Uh, oh. My 'M' quit steering!

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Stan Disbrow
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Uh, oh. My 'M' quit steering!

Post by Stan Disbrow » Thu Jun 19, 2014 2:04 pm

Hi,

Fortunately, I was almost done cultivating the garden. And, aimed right at the gate. So I steered it up to the shop via the brakes. Sorta crawler like! Well, like my old Terratrac crawler without steering clutches, anyway. :P

The sun is beating down on the front of the shop this afternoon, so I will wait until morning to tear into it. Nice and cool and shady in front of the shop until 1 PM or so. :)

Any guesses what happened? The steering went rather 'mushy' then the wheel just spins. No jerks or bangs and I was in soft dirt, so nothing run into besides weeds. Nothing is visibly wrong, but the hood and nosecone are still on, so all I can readily see is the tie rods are all still OK.

Personally, I am thinking the pin which follows the worm gear pulled out of the yoke inside the steering box.

Further bulletins as events warrant!

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

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Lavoy
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Post by Lavoy » Thu Jun 19, 2014 2:36 pm

My guess is that the key in the coupling on the steering shaft into the pedestal sheared off, or the coupling just wore out, common problem.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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Stan Disbrow
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Post by Stan Disbrow » Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:37 am

Hi,

I had thought of that first. Looking up under the hood as best I could with a light, it looked like that was still together. So, I figured on it being something else. Something not quite so easy to fix.

Alas, after removing the hood and nose, the input shaft is still turning. After removing the top of the steering box, the end of the cam, or yoke, has cracked and pulled loose on the front side, and is hanging by a thread on the back side. Right at the pin which follows the worm gear.

I suspect this was cracked way back in the early 80s when the dweebs which owned it before me yanked the front end completely off trying to pull start it with a 4x4 truck. It was locked up because water had frozen in the number 1 cylinder. Because they left it outside with no can on the exhaust. Sigh.

Well, time to file, weld and grind it all back into place. This thing should be repainted Italian Racing Red, and I should be renamed Tony. You know. Fix It Again Tony! :P

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

Scottyb
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Post by Scottyb » Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:51 pm

never give up

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Stan Disbrow
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Post by Stan Disbrow » Sat Jun 21, 2014 4:31 am

Hi,

Nope. I never do. If ever a machine ought to have gone to the scrap yard, it was this one. But, I will keep on fixing it. It has been a long time since the last thing broke on it, and as far as the fixes go, this is the most minor. I get the biggest kick every time she fires up. :)

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

User avatar
Stan Disbrow
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Post by Stan Disbrow » Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:44 am

Hi,

Update time. My puny wire welder put it together. Did not hold for long, though. Fortunately, I have a buddy that is a real welder, and I took it to him last evening to take into his shop today and get it done properly.

Say, anyone ever mount a later steering box and shaft onto an M? The later ones have two pins following the worm gear instead of only one.

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

User avatar
Stan Disbrow
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Post by Stan Disbrow » Fri Jun 27, 2014 11:20 am

Hi,

All fixed and everything greased up. Steers nicely now. Back to cultivating work she goes. :)

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

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Lavoy
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Post by Lavoy » Fri Jun 27, 2014 11:45 am

Sounds like an excuse to buy a bigger welder! :lol:
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

oldtanker
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Post by oldtanker » Tue Jul 29, 2014 11:05 pm

Sounds like an excuse to buy a "back up tractor"! :D They really are like potato chips, one is never enough! I'm trying to convince my wife that I need (as in have to have) one tractor for each implement! So I need 8 more utility sized tractors, 4 more 40-50 HP tractors (one should be a crawler), and 4 more tractors 70 HP or bigger up to 125 HP! :twisted: :twisted: . So far she ain't buying off on it :( . haven't told her that once I have those then I nee a backup for each 8) 8) !

Rick

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Tigerhaze
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Post by Tigerhaze » Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:35 am

Backups are a little overrated- I have three crawlers, four skid steer loaders, three roller compactors, and two wheel tractors and all are repair projects to some degree. I am excluding other equipment that are "singles" :lol:

I am now looking to "thin the herd" some as it is not good to keep that stuff idle with little to no use.
(1) JD Straight 450 crawler dozer with manual outside blade; (2) JD 2010 diesel crawler loaders; (1) JD 2010 diesel dozer with hydraulic 6-way blade; (2) Model 50 backhoe attachments, misc. other construction equipment

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Stan Disbrow
350 crawler
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Post by Stan Disbrow » Wed Jul 30, 2014 12:59 pm

Hi,

I used to have back ups. A 420 and a 430 to go with the M. But, odd thing, none would ever have a battery with enough charge to start, or decent gas, or a whole host of other things, to actually be useful. It was always 'fix it', then use it!

So, back off to one main tractor (the 2008 5103) and one secondary tractor (the 1950 M). The M was so secondary, it really only saw use with a fertilizer spreader and the disc hillers.

Until I picked up enough parts to make up an M10A cultivator, that is. It has had work every week since we planted the garden with those on. We planted every other row, so I can run alongside the hills once stuff grew too tall to straddle.

Then, of course, I bust the steering. All fixed up now that I took the busted piece to a pro welder buddy of mine. :)

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

oldtanker
440 crawler
440 crawler
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 4:12 pm
Location: west Minnesota

Post by oldtanker » Fri Aug 29, 2014 9:07 pm

LOL I do that too sometimes. I can weld but with a critical part I take it to a pro. If I did more welding I'd be ok with doing most stuff myself. I may not have to touch my welder for 6 months or so.


Rick

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