Old H is laying down on me...

Bear with me, it"s a long read. There are many questions sprinkled through out, if anyone can read it all to answer them, I would appreciate it...

Bought this 44 model H out of a barn about 5 years ago. It was in boxes and buckets. Tracked down missing parts and put it back together. Only thing it needed was new seals in the rear-end. Old man that owned it had taken it apart several years ago to replace seals, he had no idea how to do it. He died, and his son sold the tractor to me. Also came with a saginaw 3 pt, Christmas tree valve, and hoses, etc, necessary for install. Came with three or four implements, one of which I traded for some needed parts. I sold some more of the implements and wound up with less than $100 in this tractor.

Since reassembly she has done great for me. In fact, probably too good! It is my main mowing tractor. I never had to work on her, until now. It will be down for repairs most of the winter. The short list is:

1. Repairing or replacing the clutch release sleeve carrier, one ear is broken off. The resulting noise that the remainder of the carrier made while spinning in the clutch housing is what got the tractor pulled off of the line and parked in the shop. Looks like one of the two mounting bolts backed out, putting too much stress on the remaining bolt, breaking the casting. Been having good luck welding cast lately, but just in case I cannot, anybody know where to get a good one? The offending part is IH number 6690 D, or 9304 D, listed on page 107 in TC-39 B IH parts catalog.

2. Repacking water pump. Wisdom and insights much appreciated here.

3. replacing seals in lift all. Again, wisdom and insights much appreciated here.

4. installing case IH lift all "up date" kit. Do they still make that, or does anyone know what I am taking about? It raises the operating pressure to 850 psi, IIRC.

5. replace rear main seal.

6. Re-seal top deck lid

7. New front tires, I can see the air in the current ones. Dang things are higher than a cats back aren"t they!?! Got sticker shock pricing them.

May clean her up and paint her...if there is any money left over. Have to talk to the war department about that though.

OK, done with my pitty party, now time to get to work. Don"t feel too sorry for me now...

Don"t feel bad with what you have in yours. I bought my 51 H at an auction and didn"t get to hear much more that a couple pops out of the exhaust, but is sure looked pretty! New paint and wiring etc. Turned out to be a pile of junk which I was committed to rebuild because of the initial price I paid. After fixing all the screwups from the so called "resto" and getting it running nice I found all of the rear end and trans bearings were totally wore out. while I was in there the brakes were gone through and any thing else that was needed like front and rear tires, saginaw 3point and a good seat set up. One of the most high priced H"s out there, but I can sure trust it now and wouldn"t take $5000 for it. (Yes, it is 6volt with a genny) I hire out with it for snow plowing, bushhogging, log skidding and driveway grading and am slowly getting all of my money back that I put into it so I guess there is a bright side! I really like that ol H!