[AT] BAD Tractor Day: need some advice

[Mike M]

Harsh language and throwing a tool has always worked for me.

Mike M

On 11/20/2021 10:09 PM, STEVE ALLEN wrote:
> So our weather was quite nice today, and my son and I had planned a number of chores including putting the Christmas decoration boxes in the garage (from the shed) for easy access, doing a final mowing around the sheds, and brush-hogging the field.
>
> When time came to crank up the '51 JD A, we went through the normal process--check oil, grease, gas in tank, touch up the plugs, check for condensation in the oil (none found), etc.  Turned on the key, turned on the gas, and hit the started pedal:  the starter just spins.  Try again once or twice.  Same.
>
> In the past, we have every now and again had it spin once or twice, but never had it failed to engage on the third try. Must be a bad patch of teeth.  so we took the spare steering wheel and the ratchet, and we pooped the center cover off the flywheel cover, and we turned the flywheel.  Hit the pedal.  No engagement.
>
> I pulled the cap screws off the cover while I had my son disconnect the battery.  I crawled under, and had him push down hard on the pedal while I peeked in with a flashlight.  What I say dismayed me:  the teeth are chewed up all the way around.  I had him spin the flywheel.  A few places had mostly intact teeth--say a loss of about 3/16 or a quarter inch at most.  Some stretches had teeth chewed up all the way to the center.
>
> I do not understand how we got to this point at all.  I haven't ever looked before, but, as I said, we have only had rare instances of non-engagement, and the next time we hit the pedal, all was well.  I expected a few bad spots, but I had no idea it was all around.  We tried very hard to find a spot where the started could engage, but no such.
>
> (We then hooked everything back up, and I tried using the wheel-and-ratchet to actually start the old guy, but I just couldn't get enough Ummph on the spin to start a cold tractor that hasn't run in a couple months.  No joy at all.)
>
> Now, if my none-too-trustworthy memory recalls correctly, the ring gear is not a part of the flywheel casting but just a ring of teeth fixed to it.  If that's true, I think I can take it off and flip it around (or replace with the beautiful ring off the broken flywheel on the '49 A).
>
> What would be the procedure for removing and reinstalling?  Heat?  Hammer?  Harsh language?
>
> Any insight on how we might have gone from what seemed like a few bad spots to a ruined ring (so I can try to avoid it again)?
>
> The "original" Steve Allen
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