mels 174 #51 Posted April 10, 2015 Thanks, fellas. I know tearing into the xmission is the right thing to do and I'm sure well within the scope of my ability, my concern lies more with not having my garage cleaned up and organized so I can work comfortably out there. It's literally a disaster zone, lol... I'm part-way into a few other projects that really should take priority over this one, but this one's important to her so it gets pushed to the front of the line. Try to take care of her that way, my stuff can wait. Thanks for the direction on where to look and who to talk to, that'll help out big. Wanted to order that decal set but have no clue what the serial number of this old girl is (for their S/N tag). Would it have been stamped anywhere on the tractor, or just on the original data plate which is long-gone? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,141 #52 Posted April 10, 2015 My garage is the same way as you shall see tomm. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #53 Posted April 10, 2015 Lol, no, it's bad... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,141 #54 Posted April 10, 2015 I think we will be able to talk outboards tomm... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #55 Posted April 10, 2015 Outboards, chainsaws, hit & miss engines, antique tractors, old volvos, guns, shovelhead Harley's, man the list just goes on and on... Mechanical folks are a special breed, and the more you meet the more we realize we're all the same. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
motor12 367 #56 Posted April 11, 2015 If the tag with the serial number is missing,(located on the front left of the frame) you are out of luck as it is not stamped any other location. I think if you find an RJ with the tag in tact and legible you are lucky. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #57 Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) Roger that. Looks like it'll be a custom serial number then, maybe something with her initials or something... :) Edited April 11, 2015 by mels Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,326 #58 Posted April 11, 2015 And I am not invited to the party?? You guys should stop up here I will be painting the lxi... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #59 Posted April 11, 2015 Looking forward to doing that, Steve. Tomorrow's not the day though, have a main fuel pump to replace in the Winter beater ('84 245 Volvo) after meeting up with Ken, then Wifey and me volunteer at the Richmond Center up there in NM the second Saturday of every month from 1500-1800hrs. If you're free, come on into town and check it out. She's doing the cooking and I'll be washing pots and pans, lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,326 #60 Posted April 11, 2015 Mel we will hook up sooner or later. Do you have a date you are going to have Joe do the sandblasting? He usually gives a better deal if we get more stuff to him as a package. I think I might have a few items for him to blast. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #61 Posted April 11, 2015 Not yet, I'd like to get the trans apart and i don't know if I'll have time to do that this weekend. Full day tomorrow, then church and the stafford springs swap meet Sunday. Surgery Monday, don't know if I'll be able to use my right arm afterwards or not, depends on how deep they have to dig I guess, then knee surgery on Friday. If I could somehow get the trans apart this weekend, I could get the whole shootin match over to Joe Tuesday Wednesday Thursday. Otherwise I'm afraid it'll probably have to wait a couple weeks. Talked to my powder coater today, he'll be doing the wheels and seat. Gotta get those hoops off the rims before Monday too I guess. Too little time... Again... Good thinking on combining our job, Steve. Hoping to find a sweetheart of a wagon for this RJ at the swap meet. probably toss that in for blasting too. Sucks, I had the original mower deck, wagon, and I believe a one or two-bottom plow years ago too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,326 #62 Posted April 11, 2015 Take care of yourself the tractor will be there when you feel better. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #63 Posted April 11, 2015 Lol yessir, you're right about that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikesRJ 552 #64 Posted April 23, 2015 This may help you along the way:http://www.mywheelhorse.com/modules.php?name=Docs2&do=show_doc&id=2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #65 Posted April 23, 2015 Thank-you, Brother. I have an incredible resource of three local guys whom I've met (one who I used to work with 20+ years ago!) KenB, SteveBo and Fireman, and they've all been real helpful and more than willing to share with me what they've learned over their years in the WH hobby, not to mention the number of guys who've contributed either via posting here or through PM. What a truly incredible venue for information, and as it turns out, fraternal fellowship this place called Red Square! That said, your write-up at first glance looks to be painstakingly put together and a source of information that I am definitely looking forward to pouring over. Thank-you for putting it together, Brother, and for sending me the link. Looking forward to meeting you soon, Mel St. Peter's Lodge No. 21 New Milford, CT http://www.stpeterslodge21.org/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,326 #66 Posted April 23, 2015 Mel- Are you going to Zagary next weekend? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #67 Posted April 23, 2015 I've just yesterday started (trying to) walking. Probably overdid it, but I didn't want Jeffs' first visual of me after 20+ years to be of some old cripple on crutches, lol... We have a wedding to attend on Saturday the 2nd so even if I weren't gimp I wouldn't be able to go. Wish I could, Steve, thanks for asking. Update on this old girl for those of you following along, judging by a couple visual cues and the date code on the transmission (as Stevebo eluded to earlier) we've pretty much confirmed this as a 1959. Brought the transmission up to Fireman yesterday, says it's one of the crispest (is that even a word?) shifting units he's held in a long time. I guess when the gear select detent pulls the shifter out of your hand as it engages, it's a good sign. Super cool. Heading back up there in a few minutes to begin the disassembly process so I can include the side plates and cast main body in with the lot for sandblasting. We'll be replacing all the seals and bushings as required then reassemble prior to sending off for paint. Nice to work alongside someone who has been inside one of these once or twice, and it being an old colleague you've only recently become reacquainted with through an on-line forum dedicated to some obscure passionate hobby shared amongst a relative few just makes it all the more good. Crazy how small a world it truly is. Anyway, look forward to a few more pictures posted later today or tonight. Until then I hope you find yourselves equally blessed today. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #69 Posted April 23, 2015 Home again, huge thanks to Jeff for his time and effort this morning. I mean, the guy has a lot on his plate already and instead of knocking out his own stuff chose to jump right in and take my place getting dirty with this old transmission. I can't thank you enough, Jeff. So here's the low-down. Externally, the transmission looked real good. The gear oil (which I've never changed in the however many 20+ years I've owned it) drained out clean as though it were a day old. No water, no metal, nothing. Clean. Good sign so far. When Jeff pulled the hubs he noticed the right side keyway had worn wider at the top than down in the bottom of the cut. Later, we discovered the dimple on the axle shaft proper from the setscrew which locks the hub down had over time grown oblong which coupled with the widened keyway showed the hub had slipped. You'll see pictures of both those areas. Filed and sanded those high spots from the displacement of metal from the setscrews on the axles down flush so we could slide the case halves off. Once opened up, the signs of wear on both the final drive gearset and the input shaft gear were obvious. We also found two of the four sideplate bearings while intact, had pretty much thrown in the towel. You'll see pics of the worn / damaged gears. Aside from that, the rest of the transmission looked like brand new. Forks, detents, rest of the gears etc... The visual indications of excessive wear on only those relative few internal components plus the right wheel has me wondering if this tractor spent its' working life working hard as a plow tractor. Our '39-'40 John Deere B has unmistakable signs of it having been used mostly as a plow tractor too, from wear on one tire consistent with running in a freshly plowed furrow compared to the other having run only on unbroken soil to wear on the seat support on one side only which you'd expect with a tractor that spent its' working life tipped with one wheel down in the furrow. It's also possible that the tractor was worked with either low gear oil level or no gear oil, however, I would think damage to the rest of the gearset(s) would be present if that were the case. Fortunately, Jeff had in inventory the seals, bushings and some of the bearings we'll need when reassembling this old girl. We'll be on the lookout for NOS gear replacements for those three that are bad on my Wifes', or used gears even if in better condition than those three we removed. If any of you reading this have anything you think we can use, or have a line on a reasonably priced source, please PM me and I'll follow up as soon as possible. We're kind of under a time crunch, as I need to have this tractor completely done and Wifey comfortable on it before the middle of July. I'd like to have it completed and down at the BIG show to run and work out any kinks. That said, we're looking at what, a month and a half maybe. I'm kinda at the mercy of the sandblaster and the paint guys so hopefully we'll get the mechanicals squared-away mos tic which'll leave some wiggle room for the finish. That said and without any more talk, here are pics from this morning: 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #71 Posted April 23, 2015 I have a bunch more pics from this morning but am running into "error, file too big" warning so I can't post 'em up. Will try to figure that out and post up the pics showing the excessive wear on those specific gears. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mels 174 #72 Posted April 23, 2015 So I was able to get these in, have a bunch more but these were really the "important" ones we wanted to show. Considering the relatively excellent condition of all the other gears, it just looks like she tugged hard all her workin life. Looking forward to giving the old girl a new lease on life, and ultimately, just playing in the sun down in the Tennessee foothills... By the by, just finished ordering new hoops for both the tractor and the wagon. Went with Morrow Tire off ebay, phoned in the order and I guess he cut me a pretty decent deal on six tires plus tubes for all (yeah, I'm a tube-it guy). They should arrive UPS by next Thursday, looking forward to getting those here and all six rims back from the powder coater. Hmm, may have to stop in and pay him a visit tomorrow to see how he's coming along with 'em 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jake Kuhn 1,554 #73 Posted April 24, 2015 (edited) Looks like some very nice progress is being made on this one and trans looks pretty good besides the diff gear and reduction gear but that is very common on these. Pretty sure what cause them to do that was the axle bushings would wear and then they would rock back and forth with each other. Finding good ones can be very tough, what you have will probably work, but as you said, if you can find better I'd replace. Also see Jeff ordered some gaskets from me, they will be on there way tomorrow. Edited April 24, 2015 by Jake Kuhn 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jake Kuhn 1,554 #74 Posted April 24, 2015 Another trick to mention on these trannys that some do and I like to do when I rebuild is flip the axles around when you put it back together, you just need to drill the end for the roll pin hole. This gives you a nice non worn surface for the bushing and seal to ride on. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmsgaffer 2,043 #75 Posted April 24, 2015 As a side note, if you become a supporter of the forum you can upload more and bigger pictures... http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/store/ 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
