[AT] UPDATE to the Bad Tractor Day UPDATE

[Mitchell Daly]

Steve,

A great update story and glad for your success. We've all been there. So anti-freeze has kinda risen in price??

Mitch Daly
md31043 at msn.com
________________________________
From: AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> on behalf of STEVE ALLEN <steveallen855 at centurytel.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 2, 2022 10:10 PM
To: at <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Subject: [AT] UPDATE to the Bad Tractor Day UPDATE

A little over a month ago, I posted this update to my situation:

----- Original Message -----


Gentlemen,

Some of you may remember that, last November, I posted about a problem we had with our '51 JD A.  I am including most of the post to refresh everyone's memories:

OK, so, we finally had time to look more deeply into this (This year has not at all been friendly, from the weather to Covid to losing half our staff at work, really putting a crimp on my time).  Someone suggested that the starter drive gear was not extending all the way out, so we disconnected the battery cable, and I got down on the ground with a flashlight to look into the starter head to see if the gear was, in fact, not coming all the way out.

What we found was surprising:  The gear IS coming all the way:  it is getting good to very good engagement despite the corner chewed off all the teeth:  at least 1/2' or 5/8' on every tooth.  So we hooked the battery back up, and I warily watched as my son hit the starter lever.  The problem is that, once the drive gear engages, it doesn't turn.  When you let go and it retracts, it spins, but, when the drive gear is engaged with the ring gear, the shaft spins but not the drive gear.

I assume there is a pin that locks the drive gear to the shaft.  I need to open up the manuals to look at how the starter drive is put together.  Then we need to drop the starter and get it on the workbench (actually, first we need to clear the workbench ;-) ).

If anyone has done this job, I'd appreciate hearing from you.  I suspect that parts are out there, given the common nature of the starter, but I'd also appreciate any leads anyone has on them.

Right now, I still have 3 tractors, and none of them can work.  The'49 A still needs its flywheel replaced, and it has now developed a flat rear tire that needs attention.  The '47 B is trapped behind the '49 A--which is up on blocks--and its rear tires need attention, also.  And the '51 needs starter work.

*sigh*

LATEST UPDATE:  In the meantime, I procured a started drive for it.  About two weeks ago, I managed to find time to clean off the workbench and drop the starter on the '51 A.  The cleaning job took much the longer time, I am embarrassed to say.

Yesterday, having set aside the day, my son and I dug into the starter.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that the job nearly did itself.  I think it took us 20 minutes.  In fact, it took longer to reinstall and prep the tractor for running, largely because the coolant disappears from it and we had to go get more.  (1st Aside:  no, the coolant does not mix with the oil--there is not hint of it in the crankcase.)  (2nd Aside:  Have you bought antifreeze lately!  Yikes!)

All is ready, hit the pedal:  a clash.  My son didn't press it quite squarely.  Second attempt:  the old boy started on the third impulse.  And there was much much rejoicing!

Backed him out of the shed, hooked up to the brush hog, and went after the field.  I took the first couple rounds because I had a Plan.  There were a few specific places I wanted to hit.  What I didn't know was that there was a cow-head sized rock in one of those places.  No, I didn't hit the rock with the blades, but I did bounce the tire off it, popping the bead.  Of course, I didn't notice for another round.  By that time, the bead had come loose on the one side of the tire.

Shucks and other comments.

Rolled the thing up to the workshop and rolled out the air hose, hoping to use a strap and a good wallop of air to reseat the bead.  Unfortunately, the stem had become partially dislodged, so, when I put the air to it, it shot into the tire.

Further comments.

Tried to pry the tire bead back so I could fish out the stem, and the edge of the rim bent.

Time to stop commenting--well, just a few more--and stop making things worse.  Naturally, the local tire shop had closed about 2 hours earlier.  Parked the hog and used the tractor to pull some stumps we had been tripping over for a year.  That job went so smoothly that I had to make a few positive comments!

Today, we pulled the tire and wheel off the hog so that we can get it to town at the earliest opportunity.  I took  minute to beat the rim back into place so that I didn't have to explain that to the guys working there.

So, yesterday was a GREAT tractor day but a pretty poor brush hog day (though it could have been far worse).

But it is very gratifying having at least one tractor we can use.  Next step:  replacing the flywheel on the '49 so that we can have TWO!

The "original" Steve Allen

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