Farmall wheel weights stuck

Dave Westlund · Aug 18, 2020

Help,

I'm trying to remove wheel weights off an M tractor. I was able to loosen the nuts but the bolts are rusted in so tight I can't get them out. Even after using heat. Any suggestions on what to try?

Dave

rustyfarmall · Aug 18, 2020

Penetrating oil and lots of patience.

gene bender · Aug 18, 2020

I had to drill out some busted ones after all they have been there for over70yrs

the tractor vet · Aug 18, 2020

I have seen them rusted so bad that even in heating cooling they will NOT come out and the only way was to DRILL them out . Yea ya can try blowing them out with a torch but that is hard on tips . And hand drilling is hard to drill that much . The couple we drilled went to a friend that had a four foot radial arm Drill press Kabota powered .

BarnyardEngineering · Aug 18, 2020

What kind of heat did you use and where did you use it?

If you heated the bolts red hot and beat on them, you've permanently riveted the weights to the tractor. No amount of heat and beat is going to save you now.

Penetrating oil is a waste of time. You will spend months of spraying to get even a fraction of an inch of "penetration." Penetrating oil only "works" because the bolt you just sprayed it on, then immediately slapped a wrench on, wasn't stuck to begin with. I will admit it helps clean out and lube up exposed threads, but as for freeing stuck anything, it's a myth.

I'd center punch the bolt heads on the inside of the wheel, and start drilling. You only need to get through the wheel, and only mostly drill them out. Once you get the bolts mostly drilled out, you should be able to get on the outside with a pry bar and pop them off. Just park the tractor with the valve stem at the top and watch your toes.

Once they're off the tractor you can work on getting the bolts out of the weights.

Janicholson · Aug 18, 2020

If you drill through the middle of them all the way through at 1/4 inch, you can easily cut the remainder out with a torch. the hole lets the steel have a path to get out of the way. Be careful with the spatter, it will ruin things and start fires. Use a sheet of tin to direct slag. Jim

Traditional Farmer · Aug 18, 2020

Weights and wheel center are cast the bolts are steel,cut the bolts off as close as you can blow the rest of the bolt out with the torch.

DeltaSteve · Aug 18, 2020

Cut the bolt head out of the weight itself. Then a big prybar. Once you get it out a bit,you may even have to cut the bols between the wheel and weight.Dont ask how I learned that bit of info....

tomtinker · Aug 18, 2020

Have you tried leaving the nuts quite loose and driving the tractor around a bunch?

Dave Westlund · Aug 18, 2020

DeltaSteve,

On my Farmall weights the bolt heads are recessed. I can't cut the head off unless you're saying I should use a torch?

Dave

DeltaSteve · Aug 18, 2020

Yep. Torch. if you're good enough,you can do it without ruining a tip.I did all 8 on a SuperC last year.Then you can hit the cuttoff stubs with a big sledge hammer. If you are lucky,they will then drive on out.

Dave Westlund · Aug 18, 2020

Thanks for all the reply's.

I'm going to drill one out and see if I can then torch it out. I'm old but new to using acetylene torch. Wish me luck..

To those that asked about what I did so far. I did heat up to a cherry red the bolt on the nut side with the nut removed. Then let it cool put the nut back on even with the threads and gave them a couple of good wacks. so maybe I did not do that process correctly.

Farmall wheel weights stuck

Dave Westlund

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rustyfarmall

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gene bender

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the tractor vet

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BarnyardEngineering

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Janicholson

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Traditional Farmer

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DeltaSteve

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tomtinker

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Dave Westlund

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DeltaSteve

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Dave Westlund

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