[AT] 504 Farmall bearing cage owch !

[farmall36 at vci.net]

Machine shop called me this morning with some good news, $300. + some maybe. 
Said it would take estimate 6 hours to make the part. After talking to him 
he come down 250 bottom line, or 50 bucks an hour.
Said that it would not break again might bend if beat enough, what can ya do 
? I need the tractor to feed hay with so I told him do it that I was not in 
a big hurry.
I can use the 560 2pt if it frosts before he gets it or I think the 350U 
will move hay allright, there just is not enough movement of the fast 
hitches to make good hay movers out of them. Keep the Farmalls out of the 
rain it gets in the tranny-hyd system and ruins the filter. And those 
filters used to be cheap to buy, the last ones I bought were I think about 
$17. each. Then add 40 + miles round trip and 8-16 galons of oil makes me 
ill.
Kevin


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Sloane" <mikesloane at verizon.net>
To: <farmall36 at vci.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 5:57 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] 504 Farmall bearing cage


> Oh, I know that the 340 is a good tractor, Kevin - I have one that I 
> restored, and it is my most frequently used tractor. I use it with an IH 
> 100 sickle bar mower to trim along my road, with a Woods 6' finish mower 
> to cut grass when it is too thick for other machines, with a 7' rear blade 
> for grading and finishing millings on the road, and other chores. You can 
> see it at <http://public.fotki.com/mikesloane/farmall_340/>.
>
> Jim wanted me to take the 340, and I could certainly use the rear rims, if 
> they are any good, as well as a few other parts. But my old truck and 
> trailer just cannot be trusted for a 600+ mile trip, and the cost of fuel 
> at $3+/gal would not be cheap.
>
> My only problem with the 340 (now that I have converted it to 12 volt 
> alternator and electronic ignition) is a tired hydraulic system - it 
> starts to get noisy, hot, and weak after an hour or so. I had changed the 
> filters and fluid when I got the tractor, and the fluid level is right 
> (according to the manual), but it acts like it is low on fluid. I may try 
> adding an extra quart of fluid and see if that helps.
>
> I also have a 560 diesel that I use some, but it is too big for most of 
> the chore stuff. I do count on it to run my 25KW generator when the power 
> goes out. Unfortunately, the 560 needs the TA clutch replace/repaired, and 
> the rear main seal leaks. But the rest of the machine is great.
>
> And I have a 240U that is handy, but not as nice as the 340 because of the 
> non-live PTO. Also, the leveling screw on the 240 hitch is frozen, so I 
> can't use it for blading (unless I want to grade flat). I need to replace 
> the leveling screw/housing but I haven't gotten a round tuit.
>
> I bought a loader that came off a 340, and I was going to mount it on 
> mine. But I decided that I didn't want to wrestle with the non power 
> steering. So I have to modify it to put it on the 560, which does have 
> power steering. The only problem is that the yellow jacket wasps built 
> nests inside, and I have to wait until a hard frost to finish up the job. 
> I guess, based on your experience, that it is just as well that I don't 
> plan on mounting the loader on the 340...
>
> Mike
>
> farmall36 at vci.net wrote:
>> I took it and the bearing over to Dawson, they are going to turn one on 
>> lathe. The boss man was gone today so thats all I know until he calls.
>> Mike you need that 340, they are good little tractors.
>> Rochester NY is only 780 miles from here, I cant go it although I would 
>> sure like to.
>> Around here they dont qualify as antique unless the
>> serial # shows it to be 1959 or older.  I know 3 or 4  460 - 560 s that 
>> are 62 or 63 year models and they are OK ?
>> I guess its who you know ?
>> Wonder what makes that front end keep breaking at the same place ? Seems 
>> to me there should be something more than that thin cast iron bearing 
>> cage hold the front end up ? I would hate to have a loader on that 
>> tractor it would be broke on the 1st bump. Been running about 300# on the 
>> front all the time. Need it to move hay with.
>> Maybe im just to hard on it ?
>> Thanks everyone I will let ya know how it works out.
>> Kevin
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Sloane" <mikesloane at verizon.net>
>> To: <farmall36 at vci.net>
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 6:05 AM
>> Subject: Re: [AT] 504 Farmall bearing cage
>>
>>
>>> Kevin - Jim Moran <jrmoraninc at yahoo.com> up in Rochester NY has a very 
>>> tired 340 that he would love to see in the hands of someone who could 
>>> use the parts. But I suspect he would want the whole machine to go, not 
>>> part it out. I would take it for the parts, but it is too far away from 
>>> me to make it worth the haul.
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
>>
>>
>