[AT] Wheel Fell Off... Not back on yet....

[Cecil Bearden]

Well the New Holland money pit will be down a few days.  I had planned 
on taking the Big Belarus (Bullwinkle) to the shop for a new clutch.  
With 18 degree nights and 35-40 mph winds and rain coming in, It is 
going to stay here.  I started to replace the outer bearing on the New 
Holland and could not get the nut on the spindle.   The bottom 1/3 of 
the threaded portion of the spindle was worn off.  It also looked like 
the inner bearing had turned on the spindle.  I also found some play in 
the spindle.   All states Ag Parts had everything except the thrust 
washer for the spindles and I found them on Ebay.  I had to cross the 
numbers over to ford numbers to find everything.   To replace spindles 
and hubs on both sides and new bushings is about $400.  I think I put 
new hubs on it in 2012. This tractor is a re-badged 7740 Ford.   The 
Ford version had 750-16 front  tires where this one has 11.00-16's.  It 
has a heavy front axle, but the spindles don't look any heavier than my 
old MF 65.  Many times I unload and load a semi trailer load of hay with 
this tractor and handle 2 bales at a time with the Woods Duall loader.   
Obviously it gets used harder than it was designed for.   The clutchless 
shuttle makes it much easier to use than the Big Belarus that requires a 
shift of 2 gearshifts to get any production when loading or unloading.   
The older Belarus smaller tractors are not as difficult shifting, but 
the oldest one is a little weak on the loader due to the control or the 
pump, not sure which.  The newer 8345 is still under construction 
installing the new joystick control for the loader.

On 11/9/2019 9:09 PM, Cecil Bearden wrote:
> I was moving old pieces of bales from the sheep pen to the cattle 
> today.  Cattle not near as picky about hay...  I had moved about 9 
> pieces nearly 1/2 mile the way I had to go, and spiked a new bale to 
> feed to the sheep. As I backed up turning, something felt funny and I 
> looked to see the left front wheel at a 45 degree angle to the 
> ground.  Luckily the forks were about 8 inches up from the bottom of 
> the bale so I could raise the front axle easily.  The outer bearing 
> had come apart and the nut spun off the threads. This is one of those 
> spindles that uses a lock nut instead of  one with slots for a cotter 
> key and also does not have the washer with the little tab in the 
> center.  I changed the hubs and bearings about 5 years ago.  They had 
> plenty of grease.  Carrying 2ea 1000 lb bales on the forks probably 
> had something to do with the failure...   Luckily it happened only 100 
> ft from the house and a running ATV so I could go get tools.  We have 
> 5 ATV's including a Ranger, and only the ranger and 2 4-wheelers are 
> running.  I spent 3 hours yesterday putting a carburetor on my Wife's 
> Arcit cat 366 and it would not start.  Dealer charged $250+ to rebuild 
> the carb and it ran 30 minutes.
>
> Cecil
>
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