Let the restoration begin

[The Toolman 22]

If that other axle your working on is as rusty as the one in the first pic there, it'll probably never seal where it goes into the case.

[Duff 206]

If that other axle your working on is as rusty as the one in the first pic there, it'll probably never seal where it goes into the case.

I don't know, Ronnie - that axle may clean up OK with some emory cloth. Also, the oil seal is farther in on the axle and that area may be a little less rusty. I've also read here that it's really easy to double-seal the axles by countersinking the first seal and then installing a second one on top of it.

Greg, I salute your perseverance and your sense of humor! Your thread is a good read, and many of us feel your pain when things go south, so to speak. At one time or another I think we've all been in some of the places you're finding yourself, so keep your chin up!

Don't worry about that chipped out area where the puller came loose. You still have some good threads there and as long as the other four holes are OK, it'll hold a wheel just fine. If you are so inclined, you can always fill in the chipped out area with some JB weld and retap the hole. It won't add much if anything for strength but will look better (although with a wheel on you'll never see the damage!).

Good luck!

Duff :thumbs:

[The Toolman 22]

Greg, screw some bolts in from the back of the hub an then mount yer puller on the hub with nuts. That way you won't strip anymore threads out.

Duff, if its pitted on in there, no amount of sanding will fix it. Whoever sold him that tranny, knew it was a pile of junk.

[dgjks6 6]

The guy who sold me the trans new it was broke. But I figured all I need is an axle. And I thought - how can you really ruin an axle. Guess I know now. Live and learn.

Anyway - wife and kids went to the big apple for 2 days - for my daughters 16th birthday. I was not invited. I just get to pay for it.

So went golfing today and now I am ready to get back to work witht the sledge and see if the PB blaster did anything.

[dgjks6 6]

Tried for an hour to get the hub off - still no luck. Add $26 to tools - bought the parts to make a pfrederi hub puller. Let you know how it works out.

[The Toolman 22]

worse comes to worse, saw the dang thing off with a sawzall using a bi-metal blade

[dgjks6 6]

So built the hub puller and used it. For those of you following at home but not sure what a pfrederi hub puller looks like, the picture below is it, but just for demonstration purposes. This picture was taken in the aftermath of todays events. So picture the transmission on its side with the axle and hub still on and the hub in the air. There are supposed to be 5 bolts, one in each hole.

So I start to tighten each bolt with a 1/2 ratchet in one hand and a breaker bar in the other - and guess what? I break on of the long bolts. So what do I do?

I keep going slowily tightening each bolt 1/16 of turn in order and guess what? Another breaks. So now I am down to 3 bolts. Out comes the torch and 20 minutes of heat and then back to tightening. And guess what? I break a third bolt.

In frustration I take out the mallet and hit the big bolt on the top - remember at this time the axle is still in the trans - and the bottom axle falls out. Now the top axle will not spin.

BUT - the shifter - which was frozen and why he sold me the trans now shifts through all the gears.

So I decide to take apart the trans. Dog screw comes out intact - one of the pieces I needed.

Then I flip over the transmission and take off the drive pulley and see this.

That dimple in the center tells me someone has been here before. It is the mark left from someone using a puller to get the pully off. I do not have that type of puller, so I use a hammer and off it comes. I hope upward banging with a mallet on the drive pulley does not hurt anything inside.

Get the trans in half, disassemble the differential, and spend 45 minutes with 2 screw drivers getting the c clip off. Home depot in 7 minutes from my house. It would have been quicker to go get the correct tool, but live and learn.

So I get the axle and the hub out intact

and spend thirty minutes trying to get the hub off, with lots of banging, screwing, heat, and cursing. MADE NO PROGRESS. THAT THING IS STUCK. So those of you following at home may have figures this out already...

If I got the hub off, I would only have to put it back on, so why not leave it intact?

So now I have all of the necessary pieces to reassemble the transmission.

But please keep reading... Now I need help.

[dgjks6 6]

Can anyone tell me of this half of the trans is OK? If it is I can slip in a differential, and put it back together. The shifter would not move which is why the trans was bad, until I hit it with a hammer, and now shifts fine.

Here are lots of pics. Anymore views need let me know. But from the cleanliness of the inside of this trans I think it was taken apart and put back together and never worked right.

So what woudl you guy do next? I have to work tonight, but have the entire day off tomorrow.

And remember give up and find another hobby is not an option.

[rueger-99 0]

:thumbs: What in the world is the American Flag doing lying on the floor?

[dgjks6 6]

It's actually in a box on the floor getting ready to decorate the kids bikes for the parade on the 4th.

[Save Old Iron 1,566]

If the bolts broke on the puller, I can't really see but I'm guessing they were not grade 8 bolts.

Try again with Grade 8's. Even grade 8's will suffer a little from repeated use in this setup.

I used the setup your using with great success. The differences were

1/ bolts were Grade 8's and not fully threaded their entire length. When the pulled hub reached the puller hub, i backed off the 5 wheel bolts , backed off the center puller bolt and inserted a 1 inch socket into the pulled hub to take up the slack and went thru the same routine with the wheel bolts until the hub can right off. The bolts I got as TSC were a little too short (puller bolt) or not fully threaded (wheel bolts).They were however immediately available at TSC without waiting for an order from McMaster's (and without the added expense of using the correct bolts).

2/ used an electric impact gun (yes, an HF) and worked each bolt 2 or 3 turns and went to the next bolt. I have had worse looking hubs come off without too much cursing using the impact gun.

3/ A few whacks with a hammer on the head of the puller bolt during the process can help things along

This is still a GREAT THREAD - love the drama and suspense !!

You will prevail - just keep at it.

[dgjks6 6]

I got cheap

The 1 inch grade 8 was 11.99

The 3/8 gade 8 not fully threaded were 4 dollars each.

so I went with the cheap .99 bolt

The hammer thing I still can't figure out. Now that the hub/axle is out I can see a benefit, but when it was still in the transmission and I hit it with the hammer I broke the c clip on the other axle and knoocked it out.

I still don't know where that c clip went. It may still be in the transmission.

[The Toolman 22]

What are ya up to $ wise in this axle operation so far?

[dgjks6 6]

Yeah - I need to keeo better track

so the update

$30 for black and decker bench

$20 for broken screw remover

$26 for bolts for hub puller

Total = $76 for tools

$180 for tractor and various engine pieces

the first axle fell through - so the only other parts I bought was the broken transmission for $76 including delivery

Total for parts = $256

Hours spent - too many to count, but I am enoying it.

[rickv1957 72]

Stay with this project and you will whip it!!! Rick

[The Toolman 22]

$46 for hub puller an broken screw remover

$76 for used tranny

equals $122.00....what did ya say a new axle costs?

If I had an axle ( I only own 1 tractor an no parts) I'd give it to ya, just so you wouldn't hafta spend all this money.

If it wasn't for my buddy Frank, (bowtieguy) I probably would have gotten rid of the one I have an put some more $ with it an bought a newer 500 series Deere

[Save Old Iron 1,566]

This is a perfect example of why I suggested a $$ count on this project.

There are usually two schools of thought on the $100 "prize find" tractor.

First is what you are doing here - and I have done many times too - spend the $100 on the prize and then another couple hundred to get it running.

Second school says expect the cost of ownership of a tractor to be around $1000 + and try to START there.

Both have their attraction.

When I started, I personally sought out the basket cases so I could learn as much as possible about the tractor, repair techniques and restoration techniques. I learned to weld, paint, rewire and the value of perseverance.

Met a few damn nice people along the way too. And their little dogs too!!

[dgjks6 6]

If it wasn't for my buddy Frank, (bowtieguy) I probably would have gotten rid of the one I have an put some more $ with it an bought a newer 500 series Deere

$46 for hub puller an broken screw remover

$76 for used tranny

equals $122.00....what did ya say a new axle costs?

I know

If I had an axle ( I only own 1 tractor an no parts) I'd give it to ya, just so you wouldn't hafta spend all this money.

thank you - and I would appreciate it

If it wasn't for my buddy Frank, (bowtieguy) I probably would have gotten rid of the one I have an put some more $ with it an bought a newer 500 series Deere

BLASHPHEMY - the D word :thumbs:

[dgjks6 6]

I started another thread in the transmission section - this post was geeting too long with no progress, but I am now confident in the next week or two I will have a working transmission. I have enough parts for the two transmissions to get one good one.

I am also at work now for a 24 hour shift and can not work on the tractor.

So now I am thinking about the future and I have many questions that I need input on. All opinions are welcome.

1 - the plastic fender pan is toast. Do I go with metal or plastic. I kind of like the look of the plastic and I see them for sale from time to time, but I worry about the durability. I am generally not to tough on things and when this tractor is done I am not sure what I am going to use it for.

2 - color scheme. I am planning on toro new red in a spray can - I have a case of these at home. And then I have am going to put on a clear coat and hope it shines. I have used a 2 part spray max clear coat when touching up my cars and it looks great.

Then I saw a picture of Kelly's black hood with the black frame and silver tires and I started to drool. Should I go with some variation of this or go completely stock with the all red/black hood and white rims?

3 - Power plant? I really want to rebuild an engine, and I have most of the parts for the k181 that came with the tractor, but 8hp seems low to me. I now have 5 decks and would like to be able to put the 48 inch deck on this thing. But I am not sure how much I will use it. I do know that it will either have a snow blower or a 48 inch plow this winter. I hate changing b/n the plow and blower in the cold cramped garage.

Aso - I am thinking single cyliner - I have a 19hp twins briggs on a craftsman tractor that goes through twice as much gas as the 12hp magnum on the 312.

Let me know what you think. I am here all day and will spend at least half of the time at work today going between Redsquare, MTF, and ebay.

[rwilson 128]

I agree Kelly's black hood looks great. I think I would paint it back to origional. but you should paint it however you would like.

[JimD 3,345]

I painted mine in the original scheme, but that doesn't mean you have to. It's your tractor, and to be honest, I kinda regret not shakin things up a bit. Maybe the next one?

As far as the plastic pan goes, I went with metal. You're right about the plastic one being fragile, one bump on the corner and you have a crack or even a hole in it. I also want more hp in this tractor, but I've decided against the Tecumseh OH140. While it runs well. there are just too many changes needed to make it work. (I'm not that skilled) If someone who can do fiberglass wants the plastic fender pan, pm me for a couple pics, and if you want it you can have it. Pick up only. Keep going with your resto, I'm following along with great interest and am looking forward to your progress. :thumbs:

[dgjks6 6]

Day #31

It has been a month, and I am starting to make some progress. I actually had a busy day.

My wife said she wished I spent as much time on her as I did on that darn tranmission. I could not think of a response, so I smiled, went inside, scratched her back, and then went back outside when she fell asleep.

Lets get the money part over before I describe the days events.

I bought a pair of c-clip pliers and a magnet on a stick for $15

I spent $33 on a gasket, axle seal, brake seal, inout shaft seal, key and a plug, oh - and $11 for gear oil

I spent $27 on paint, sand paper and plastic. I am going to make a new catagory of costs for "disposables". These are not tools that I keep forever, but they are not parts because I may have some left over to use on other projects.

Total so far

Tools = $91

Parts = $300 on the nose

Disposables = $27

Keep reading the next post if you want to know how the day went. Also I have ventured into the transmission forum for questions about that - so if you knoe anything about transmissions, go there.

[dgjks6 6]

So here are the events of the day.

Got up at 0230 and went to work. Stopped on the way home at 1230 and got the seals and stuff.

No problems yet. By the way painted the cases last night:

replaced the seals and started reassembly. Got it mostly together - including all of the balls and springs - and the realized that when it says to put the high low range shift fork in the slot of the shift lever it means that. I missed this step and had to disasseble all my work and start over.

Also when trying to put the spring and balls back in I could not get a punch to fit in. Turns out that the last guy to take the trans apart left the plug in the transmission, just put a hole in it. That was why I could not find all of the balls. Luckily when I remedied the situation I found the other ball, and had a clear passage to put the ball and springs back in.

Now I have 4 balls.

Two form each transmisison. Thank god. It is amazing how hard it is to compress the balls on the spring and put the shift rail in at the same time. I had balls flying everywhere. I almost lost an eye. Note for future - use saftey glasses in this step.

SO I evetually got the trans back together and now am waiting to test it to see if I got it right before putting it all together, but there were still a few problems.

Because I could not get the hub off the axle I had to rebuild the differential in the case. Turns out the bolts can only go one direction. If you put them in from the top, then:

That is a picture of thr bolt hitting the gear. Since I have two differentials I looked at all the bolts. Turns out the guy that rebuilt this trans before me ran into the same problem. 4 of the differential bolts were cult 1/2 shorter. I used the un cut bolts and placed them in from the bottom of the differential. No problem.

Now here is the real problem. The axle with the hub stuck on it is worn where the seal goes. I can feel an indentation on the axle. I cleaned teh axle with 1000 grit sand paper, but it was still there. I have a feeling when I get this back together it is going to leak at the seal and I will still have to buy a new axle and rebuild the trans again. But now I cando it in my sleep because I have had this thing apart so many times.

So I think after all this I am going to have to spend the $122 on a new axle - which is what I have been trying to avoid and still spent almost $100.

[rickv1957 72]

If groove on axle is shallow,maybe you will be OK or you could drive seal in a little deeper past groove,Rick

[dgjks6 6]

Will that push the bearing in also? Can I just push the bearing in a little further?