mini-maglite in hydraulics

Norm Wampler · May 18, 2017

Don't laugh, I couldn't do this again if I tried.My 135 Massey Ferguson was stuck in gear and I had the fill cap off and was moving the gear to free it with my mini-mag flashlight in my mouth.I dropped it, it bounced, and went right down in the hole and to the bottom. Any ideas on how to get it out???? My only one so far is to get a good extension magnet and try to find it. Ant suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Norm

To all! Thanks for all the suggestions. I have been trying to get it for several days now. So far, no luck. I drained it and borrowed a good Rigid brand camera and actually located it, but it is all the way down by the drain hole. I have tried magnets, grabbers, wire, and still cant get it. 44 Massey, how in the world did you get a hold of it and get it out past all the gears???? Anymore help would be great. I am about worn out with it.
Thanks,
Norm

TimV · May 18, 2017

Norm: just a thought, but what about making a small version of an animal catch pole? Obviously it wouldn't have to be pretty, but just the basic theory of having a controllable loop of wire or string around the body of the light might be enough for you to get it out of there. I'm linking a video of one version, but you can probably see all you need to see in the first half a minute. Size the components to what you can fit down the fill port and see where it gets you. Even if you can get it up far enough to grab it with something else it might be enough to do the trick.
catch pole video

jeffcat · May 18, 2017

Tim you may have hit the nial on the head. Sounds like a good idea.

RBoots · May 18, 2017

That's a good idea! Maybe make the "pole" out of plastic air brake line so that it can flex a little.

Ross

Dune Country · May 18, 2017

just thinking out loud

got a good vacuum?
piece of 1" hose taped to the suction hose?

coonie minnie · May 18, 2017

If it is by the drain hole, any chance to get it out there? Or flush it towards the drain hole with some diesel fuel??

Traditional Farmer · May 18, 2017

How about making a tube to hook to an air line out of a brake line to blow it around? Might come flying out the drain hole.

Dell (WA) · May 18, 2017

hey Norm.........wanna make a $1,000,000??? Invent a MAGNET that works on ALUMNIUM. Thats what yer maglite body is made outta. (anodized alumnium) I haffa 4-finger flexable grabber, 18-inches long that might work. Press to OPEN and spring loaded to CLOSE........HTH, the amazed Dell

JMOR · May 18, 2017

I thought someone already said that the batteries were magnetic? I tested a few and they are.

ss55 · May 19, 2017

This is a long shot, but a small flexible grapper has helped me out several times. Twenty years ago they were under $5. Amazon.com offers many like these two:

X-Long 36" Flex-Cable Pick-Up Tool 4-Finger Claw End Retriever Snake by Pro Tools

and this fancier version with a light:

General Tools 70399 Lighted Steel Claw Mechanical Pick-Up Tool, 36-Inch

Be careful who you loan one out to, sometimes they don't get returned.

rick n ohio · May 19, 2017

If it were mine i would seriously think about leaving it alone and run it.

Hendrik · May 19, 2017

One person trying from the top to move the Maglite and another person lying on her/his back having needle nose pliers or the "small version of an animal catch pole" (as suggested by TimV) at the ready near the drain hole?

Note: I've never worked on an MF 135, nor have I ever crawled under it

If not successful, I'd buy a new mini-Maglite, as suggested by Rick n Ohio.

RM-MN · May 19, 2017

You can get an LED flashlight for $1 at Walmart to replace the Maglight. I'd leave the Maglight where it is.

larry@stinescorner · May 19, 2017

I like that idea!

kcm.MN · May 19, 2017

(quoted from post at 04:37:55 05/19/17) You can get an LED flashlight for $1 at Walmart to replace the Maglight. I'd leave the Maglight where it is.

I started to say the same thing - the Mag-Lite is aluminum; the tractor is STEEL. No contest, the steel wins out! *lol* Not sure that's the most logical way of looking at it, but if it ever causes a future problem, at least then you'd have a REAL reason to split the tractor into 10,000 tiny pieces digging it all out! :shock:

Guess it's all how you look at it. Might be the flashlight will simply ride there in the same place for the next 50 years of its life.

RESLLS · May 19, 2017

Mini mag has a hole in the end for a lanyard. Might could use a wire to hook it if you can see it.

jm. · May 19, 2017

I am like Rick I would bet it will never cause any problem. Be hard for a gear to catch that small light and IF it did the light will be shredded in seconds.

John B. · May 19, 2017

That's what I was going to suggest, a vacuum.

Straw Boss · May 20, 2017

This is simple. Just build a rotisserie for your fergie like they use to rotate car bodies for sandblasting and painting, then when she's upside down, add a vibrator from a dump truck and it'll shake right out the way it went in.

A cheaper method would be to take a sledge hammer to the casting in the approximate location of the mag light until you have a hole big enough to retrieve the light. Then simply JB weld the busted pieces back in.

I'm sure these suggestions are helpful. Your welcome.

kcm.MN · May 20, 2017

Straw Boss -- Interesting approach. Wouldn't mind hearing your ideas on changing a flat tire some time. *lol*

Norm Wampler · May 20, 2017

Praise the Lord!!!! After about 10 hours of trying to get the dang thing I finally got it. I had bought every magnet and grabber known to man but I finally caught it with a homemade catch-pole.Thanks to the one who gave me that idea. I had tried almost all the other suggestions, but I hadn't thought of that.I made about 4 different ones out of various material. The one that worked was a piece of 3/8 inch clear rubber hose with #16 gauge wire in it. I caught it 3 times and couldn't get it wiggled around the gears and lost it. Finally I got it and wormed it around all the gears and was able to grab it with a mechanical finger. It slipped out but got hung up before it went all the way back down and I very carefully grabbed it again and got it out. Man what a relief.

kcm.MN · May 20, 2017

Awesome!! Great job Norm!!

TimV · May 22, 2017

No problem--happy to help and glad it worked, Norm!

mini-maglite in hydraulics

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