bad, seems you usually have a hard time getting the old ball out, it looks like a wintertime job, when I can get axle up on a couple of saw horses, for now i did put new ball in rigged up a few washers it is tight for now, all it has to do is move around yard this fall, there also is a lot of play in the center pin that holds axle on, hope its just bushings also, got one spindle out tonight top bushing is worn, the bearing on the bottom is still in one piece, too bad former owner wasnt a little more generous with grease,

[stronger800]

Don’t they make a ball that has an oversized shank on it? And you’re suppose to ream the hole to fit it.  Maybe  it’s the ball that’s oversized? I know my dealer use to stock it and tried to sell my neighbor and I a pair of them once, but that was a ways back. 

[HydroTek]

The "ends" of the hole in the wishbone are worn out
an oversize anything will only fit tight in the center of the hole

Need to build up the ends of the hole so the ball will not just wobble out again 

[pt756]

What if a person would ream it oout and then put a bushing in and weld it,?

[HydroTek]

Weakens the wishbone by removing metal

[stronger800]

I was thinking the oversized pin  was only .030 larger or so.  The wishbone wouldn’t be much weaker if that was reamed off.   A guy talking 1/4”…. Well that would probably be different 

[HydroTek]

Good "nickel rods" about $5 per rod 

gonna need 3 or 4 rods 

should already own a die grinder and 1/2" carbide 

Yeah the over size ball can sometimes work if the operator has not let it wallow out too bad 

[acem]

Any heating needed to the wishbone before welding it?

Your talking about high nickel cast iron rods?

Is a Lincoln 'Tombstone' AC Buzz box ok?

Thx-Ace 

[stronger800]

It will be warm after the first few seconds. Given I am just speculating because I’ve never done it and hope I don’t need to, but I would say you’re not talking a structural weld, you are just replacing what is hopefully only a little bit of worn away material

[JaredT]

Flame me if you want to, but we had the ball egg out the cast on our 1586. Local fab shop reamed it out to make it round again and put a tow ball in it. Bigger shank and the ball was almost perfect sized to fit the cap, unfortunately I dont know what size that was. At least 10 years on it and it always has a full rack of weights, it has held up well and we did add the grease zero and it does get greased.

[pt756]

Good evening, so today I started on the spindle bushings and spindle bearing,  went well. thought I would like to narrow up front end, well you know how that can go, so used all the tricks mentioned on here, heat, and put a bar in the spindle back to the rear axle, and used a come along, its always a win when you get that first small movement, still was kind of a battle to get out but it came out, problem I didnt catch right away is the pipe was so full of dirt that I dont think any of the penatrating oil got to the bottom. next one we blew it out and its now soaking and did put some heat on it, Maybe didnt need to do this  but I sure like it when in a pinch they will come apart the next time. 

[stronger800]

Here in NY we Widen them once they come east. I’ve been able to do the last two with essentially no force or heat, but they were pretty clean tractors and I soaked them for a few weeks first with  PB blaster.  

[pt756]

I think this tractor has not ever had its axle moved, before, even the single pin on each side was stuck, our other tractors that pin usually came out, 

[tractorholic]

I’ve always had a machine shop fix the hole for that ball. I would think welding that up and grinding it down would be hard to get it perfectly round to hold a new ball long term.

[acem]

Is the shank of the ball straight or tapered?

[HydroTek]

Shank is straight

Yeah hand grinding is difficult , but can be done with the axle still assembled -- scared of a little craftsman work ? 

-- center part has to be stripped down
-- machine shop sill welds the hole
-- then gets the axle into a Mill and cuts the weld back out to round 

[stronger800]

Spare I have here has 7/8” splined portion. That original size?

[pt756]

I am thinking this tractor will get the tapered pin fix , do plan on removing the axle when we are done for the year, i suspect there is something wrong with the horizantal main center pin too, Besides I like these kind of repairs, things I can do,

[stronger800]

Head of ball is 1 3/4

idk if they make a taper pin ball or not, don’t think so