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Tire wobbles

Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 3:14 am
by PAUL K. in N.H.
Hi all

I hope everyone is doing wll. The right front tire on my 61 wobbles. The wheel bearings seem okay, and there is not a lot of movement up the top where the key fits into the keyway. The tierods are straight and dont seem to have alot of play. How do I tell what is worn ? I know the toe in is not correct just by looking at the outside edge of the tires. It almost looks like the bottom of the tire is in more than the top, not the toe in but I think you call it the caster or camber. If I raise the front end of the ground and wiggle the tire in all dirrections, how do I know what is worn out? As always THANK YOU !! Paul K. in N.H.

Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 8:50 am
by Michael Az
Paul, raise the wheel that has the wobble off the ground. I would check first for a bent wheel. Take an object like a milk crate and set it close to the wheel, three or four inches. If you have a large file without a handle, lay it on top of the milk crate and position the handle end close to the tire and rotate the tire while looking for the "wobble" as the tire turns to see how much there is. Place your hands at 180 degrees on the tire and push with one hand while pulling with the other. Is the tire and wheel moving when you do this? If the spindle doesn't move with the wheel and tire, then the wheel bearings are loose or worn out. If the bearings aren't the problem, you probably have a bent wheel. It isn't too hard to find the problem when the tire is off the ground, just move it and look for the excess play. I believe the toe in is 1/4". The spindle bushings could also be worn alowing excess caster and camber, there again, look for excess movement while shaking the wheel.
Michael

Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 11:49 am
by artc
check this tip on rudi's site on toe in alignment.

http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Mainte ... index.html

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2004 12:51 pm
by PAUL K. in N.H.
Hi All

I jacked up right front, held tire at top and bottom no movement in and out at all. I grab tire at 3 and 6 oclock position and everything seems tight except all kinds of play in the tie rod, not the tie rod end but in the middle where it hooks up to the steering. I did not take that middle piece apart yet. The grease fitting is snaped off there so the pre. owner didn't grease that spot. Does this mean I need new tie rods ? To bad they are so straight. Is there something else in there that is worn out, a part of the steering ? When I take that apart about what size should the end of the tie rod be ? Jacked up the left side a little play same spot, but I never noticed that wheel wobbling. Well as always THANK YOU !! Paul K. in N.H.

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 12:30 am
by Michael Az
If you will remove the small plate where the tie rod ends go to the steering, you should find some shims. They are for adjusting the fit of the ball jont in its socket. The less shims, the tighter the fit. As old as these tractors are, the ball and/or socket may have a lot of wear, especialy if they haven't been greased.
Michael

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 12:18 pm
by PAUL K. in N.H.
Hi All
I took apart the tie rods to the steering gear arm. I had to use a round wire brush in a drill and a pick to clean out old hardened grease and find the little hole in the arm sockets where the grease enters. Arm sockets don't look to bad, looks like a machine flat of about 9/32 up in the middle of both sockets. The top of the tie rods have flats no very smooth, but not to bad, the flats are about 5/8 , is that about the size they are for the grease to get in there ? I see shims that Michael in Arizona told me about. The grease fitting is broken off and the parts book says in group 5 part # 24 1/4 28 ns taper str lube. My question on that is what is the drill and tap size for that fitting, or is that the tap size for the fitting ? Last thing is with the steering arm gear disconnected from the tie rods, the arm has about an 1/8 free play left to right, is that not to bad for now until one day my nerves will allow me to drop all of it and do some more work on it ? Sorry about the long post , and THANK YOU !! Paul K.in N.H.

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 2:54 pm
by Rudi
Paul:

I can't help you with most of it, just one item and that is the zerk or grease fitting. On Ellie-Mae it was broken off as well - just the top part. The base was still there and I could get a socket on it. I carefully used the ratchet to remove the zerk - it is the threaded type. They are available at any auto-parts store and are about $1.99 for 2 or 3 in a pack. You can get various styles. Because of the way the bolt is in I had to use a 45 deg zerk, but a regular straight one is what is called for.

Hope that makes a little sense.

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 6:11 pm
by PAUL K. in N.H.
Hi Rudi

The fitting on mine is broke off flush with the top, I don't know what threads are on those fitting. I don't want to drill what is left out with to big of a bit, also it is not a through hole and I dont think it needs to be drilled down very deep at all. I posted all that other info, so the pro's could tell me how bad the rods are worn. THANKS !! Paul K in N.H.

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 6:36 pm
by Bigdog
Paul, you might try tightening the nut that holds the steering arm and see if that takes some of the play out of it.

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 7:00 pm
by PAUL K. in N.H.
Hi Bd
I may get to try that tomorrow, it don't seem to bad at the arm, but if it can be even better that would be great. I really want to know what size the threads are on the zerk fittings, I guess I could go buy a couple as I need them anyway and ask the folks at the parts store. THANK YOU !! Paul K. in N.H.

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 7:49 pm
by Bigdog
From what you posted above, it's 1/4" X 28 threads per inch. A Craftsman screw extractor should take the threaded stub out.

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:15 pm
by PAUL K. in N.H.
I have some of those easy outs, don't know if the are the same ,but I know those are not crafstman. I will try that. THANKS !! Paul K.in N.H.

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:24 pm
by PAUL K. in N.H.
I just went and looked and I do have spiral screw extractors, by KD tools, they make a pretty good product. So I guess I will give them a try. Paul K. in N.H.

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:26 pm
by Michael Az
Paul, something doesn't sound right to me here. Grease fittings use pipe sizes and 1/4 X 28 is not a pipe size. The 1/4 would be a very large grease fitting and it would not be 28 TPI, but 18. I'm going to guess 1/8 pipe and the TPI would be 27. The tap drill would be a 11/32 drill for the 1/8. It sure would be nice if you could get the broken part out. Any chance you could file or grind a flat on the broken fitting and then weld a nut to it? Allow it to cool and then turn it out. Another method I don't like as well as the welding a nut to it is to take a small torax bit, like a #15 or 20, drill the center of the broken fitting to the same size as the center of the torax then drive the torax bit into the broken fitting. Use a hand impact tool to reverse the fitting out. Lots of soaking with penetrating oil will help.
Michael

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:41 pm
by Ron L
Michael Az wrote:Paul, something doesn't sound right to me here. Grease fittings use pipe sizes and 1/4 X 28 is not a pipe size.


Mike. I have used a 1/4-28 NF tap in lieu of 1/8-27 NPT when the pipe tap was not available. The two sizes are very close. This works and seats quite well due to the taper in the male threads. Also, see below paragraph.

Paul. If indeed the size is 1/4-28, then get a 1/4-28 SAE-LT zerk fitting. They are a tapered automotive "Lubricating Thread" series size.......