Could someone enlighten me on my H's rear end problems?

Absent Minded Farmer · Nov 30, 2011

I'm assessing the '45 H that I have, trying to see if it's worth the effort of fixing or not. I'm already thinking it's a no-go with this one, as I don't believe the engine has enough compression to inflate a balloon. Also, unless it's nessesary, I don't plan on cracking the top casting open to find out what's wrong. So, here goes....

I've noted that, when I pull the tractor, there's a grinding sound in the rear somewhere. When I push it forward, the grinding is awful & makes the left wheel shutter like crazy. If you need any more symptoms, I'll let you know. At this time, nothing stands out in my mind as being unusual.

Thanks,
Mike

Eastsider · Nov 30, 2011

Check the rear brake on the left side...could be sticking. The one I will be working on had the same issue and it was a brake problem. Going forward it sticks like heck..pulled backwards no noise at all.

Michael Soldan · Nov 30, 2011

..Eastsider has it..had an H do the same thing..brake rusted on..

rustred · Nov 30, 2011

awful grinding?.. maybe inner axle brg shot and bull gear grinding the btm. of case. have seen that happen.

Absent Minded Farmer · Nov 30, 2011

I should have mentioned that I was using a wagon pole, hitch to hitch. So, there's only a faint grinding sound when pulling the offending tractor backward. It's bad when I push it forward. I'll check the brakes & post back.

Thanks,
Mike

Absent Minded Farmer · Nov 30, 2011

Would there be an external indication, if the bearing was bad & the bull gear was rubbing on the bottom? The rear wheels & axles look square to the tractor.

Mike

rustred · Nov 30, 2011

well the external indication would be when it wears through the housing and have gear oil leaking out. wheel would be leaning in at top, and could jack up to check. i have not heard sticking brakes make a grinding noise. they are either stuck and skid or roll when free.

Zachary Hoyt · Nov 30, 2011

I don't know what your problem is, but I can say that it is not as hard as it looks to get the top cover off. I took the cover off mine when I first got it because the inside was full of ice, and this summer I had it off a couple of times when my pilot bearing went bad and I was swapping in Super H shafts and gears. I did it by myself, it would have been easier with a helper or a cherry picker but it was possible by hand. I you should find that you need axles or bull gears I have some on hand from parts tractors that are in good shape.
Zach

mkirsch · Nov 30, 2011

I'm with Zach, the top cover just might surprise you.

We recently put a Fast Hitch on a Super C, which requires removing two top cover bolts. Dad and I looked at them, and we both agreed, no effing way would they ever come out.

Your best bet is a pneumatic impact wrench. The impact won't twist off the bolt unless it's in REALLY bad shape.

The socket should fit as tightly as possible, even if you have to pound it on with a hammer. Having SAE and Metric socket sets on hand allows you to get the best fit.

Absent Minded Farmer · Nov 30, 2011

I don't have a problem. I just don't want to send this tractor up or down river with out knowing what is wrong with it. I was going to hang on to it as another mower tractor, but now I have the opportunity to get a SP IH windrower that's only a few miles from here. It wouldn't be so important, except all the pre-1965 equipment around this neighborhood was gone 15-20 years ago & I just picked up a potential custom cutting job next summer that I'm trying to get ahead of (repairs/maintenance) this winter. Also why I do not have the time to go tearing into equipment. I'm just getting the "ER" ready, now, so I can tear apart & seal up my running H. I guess, if I must, the top cover will have to come off the '45.

Mike

Absent Minded Farmer · Nov 30, 2011

Ah yeah, after re-reading my post, I noted that I did not mention that this is a tractor that I'm not using & will be getting rid of it. My apologies if my post was misleading. I'm normally all for rebuilding tractors, but I don't have the time, space or scratch. For what I'd have to do to the non-runner to get it running, buy a mower & conditioner or a combined unit & hope I don't have to fix it, I could use half of that cash & get a SP windrower.

Mike

LMack · Dec 1, 2011

If the oil seal in the break housing is leaking it will cause the break to grab with the slightest touch. If the breaks are adjusted so that there is little motion needed from the foot petal to engage the breaks, it may be enough to cause the break to grab in normal operation. Does not sound like anything to do with the rear end unless a bearing is out. That should not happen unless it has been run low on rear end oil. I would take a look at the break before I opened the rear end.
Since the engine is sleeved, fixing the compression problem is not a monster job. Replace the sleeves and pistons and rebuild the head and you are back in business.

JRSutton · Dec 1, 2011

(quoted from post at 18:16:37 11/30/11) I don't have a problem.

I may be reading both posts wrong, but when zachary said "I don't know what your problem is" I think he meant it as "I don't know what's causing the problem, but removing the cover is easy...". Not as "hey, what's your problem?"

As for brakes making a grinding noise... I can tell you for sure that when you accidentally leave the brakes engaged on either an A, or an M they can make one hell of an ugly noise when you start moving.

Not that *I* have ever done that.

So sticking, or even accidentally engaged brakes was my first guess too. I'd rule that out before digging deeper.

rustcollector · Dec 1, 2011

You can see a lot of the bull gear and inner axle bearing conditions by removing the the PTO assembly, draining the gear oil and using a light with the tractor on a jack being raised up and down slowly.

Absent Minded Farmer · Dec 1, 2011

Nope, I didn't take it as, "hey, what's the matter with you", I figured he wasn't too sure what was ailing the tractor. I need to word my responses better, especially when I'm in a rush. On the other hand, I don't know what my problem is, half the time. Lol!

I'm making space in the basement & haven't had time to get to it yet. I'm hoping to putz with it this evening. The noise, by the way, just has that gear sound to it. I'm checking the brakes anyhow. The quicker, the better. It tried to flurry about an hour ago.

Thanks,
Mike

Could someone enlighten me on my H's rear end problems?

Absent Minded Farmer

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Eastsider

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Michael Soldan

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rustred

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Absent Minded Farmer

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rustred

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