C160 FEL upgrade

[prondzy 3,882]

After watching @Shynon complete his FEL project I felt it was time to start on my c160. This tractor is a great runner and a good work horse there are just some improvements I would like to make. The first and biggest upgrade to the tractor itself is gear reduction  steering and a swept axle front end. I also plan on rebuilding the loader cyliders as i have bleed-down occuring with a load (valve assembly has already been rebuit) and finish plumbing in my hydraulic filter and maybe add a flow restrictor on the return side. I have also been throwing around making the weight box a little taller for extra weight as the tractor tends to get a little light in the rear with load in the bucket.

So here is the candidate going under the knife, i mean wrench

I got the loader off

Then the subframe, belt guard and motor 

The front axle next

In preparation for the new setup does anyone know the roll pin size for this steering wheel?

 

Looks like i have a fight ahead but i need to get the pin out first. Thats it for tonight.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,978]

[WHX?? 49,182]

I'm in Mike... that roll pin should be 1/4 but those soft touch wheels are a You gotta kinda operate blind with them...you get that one I got another to tackle. 

[Achto 27,818]

I'm in

[oliver2-44 9,874]

53 minutes ago, prondzy said:

 maybe add a flow restrictor on the return side.

 

I

T

 

Looks like i have a fight ahead but i need to get the pin out first. Thats it for tonight.

I'm curious why your thinking about adding a flow restrictor in the return line?

 

Also, is there any way you could fill that steering wheel cavity with vinegar and let it set for a few days?

 

I really like how your loader subframe works to remove the loader. i'd appreciate some pictures of the subframe since you have it removed from the tractor. 

Edited April 17, 2020 by oliver2-44

[prondzy 3,882]

10 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

I'm curious why your thinking about adding a flow restrictor in the return line?

 

 

 

I really like how your loader subframe works to remove the loader. i'd appreciate some pictures of the subframe since you have it removed from the tractor. 

When going down with a load it can dump fluid too fast and cause the tractor to rock forward, i can see breaking an axle in the future.

 

I will try to take pics of the subframe tomorrow 

[roadapples 6,983]

I have the same tractor and loader. I added trailer hubs, wheels and tires. Tires are 6 ply and hold 70 psi. They improved steering almost as much as the gear reduction...

 

[JoeM 7,874]

6 hours ago, prondzy said:

flow restrictor on the return side

 

Not on return. Pretty sure you got a gear pump and they are positive displacement. A return restriction will stall the pump or pop hoses. etc.

Should install in the circuit want to slow down. Of course it is going to slow down the curl side too.  

Was thinking.... if you installed a inline check and drilled a hole in the check plug, say 1/8", It would restrict one way and full flow the other. I am not sure is they make these or not. just food for thought. Then it would curl fast and dump slow. 

 

I have the same issue and looked at the same idea. I got the restrict-or never installed. I am still going down to idle when I want fine control. 

 

I used an 8 gpm pump, should have been good enough with a 6 or even a 4 gpm. I was also thinking of changing the pump pulley size too, but just thinking is all that happened. 

 

That is going to be an awesome machine, best of both worlds! C160 with power steering! 

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by TractorJunkie

[ebinmaine 68,460]

[wallfish 17,084]

Nice project!

Maybe restrict the boom down flow and speed at the control valve with a small piece of tube or stacked washers on the valve shaft. If boom down is pushing the shaft into the valve, a small piece of tube or washers will limit the amount it can slide in and allow full speed on everything else. Easily removed if needed too and adjustable.

 

[Pullstart 63,103]

8 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

 

 

Also, is there any way you could fill that steering wheel cavity with vinegar and let it set for a few days?

. 

 

I’ve got a tractor (can you believe it?) with a recess like that and I’ve been soaking it with WD and PB for the better part of a year.  It used to hold fluid for days if not weeks, but now it holds for a matter of hours.

[953 nut 55,860]

If you pull the whole shaft with the dash and then slide the dash and the plastic sleeve down as far as they will go you can heat the shaft below the steering wheel and let the heat work up through the hub of the steering wheel. May need to do this more than once but the heat should do the trick to break up the rust.

[wallfish 17,084]

Or grind the weld off the gear at the bottom of the shaft, remove or cut off the lock collars and the whole thing will slide out.

[WHX?? 49,182]

12 hours ago, prondzy said:

the tractor itself is gear reduction  steering and a swept axle front end.

I  got donor set for ya you need Mike... cost ya a bottle of Captains. 

[prondzy 3,882]

You gonna be home tomorrow? Or off to a charity missions?? Ill bring ya some captain dig it out of the trees if you dont want it.

[Shynon 7,461]

He's probably going to be on a charity mission.

[WHX?? 49,182]

No it's yours … It's got some issues so you may not want it tho. Spindle to axle is a sloppy fit and a bit worn in the axle side. This was also one of the steering shafts that we think the front quad was welded on wrong. So it didn't turn even to either side. This and other issues turned her into a parts 520. Ill grab some pics and call you at cocktail hr tonite. 

[WHX?? 49,182]

6 minutes ago, Shynon said:

He's probably going to be on a charity mission.

Only if Dan needs me to get in his way! 

[JoeM 7,874]

seen this throttle check valve on the bay just might be the hydraulic speed fix?

 

 

[prondzy 3,882]

Got the lower linkage and axle in place today. I think i have a plan for the steering shaft without destroying to steering wheel. Will see if i can get to that this weekend. 

[prondzy 3,882]

This morning  I got the steering shaft cut, it was easier to cut/weld a new gear on the end of the shaft than it would have been to remove the steering wheel. Here is the difference between the two steering shaft gears first one is the standard steering gear

Here is the reduction gear

 I cut and welded the two halves together using a coupler from the hardware store. A little math was needed to figure out how much needed to be removed.

 Now that the steering is done i needed to make a brace for the hydraulic pump bracket. When the pump is under load it flexes the bracket and the belt squeals.

Before

With the new brace this thing is super rigid. The brace is close to the belt but it will be okay there is enough clearance. 

To aid in the manual belt tension adjustment i have been throwing around the idea of a screw type adjuster. No better time than the present, so heres what i came up with turn the nut on top clockwise to tighten the belt counter clockwise will release tension.

 

Looks like its gonna work great

 

And then i got the motor bolted back in not bad for a days work.

Edited April 20, 2020 by prondzy
spelling

[dclarke 4,034]

Nice job Mike! 

[ebinmaine 68,460]

2 thumbs up for the Starrett caliper.

I was born and raised in Athol Mass.

 

[Pullstart 63,103]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

2 thumbs up for the Starrett caliper.

I was born and raised in Athol Mass.

 

 

I haven’t seen a dial like that... looks nice!

[Tractorhead 9,065]

Good Solution.