[AT] chain sprocket update

[Greg Hass]

Sorry I have taken so long to respond, but things have not gone quite as 
planned. About 3 months ago the Dr. told me my back was shot and nothing 
could really be done. I have not jumped all the hoops to get into pain 
management nor had an MRI but the Dr. said when things likes spurs on 
the vertebrae show on a standard X-ray things are bad. Thus the things I 
can do are limited and so are the hours I can work at once.More on a 
different day. Back to the combine sprocket. I read all of the replies 
to my post and appreciate all of them. I found hundreds of roller chain 
sprockets but few flat chain or as someone pointed out, and I thank 
them, its called detachable steel chain. Those that did have elevator 
chain sprockets are for the newer machines and they use a first cousin 
to a roller chain. I had trouble with some of the sites as I am not good 
with computers and my wife was gone for a few days. The one that gave me 
the most trouble was the IH site. I don't know way but it did. As near 
as I can tell, the two part numbers, one old one updated are 168683C1 
and 1811K; if I read right, both not available. One company looks like 
they can cut one out but I have a feeling time and money would be a 
problem. Today I finally felt good enough to take it apart, some with 
wrenches some with flame. The sprocket is 6 tooth and a 7/8 shaft and 
keyway with a shoulder on one side. The teeth are worn short and the 
sides are worn thin which keeps throwing the chain. I then decided to 
look at my parts combine which was hard to get at. I took my loader 
tractor and went out by the combine and put the bucket down and 
everything in the way had to hold on as it was going for a ride. With 
the path cleared, I looked and the sprocket on it seemed ok so I loaded 
up the torch and cut the top 18 inches off the parts elevator and it is 
now in front of the shop. Tomorrow I think I will torch everything away 
and leave the shaft and sprocket together and put them in as a unit. I 
hope it goes together OK as the beans are almost ready and I do 26 acres 
with this small machine. I also have to find some bearing for it as the 
originals I don't think are available and the last one I bought when 
they were available was $100 for a 7/8 bearing.
           Greg Hass
     P.S. I posted earlier about chain, which someone sent me to a site 
where I think I could get it, but after seeing how bad the sprocket was, 
I'm going to try that first.