40C blade 'slop'

[krusty]

Hi gang,

As more things are getting fixed on my 40C one of the things I am pondering is working up some bushings for the various spots in the frame for the blade. When I lift or lower there is so much play in the linkage points I need to add bushings to tighten it up. The idea solution is to take things in to the machine shop of course but does anyone have the low cost solution that is not significant $$?

I was thinking shim stock wrapped around some of the pins but that just may wear out too quick. Any other suggestions? Wish I had my own metal lathe to make custom fit bushings.

Krusty,

[Lavoy]

Which blade are you working on?
Lavoy

[doc40c]

Hi Krusty! I rebushed my 40c blade a few years back but I have a lathe and mill so it wasn't too bad. Without those tools you need to make the male parts and the female counterparts round again with minimal clearance. To do that you can use say .125" wall seamless tubing ( or .250" wall if you have some parts with a lot of meat to work with). Match the tubing so the OD of the male parts is the same as the ID of the female (bushing part). Grind the OD of the male part so you can slide the tubing over it, then weld. Do the same for the bushings ( females), just bore out the holes to fit the Od of the tubing you will be inserting and then weld the bushings in. You may have to do some fine tuning with a brake hone due to welding shrinkage. That should tighten up your blade! Good luck on your project! Randy from Michigan

[krusty]

Randy,

Ya what you say makes sense. I just wish there was an easier way since I do not have a lathe. I may order oversize bushings and just bite the bullet and take them into my local machine shop. There are a few things I want turned for the homestead and they appreciate cash business.

Here is where I need to tighten things up. BTW I may have found a 40 crawler loader as the next project but the mrs gave me the evil eye this AM. Engine is shot on it but it is complete and not hacked to crap. Might need a followup post with the pics.....stay tuned

Krusty

[krusty]

[JD40c]

Krusty, resize your pictures please!

[doc40c]

Hi Krusty, looking at your pics, the two large pivot points with the grease zerks ( one doesn't look too bad for slop but the other has a lot of forward and back slop), you could take a piece of heavy walled ( .250") pipe and cut a small moon-shaped piece and fit it into the large gap and weld it to take up some of the slop. It won't be perfect but it should take up a lot of the slop. Good luck! Randy from Michigan.

[cdunn]

I remember reading about a method of removing slop from blade pin holes that used a nonmetallic (carbon based) type rod of the correct size that could be placed in the oversize holes and using an arch welder to fill in the spaces. They even had pictures (looked like a charcoal rod). only it was tough and hard to break, and once the spaces was filled in, the rod was tapped out and could be reused. Any body ever heard of this method. It was in a publication where farmers and others showed their useful inventions, and was printed on newspaper type paper. I believe there was an article at one time, about Lavoy and his service of providing parts and expertice to others with a desire to rescue JD Crawlers. I wonder if something like that is still available

[Lavoy]

Either carbon or copper rod will work. Carbon rod to me seems to leave a real hard surface when you are done, don't know if the carbon if mixing with the weld puddle or what. It does work, just no where near as well as the people that want to sell you a hifg priced repair kit would lead you to believe.
Lavoy

[cdunn]

I kinda thought that might be the case. Lot smoother job using a bushing if you can find one or make one I would think.

[Lavoy]

IT works, and undoubtedly has its applications. I have a couple lengths of carbon rod I use on occasion for this type of stuff.
Lavoy