Super C - Fast Hitch - rockshaft, freeplay ?

Hello, just joined the ranks of the red team and picked up a 53 Super C with a Fast Hitch. I"ve been reading through the owner"s manual that came with the tractor, but there must be a separate manual for the Fast Hitch which I don"t have.

If you're standing behind the tractor looking at the fast hitch, there is the U shaped rockshaft that pivots up and down. It mounts in two plates attached to the very bottom of the differential. The Right side plate has a round hole, the left side plate has an oblong hole, which I assume is there to provide some sort travel to adjust the left-to-right tilt of the entire rockshaft. There is some freeplay in this entire assembly. Judging by the parts diagrams on Case-IH parts online there is some sort of bearings/bushings in the caps that go around the rockshaft and attach to the plates. My question is just how much freeplay should there be? The bearings don"t appear to be typical roller or ball bearings, but more like bushings of sorts. I assume designed to wear out first. But how much wear is too much?

Thanks

Welcome to the red world and you probably don't know it yet but you have a very versatile tractor. The Super C fast hitch has features I don't see on current tractors of its size for sure. Down pressure hydraulics and the ability to tilt whatever you have hooked up on the fast hitch with simple hydraulics. There is quite an array of attachments made for the fast hitch tractors but takes some looking to find them.
There is a separate supplement to the owners manual for the SC fast hitch numbered 1 004 220 R4. I have a copy and would be most happy to send you a copy by US mail if you send me an address - sort of a welcome to the red club gift. You can reply with an email so your name and address isn't visable to the world if you would like a copy as my email is open. Hopes this helps,
Hal Russell
Rolla, MO

No bearings, just bushings. The bushings and the shafts have wear on them. It is probably usable as is. I had the entire fast hitch on my 460 rebushed, some shafts rebuilt. Cost $400-$500 if I remember right. Bushings are not available from CaseIH, a machine shop can find them. Yours is a common problem on any well used fast hitch.

Hal is right on the versatility of the SC with a Fast Hitch. If you have all the linkage involved, it should be pretty much self explanatory. There is "pitch" forward and backward on the right side, and "tilt" side to side on the left, or they can float if the implement requires it. The only drawback to the system is no draft control like later models have or most 3 points have. As a kid in high school, I did a lot of plowing, disking, mowing and cultivating with fast hitch tools. Never had a problem with any of them. You can set the plow up hydraulically with the pitch and tilt, without a wrench or leaving the seat. Mower.... darn, you had to get off the seat to hook up the PTO shaft :lol: . Some implements you needed to switch a pin or move a linkage piece so it would float... no implement switch took more than one or two minutes. Mounting the front parts of the cultivator maybe took 5 minutes, but the rear was [u:9944be041b]Fast[/u:9944be041b] Hitch. If I had a small acreage today, I'd have a SC, 200 or 230 without a doubt. As it is, I have the next generation 240U because I wanted a lower tractor with PS and a loader and a 3 point instead of FH.

Thanks Hal and all. Hal I'll send you a PM. Thanks for the votes of confidence in my choice. Maybe my rockshaft and mounts are o.k. as is, nothing to compare it to though.

Fairly new to this whole tractor thing, but learned a lot on my old Case VAI, but wanted something just a little bit bigger, but not much bigger, with a little bit more versatility. Criteria was ease of getting parts and help, either local or online here at YDT for when I get stumped. I did a ton of research here at YTD and from all the possible choices on my next tractor I narrowed it down to JD B, Ford 600 series or Farmall SC. JD B while popular in my neck of the woods just seemed a bit more different than I was ready for. Really liked the Ford 600 for size and parts availability, but no bargains around. Found this wide front SC with Touch Control, Fast Hitch, C-21 Sickle Mower (I think), FH 2 bottom plow, Fast Hitch draw bar and 3pt hitch adapter, and a homemade work platform for the fasthitch.

It's a little rough looking and in need of some TLC, but tin is complete, no rust-outs or major dents, just surface rust. It's fully operational, with usable rubber, full set of wheel weights, plus another complete set of rear wheels, rims, tires with more wheel weights in very good condition, all for 1G+ less than any of the Fords I was looking at. It's not 100%, somethings will need attention but that's what I want, I don't want a perfect tractor that has nothin' left of me to fix.

Plus every day on my way to work I pass a Case-IH dealer with a wonderful crew and a cracker-jack master mechanic who is a walking Farmall encyclopedia who has been more than generous in helping me with questions on my Case. Add it all up and it was too good a combination to pass up.

First up is all the fluids, gonna drop the oil pan, clean it out and take a look see up the belly of the beast. Thanks for the replies and looking forward learning and helping when I can.

I have a 53SC, if you have a choice buy fast hitch implements they work better but adapters will work till then.

Don, I never received any email with your address to send you a copy of the Fast-Hitch supplement. I believe I also have the owner's manuals for a C-21 and C-23 FH mower if you would like a copy of that also. The easiest way to tell the two apart is the number of lift springs on the rear beneath the big v-belt pulley. A C-21 will have a single spring and the C-23 will have two. I believe the C-23 is a heavy duty model of the C-21. Hope all is well and again, congradulations on finding a great little handy tractor, Hal.

Farmallhal, sent you an e-mail via the send e-mail safemail assitant link in this thread. Hopefully you get it. thanks,

Hasn't shown up here - there seems to be a problem some times so you might want to reply to this one as my email address is correctly linked to this response. Hal.

Ok, tried it again via the send e-mail link, which is the same safe e-mail assitant.