[AT] Not an Update: a New Problem

[Mark Johnson]

Steve:

The correct response to the steering shaft problem is "Gosh Oh Hecky-Darn!!"

Mark J

Columbia MO

On 7/27/2025 2:11 PM, STEVE ALLEN wrote:
>
> Gentlemen!
>
> Haven't gotten back on the B yet:  we went to a somewhat-local 
> Tractor/Threshing show last weekend, and Son is off killing Rebs at a 
> Civil War Reenactment this weekend (I couldn't go because I had to 
> preach today).
>
> Anyway, I thought to myself, "Self, you can't let the Boy have all the 
> fun.  Crank up Ol' Reliable and get in a Tractor Day."  Agreeing with 
> myself, I cranked him up and took the '51 A out to pull some 
> irritating stumps along both sides of the creek.  After three or four, 
> I got down as far as I could in the bottom without getting in the 
> creek itself to get at one in the corner between it and the fence.  I 
> started to turn around, and the front wheels must have gotten wedged 
> between some of the rocks (lots of rocks down there, head-sized and 
> bigger).  The wheels wouldn't turn, so I tugged /hard/.  All of a 
> sudden, the wheel was spinning freely in my hands, and it was sliding 
> toward me.
>
> Eh, . . . oops.
>
> There I am stuck in the lowest part of the creek bottom, jammed in the 
> rocks, and a merrily spinning a broken steering shaft.  "Shucks and 
> other comments."  I tried backing out using the brakes to turn, but 
> the ground was against me.  Back and forth several times, I managed to 
> turn about 30 degrees  More comments.
>
> So I trudged back up to the shop, got out some tools, and pulled the 
> shaft off Big John, the '49 A.  Loaded up the whole mess along with 
> some extra grease (if needed) into one of the Tahoes, and drove around 
> by road to get back to the tractor.  Swapped out the broken steering 
> shaft for the other one, checking for any broken parts in the gear box 
> or thrashed bearings.  Everything looked good, but I couldn't get a 
> good look because of angle and grease.  The front wheels were up high 
> in the air as was the rear end, but the middle of the tractor was 'way 
> over my head since I was standing in a dip.
>
> Cranked Ol' Reliable  up and, the steering was fine.  Since I had 
> backed out of the hole, I could turn without problem.  I took the road 
> home so that I could test in 4th gear:  no wobble, only about 3" of 
> steering wheel play in either direction (manual calls for 2").
>
> Now we need a permanent fix (Big John wants his shaft back, which I 
> understand perfectly).
>
> The steering shaft is, surprisingly, a tube.  Reasonably--but not 
> especially-- thick-walled.  Talking with a friend at church today, we 
> conceived an idea:  clean up the broken ends so that they mate and 
> find a steel rod whose OD matches the ID of the tube.  Insert rod, put 
> the two halves together, and have them welded (don't have a welder but 
> I know a couple guys who not only do but are pretty proficient).
>
> First time I had ever even *heard* of one of thee shafts breaking. 
>  Before I put the welded one back in, I will clean out all the old 
> grease and make sure the sector gear and other parts in the top end 
> are in good shape.  I will also jack up the front end to feel how the 
> wheels turn by hand.  I *think* I know what caused the break, but 
> now's the time to investigate.
>
> So, I had a tractor day, but it wasn't all fun and games.  Thank the 
> Lord the parts interchanged, or Old Reliable would still be down in 
> the creek bottom feeling mighty put out, and I would be continuing to 
> make comments.  *sigh*
>
> More news as it breaks (Ouch!  That pun was not intentional), fellows!
>
>
> The "original" Steve Allen
>
> '47 B   207862 (feeling left out of the party)
>
> '49 A   641033 (feeling exasperated at having been robbed)
>
> '51 A   670397 (feeling odd with a stranger's parts in him)
>
>
>
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