After double checking it yesterday, both the rod and cap definitely would bind before moving 45degrees [b:958ea49c98]without even being assembled to the other[/b:958ea49c98].
Still not sure whether the two cranks came from opposing ends of factory tolerance, or the tractor that had the new rods had been ground a few thousandths; regardless, I doubt I could have cranked that tractor, even with 10shims each side - let alone much chance of wearing in without burning the babbit.
Sooooo; called a couple shops this moring; the one boiling out the block was at least a week leadtime and didn't have the right person to talk to anyway this morning. The conversation with the next shop went something like:
I said, “Can you guys do a quick dirty job dusting a thou or so from the high sides of a heavy old tractor crank; no need to bring it to a spec all around?” “ Don’t need to polish it either, only turns 1050 & I’ll clean it up with crocus before I put it in anyway.”
Phone, “Babbit?”
Me, “Yeppp”
Phone, “Ahhhh, you got an oval crank binding on you huh? [I'm not sure if he assumed I had a new babbit job, or I somehow indicated the salvage rods] The clearance sets with shims?”
Me, “That’s it”
Phone, “Bring it in - we’ll take a look; probably can sneak it in sometime early this week.”
That was enough for me to make a trip to town! He felt around the journals: "yeah, a few nasties on it [this thing threw chunks of babbit from #2 & #3 last time it ran; I hadn't mentioned that] - those should come out just fine though while bringing it back to round. Roller bearing ["ball bearing" I corrected, but still impressed a performance shop recognized these] mains; just need to do the rod journals...."
I was happy enough, only one question left: "Ballpark cost?"
"Around $100; just a little more if we polish it too."
Being real optimistic, I considered maybe half, but most likely a just a bit more than the $100, and equally possible to optimistic: pessimistic guess of over double, so I said "you may as well do the polish too."
So, I should have all the parts back by the end of the week!
Still going to have a few random pits, but no worries there; like "beauty marks" how about "lubrication reserviors?" :lol:
I know; I wound up doing exactly the opposite everyone suggested, but I really did appreciate all the replies [and had I been able to avoid binding with the shim stack, would have just hand polished it and used it "as is"]: Thanks everyone! 8)
Still not sure whether the two cranks came from opposing ends of factory tolerance, or the tractor that had the new rods had been ground a few thousandths; regardless, I doubt I could have cranked that tractor, even with 10shims each side - let alone much chance of wearing in without burning the babbit.
Sooooo; called a couple shops this moring; the one boiling out the block was at least a week leadtime and didn't have the right person to talk to anyway this morning. The conversation with the next shop went something like:
I said, “Can you guys do a quick dirty job dusting a thou or so from the high sides of a heavy old tractor crank; no need to bring it to a spec all around?” “ Don’t need to polish it either, only turns 1050 & I’ll clean it up with crocus before I put it in anyway.”
Phone, “Babbit?”
Me, “Yeppp”
Phone, “Ahhhh, you got an oval crank binding on you huh? [I'm not sure if he assumed I had a new babbit job, or I somehow indicated the salvage rods] The clearance sets with shims?”
Me, “That’s it”
Phone, “Bring it in - we’ll take a look; probably can sneak it in sometime early this week.”
That was enough for me to make a trip to town! He felt around the journals: "yeah, a few nasties on it [this thing threw chunks of babbit from #2 & #3 last time it ran; I hadn't mentioned that] - those should come out just fine though while bringing it back to round. Roller bearing ["ball bearing" I corrected, but still impressed a performance shop recognized these] mains; just need to do the rod journals...."
I was happy enough, only one question left: "Ballpark cost?"
"Around $100; just a little more if we polish it too."
Being real optimistic, I considered maybe half, but most likely a just a bit more than the $100, and equally possible to optimistic: pessimistic guess of over double, so I said "you may as well do the polish too."
So, I should have all the parts back by the end of the week!
Still going to have a few random pits, but no worries there; like "beauty marks" how about "lubrication reserviors?" :lol:
I know; I wound up doing exactly the opposite everyone suggested, but I really did appreciate all the replies [and had I been able to avoid binding with the shim stack, would have just hand polished it and used it "as is"]: Thanks everyone! 8)
