New keyway in M/H cast rears

sflem849 · Aug 31, 2009

I have a similar problem on both my SMTA and my H. The SMTA has half of the key stock broken off the good way and it is stuck in the cast portion. My H has half broken off the wrong way so none of it is bitting the shaft. Therefore, only one piece of key stock is holding the center to the axle shaft.
I tried beating the keystock out of the SMTA cast center with NO luck. I didn't try heat or anything more than a 2# hammer and punch bc I didn't want to pass the point of no return where I had to fix it. How do you get these out!?!

D Slater · Sep 1, 2009

Original SMTA and H wheels and key are one piece castings. Some were repaired by cutting a keyway and using a key, or you have replacement wheels with a keyway. I always just knocked them out with hammer and punch. What # is on the wheels?

sflem849 · Sep 1, 2009

I always assumed they were originals because they look like everyone elses. I just looked and didn't see any IH casting marks, but it was dark. The H did come with steel wheels so it is possible the centers are different.
The SMTA appeared to have 6325DF. The H appeared to have 5 15 0 which doesn't look like an IH number. The other side of the machine didn't have any number in that spot. When I looked at the keystock it did look like it could be part of the casting.
How in the world can you cut a keyway in there!?!

D Slater · Sep 1, 2009

You have original type wheels, thats probably the date code on the H wheels, 1945. I wonder how they cut the keyways myself, but have removed wheels that originaly had the key cast in that were cut and a key installed. IH sold replacement wheels for M, SM type tractors that used a seprate key like used in most 100 series wheels. Wheels looked just like a SMTA wheel except 2 clamps a wheel were used with no key in the clamps and 7/8 bolts instead of 3/4 in clamps. Good luck

jal-SD · Sep 1, 2009

You can cut a key way with a hack-saw blade-it's a long and tedious process and you have to do it carefully, but it can be done. We left the wheel on the axel, turned the wheel so the area to be cut was at the bottom of the axel and "hacked" away with the top of the blade in the axel key way. We tightened the clamp every so often to keep the blade in contact with the wheel. If I remember right, Dad cut wooden shims that we used to keep the blade straight. Us kids did the sawing, one kid on each side of the wheel with a wire through the hole in the blade to pull it, just like an old two-man saw. It took a couple of blades & several shims before we "got 'er done". After we got it deep enough, we just took a punch and broke the center section out & filed it flat. We didn't have the $75 for another wheel at the time, so didn't have a much of a choice. It wasn't easy, but it worked for a lot of years with just a steel key in the slot. We did it in probably 1955, or 56, Dad finally traded the H off for a used '53 SM LPG when I went off to college in '62. (My $0.02 worth. jal-SD)

Janicholson · Sep 1, 2009

Keyway broaches are available. They are hard to push, nut with a Porta power, or good jacking system they could do the job in two hours or less.
They use shims to move then up in the casting every pass. 6 passes and it is new keyway. Really good machine shops with capability to repair industrial equipment, (or EBAY) will have them. JimN

New keyway in M/H cast rears

sflem849

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D Slater

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sflem849

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D Slater

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jal-SD

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Janicholson

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