WH856 - Ball Joint issue

[PineBushJohnny 6]

I am new to anything mechanical and inherited a WH856 in pretty good condition when my Father in law passed. My daughter and I turned to this forum to learn all we can to get it in working condition. well low and behold you guys taught us so much and we cleaned the piston head, changed piston ring, cleaned valves, rewire, changed condensor, breaker point, spark plug, coil, ignition switch, fuel tank, fuel lines, throttle and choke cables and got that baby running. my wife was so happy as it is the only thing she has of his. Now we are in NY we get a major snow fall and I break out the WH856 with plow and am making short work off plowing but then wheels go cockeyed. the right hand ball joint assembly keeps coming off. how can I fix this? where can I get both left and right ones so I can make sure it doesn't happen again. while I am at it how do make sure there is enough lubrication in the transmission?

 

I am going to post pictures of the 856 soon. It is named after y father in law .... "Dominick da Plumber"

[AMC RULES 37,130]

Click on this vendors link...

scroll down the page, you'll find either the long, or short tie rods available as complete units.

Just measure your originals total length first before ordering. 

http://www.wheelhorseman1000.com/category-s/126.htm

[PineBushJohnny 6]

AMC Rules thanks so much for the quick response. I will measure them and order them today!!!

 

the 856 came with the plow but no mower deck. The tires are cracked but not so bad. The chains were on it when I got it.

 

 

[pfrederi 17,734]

Temporary quick fix for your tie rods.  Take them off.  Put the ball back in the socket and then use a center punch to deform the edge of the tie rod enough to retain the ball. Put a bunch of dimples all the way around the ball hole.  I tried to paint the area in yellow just work your way all the way around.  You may have to cut away the rubber seal.

[Ed Kennell 38,158]

In an emergency, you can clamp the tie rods in a vice and peen the area around the ball to keep them in place.    This can keep it working till you get them replaced.

 

And   to the

 

    Oops, Paul is a better typist.

Edited February 9, 2017 by Ed Kennell

[stevasaurus 22,724]

Nice looking 856.  To check the oil in the trans.  Take out the little plug on the side of the trans (left?).  It will be a little more then an inch up behind the rear axle tube.  This is the fill plug.  If none comes out, stick a small screw driver in there and see what the oil (if any) looks like.  If it is clean, not caramel color, You can add 90wt oil until the oil starts to drip out that plug hole.  I like to remove the 2 bolts that hold the seat and fenders on...on top of the transmission...use a small funnel and add the oil in there.  If the oil is dirty and you want to change it, there is a drain plug under the trans.  It will take about 2qt of 90wt to fill it if you drain it all out.  If the trans is really dirty, you can flush it with diesel fuel once or twice and then fill with clean oil. 

   There is a small hump in the bottom of the trans that will hold some oil when draining.  Jack the front end of the 856 up about 18" to get all the old oil out.

[KC9KAS 4,741]

@PineBushJohnny  to

[squonk 41,079]

I've bought Horses with bailing wire holding the tie rods together. 

[clueless 2,987]

30+ years ago some 200 MPH tape on my B-80 got me thru a couple of weeks of mowing before I had the part and the time to fix it.

[953 nut 55,198]

7 hours ago, PineBushJohnny said:

7 hours ago, PineBushJohnny said:

you guys taught us so much

My daughter and I turned to this forum to learn all we can to get it in working condition.

    Good to see a family coming together to save a  from a family member.

7 hours ago, PineBushJohnny said:

you guys taught us so much

None of us were born knowing how to fix them, we learn from each other, but thanks for mentioning it.