Lambert / Farm-Ette 655 Need all the help I can get.

[D_Mac 8,593]

OK I pulled the trigger and picked this up last night. It has been sitting outside a long long time. Before I went to pick it up I asked " Does it roll?" . His reply was " Yes". Well I got there all 4 tires flat. Because they were sitting in one place so long no saving them. No tie-rod on the front wheels so they go in any direction they want. Here is the bonus... rear end locked up. Not to mention its out in a field. I just couldnt leave it there. Drove my truck through the mud as its been raining past 2 days and him and I lifted it up on to my truck. Little did I know at the time that that was the easy part. So this morning I had to figure a way to get it out of my truck as I have no one to help me. While it was in my truck I tac welded a little piece of pipe to keep the front wheels straight while I attempted to get it down some ramps. Remember the Speedanza got away from me when I unloaded it. Well it went ok, a little hairy but its down. So after that I gave it a look over. I believe the engine that was on it is toast. I disconnected the belt and the pulley spins very easy by hand. I dont think it has any compression. All the wires from the key switch, push button start, and rear light were all hanging loose. The battery in the back was an oldie and it was split in two right down the middle. Rear end is chain drive and the chain is as tight as a guitar string. The shifter wont budge. I opened the drain on the tranny pretty much nothing came out. So here is where I am at.

 

I got it on dollies so I can roll it around. I power washed it. I used up 2 cans of PB Blaster spraying the chain and every nut and bolt I can find.

I took out the battery. Tried to get anything that is supposed to move to actually move. I poured Kerosene into the tranny. Its still soaking. I cant fill it to the top though. Its on an angle so I think like 2/3s of it gets the Kerosene. I figured the engine is shot so I took it out to make things easier. Did I mention that most of the nuts are square and I dont have sockets that fit square nuts. Not easy getting a wrench with no leverage on rusty nuts and getting them to turn. I do not know what kind of tranny it is. I had read that they came with T-92. The whole project stops here if I cant get it freed up. I would like to take it out but not sure how. I also dont know the shift pattern. I can push the lever down, like in a car when you want reverse. Thats all it does. I think you just stop and shift like on my Speedanza, no clutch? I tried to break the lug nuts off the rear wheels and failed. They have to come off sooner then later. If you guys can walk me through trying to break these tranny gears free i WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL. Thanks

[953 nut 55,069]

That is quite an impressive orphanage you are building up there.          

[WHNJ701 4,165]

have patience, when I purchased my david bradley suburban it was in the fall, each week I would spray it down with pb blaster.  I didn't start wrenching on it til the spring.

when your dealing with these old crusty odd ball tractors, treat it like there is no spare parts if it breaks your going to have heck of a time tracking pieces down.  

[ebinmaine 67,268]

2 hours ago, jabelman said:

patience

Best advice right there.

 

It took decades to rust to it's current point.

It'll take time to get moving again...

 

[D_Mac 8,593]

I need to figure out how to remove it so I can get the cover off it to clean it out. I really dont want to mess with all the chain gears but I dont see any other way. I cant get all the sheet metal off either because the bolts of the fenders are behind the wheels and I cant loosen the lugs either. Anything better then kerosene to put in there? Also how do you shift that tranny?  Press down pull up ? I have no clue. I want to put a little pressure on it but I dont know in what direction. May try getting the front wheel up high so the kerosene goes up towards the shifter lever. I cant move it side to side but if I push down on it I feel it spring back a little. More I look at it the more I like it. Looks like its going 100mph sitting still. Love those big fenders. The mower deck is chain driven as well, what a set up that is. Got to free up this tranny...ugh

Edited May 3, 2020 by D_Mac

[ebinmaine 67,268]

5 hours ago, D_Mac said:

Love those big fenders

Agreed.

 

 

The best luck I've personally had with a rust penetrant is either WD40 Rust Penetrant (NOT regular WD40).... Or good old Liquid wrench.

I'm not a fan of PB at all.

 

Heat.

Soak.

Patience.

 

Mostly patience.

 

[squonk 41,021]

Best penetrant is a shot of PB, followed by a shot of Seafoam Deep Creep followed by a shot of CRC Screw Loose

[ebinmaine 67,268]

17 minutes ago, squonk said:

Screw Loose

One I hadn't heard of....

 

 

Though it describes me weellll enough.

 

[D_Mac 8,593]

 

38 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

One I hadn't heard of....

 

 

Though it describes me weellll enough.

 

" Screwed" Is what best describes me.

[D_Mac 8,593]

Well spent all morning on this thing again and have very little to show for it. Still cant get the shifter to move. I am beginning to think something is wrong on the inside and not just seized up with gunk and rust. I am going to drain the kerosene out and replace it with tranny oil, see what that does. I dont have the confidence to try and remove it. I am afraid if I manage to get it out putting back would be different story. I got the lug bolts off only to discover that there is an allan wrench set screw on this collar that I cant get to budge. I am all out of WD-40 and PB Blaster at this point as I used 3 cans already. Since I am not a good welder the bar I tacked to the front to keep the wheels straight broke. I tried to remove the rusted out gas tank thats mounted under the hood and failed at that as well as one of the screws stripped. Not sure what I am going to do about that. Also the rear light I tried to remove I failed at as it just spins and spins.  I did get that monster hitch off the back ! Great Day ! So here a couple pics of the tranny.Not sure how it supposed to shift, do you press down? Pull up? Just go left or right up and down. I can press it down some but no movement left or right or up or down

[WHNJ701 4,165]

mixing 50/50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone works just as well as pb

[D_Mac 8,593]

No progress again today. Was cold and damp out so I didnt want to be rolling around in the driveway. I just removed the gas tank that was mounted to the underside of the hood. It was rotted away full of holes. I lifted the front end higher so the kerosene would flow back further in the transmission towards the shifter lever. Topped it off with more kerosene to soak some more. Dont think its goning to help but it will give me a couple more days to build up enough courage to try and remove it. With the research I been doing I guess that hitch was original, an option I believe, but it was broke. It needs repairing so I wont pitch it out I will save it. Found this online, not exactly same model but it helps some.

32668-Farm-ette_650_riding_tractor_owners_manual_and_parts_list.pdf

[WHX?? 48,771]

I'm in Mac... not to diss the knowledge of tractor experts here but I would encourage you to check out other GT and vintage sites for more info on this gem. Maybe MOM???

On 5/2/2020 at 7:00 PM, 953 nut said:

That is quite an impressive orphanage you are building up there.          

 Using my not so famous last words... she's a project.... and I'll  to you for having the cahones for even giving this one a home! 

[953 nut 55,069]

On 5/3/2020 at 3:51 PM, D_Mac said:

Still cant get the shifter to move. I am beginning to think something is wrong on the inside and not just seized up with gunk and rust. I am going to drain the kerosene out and replace it with tranny oil, see what that does. I dont have the confidence to try and remove it. I am afraid if I manage to get it out putting back would be different story.

Looks like you could pull the top plate with the shift lever with four bolts.

[D_Mac 8,593]

2 hours ago, WHX24 said:

I'm in Mac... not to diss the knowledge of tractor experts here but I would encourage you to check out other GT and vintage sites for more info on this gem. Maybe MOM???

 Using my not so famous last words... she's a project.... and I'll  to you for having the cahones for even giving this one a home! 

I visit other sites, Love it here ! but thats were I got the manual

 

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Looks like you could pull the top plate with the shift lever with four bolts.

Yeah, If im going to pull the top off I just might as well pull the whole thing out. lol IF I get it out THEN what do I do with it...lol. What did I get myself into.

[ebinmaine 67,268]

5 hours ago, D_Mac said:

What did I get myself into

A great learning experience.

 

[D_Mac 8,593]

Well was at it again today. This thing is fighting me all the way. Between the rust and and the square bolts its getting the best of me. I managed to get the wheels, the seat, the rear light and the fenders off today. I know it dosnt sound like a lot but no air tools and did I mention how rusty it all is ? Nothing turns without a fight. I am sore head to toe. Tomorrow I will see what else I can take off before I tackle the tranny. I would like to find the master link on the chain but most of the chain is still covered. I dont know how @pullstart gets so much done in so little time.

Edited May 6, 2020 by D_Mac

[WHNJ701 4,165]

if your careful, get one of those small bernz a matic plumbers torch to give a little heat to the bolts, are you using 12 point sockets?

 

next you should get that horrible looking steering wheel off there and bury it in the backyard!

[D_Mac 8,593]

Ha The steering wheel has to stay, I dont have any other one to put on it. I see a lot of these with this kind of steering wheel. The original one were all plastic. They must have broke easy. I dont know how many pt sockets I have but they dont fit square nuts.

[Pullstart 62,786]

@953 nut did you see that Hurst shifter handle?  
 

@D_Mac I have only pushed, pulled, lifted and carried for the last two days.  Not much progress in the shop happening this week!
 

 

[D_Mac 8,593]

24 minutes ago, pullstart said:

@953 nut did you see that Hurst shifter handle?  
 

@D_Mac I have only pushed, pulled, lifted and carried for the last two days.  Not much progress in the shop happening this week!

 I know but when you start a tractor build seems like it takes you 2 days and its done and its a much harder build that what I have going on here. I had to put that shifter handle on there. It is the only one I had. The one that was on it was busted and it didnt screw down. I have a question..... if I cant get to the master link on the chain then what? Cut it ? That chain is HD, not sure I have anything that would come close to cutting it.

[WHNJ701 4,165]

a dremel with a cut off wheel for the chain, if you can't find the master link.  it's looks like #40 roller chain.  I would be replacing that chain anyway.  count the links.  roller chain is cheap

[953 nut 55,069]

8 hours ago, pullstart said:

did you see that Hurst shifter handle?

 

8 hours ago, D_Mac said:

I had to put that shifter handle on there.

Good eye there Kevin,  wondered how I had missed that but now I know what happened.

12 hours ago, D_Mac said:

I dont know how @pullstart gets so much done in so little time.

He is not as old as us and has a two girl wrenching crew doing all the work while he takes the pictures!               

[D_Mac 8,593]

Ha Yes. I forgot about the extra hands ! I could sure use the help. I need the @pullstart pit crew ! I might take the day off today. Im sore. Might just mow the lawn and take the Speedanza for a little ride. I dont know what I am going to do with the tranny once its out anyways. It is such a cool looking tractor it needs to be up and running again. Not sure I am the right person for the task. I think about painting it and looking for parts I know I am going to need. I even have a line on a new set of rear tires, but all that wont matter if I cant do anything with the transmission. 

[WHNJ701 4,165]

32 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

Ha Yes. I forgot about the extra hands ! I could sure use the help. I need the @pullstart pit crew ! I might take the day off today. Im sore. Might just mow the lawn and take the Speedanza for a little ride. I dont know what I am going to do with the tranny once its out anyways. It is such a cool looking tractor it needs to be up and running again. Not sure I am the right person for the task. I think about painting it and looking for parts I know I am going to need. I even have a line on a new set of rear tires, but all that wont matter if I cant do anything with the transmission. 

focus on the basic,  running and driving before spending money on tires, paints, parts.