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frozen pivot pin

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:46 pm
by bear32055
my one cub had a brokem grease zerk in the pivot pin and i guess it hasnt seen grease in a million years and is frozen solid.i tried soaking for 2 weeks with penetrating oil then heat then mildly hitting it with punch.nothing helped.i will keep soaking and repeating what i have done unless someone out there has a better idea.i really need to get it free again because i need to get to lower steering oil seal.

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:53 pm
by Miss Farmall
Locktite Freeze & Release? what you guys think?

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:56 pm
by bear32055
was good idea but tried locktite freeze and release and also seafoam deep creep.....

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:59 pm
by bob in CT
I apologize if this seems too simple, but have you removed the bolts from the clamps? The pin is scalloped out and it will not move if the bolts are there.

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:08 pm
by Bill V in Md
Bear,

Try a chisel and hammer. Wedge the chisel end into the split ring and hammer it a gently to open up the clearance a little. Then drive out the pivot pin using the hammer and a punch.

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:03 pm
by Gary Boutwell
Miss Farmall wrote:Locktite Freeze & Release? what you guys think?

OK, Miss Farmall, I'll take the plunge>

What this: "Saepe creat molles aspera spina rosas"

:big say what:

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:01 am
by Jim Becker
Those things don't usually get stuck. Are you sure it isn't worn to the point there is an edge hanging between the axle and the casting?

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:26 am
by Ronny Bailey
A zerk? That's a new one on me.
There was one in the wedding ring I gave my (now) ex-wife, bit I didn't know tractors use them.
She liked hers a lot until she went to a jewelry store... :roll:
Is that the part of a grease fitting that unscrews?

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:35 am
by Jim Becker

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:46 am
by Ronny Bailey

Thanks, Jim
I've always just heard them referred to as a grease fitting.
For some reason, I was picturing a brake bleeder fitting.
Just read a little about Mr. Zerk. Sounds like a neat guy...

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:32 am
by bear32055
kinda funny that different folks have different names for things.i never heard of a pitman arm till i got on here .we just called em sickle drivers.some call them shaker rods etc etc.per someones reply i have removed the bolts so that isnt the problem (but was a legit question) and we can rule out the worn lip because i went out to check on that too.this weekend i will try and wedge a chisel in there to widen the gap but the idea scares me somewhat with cast but i will be carefull.i have owned 4 cubs and so far 3 of them have had this grease fitting broken off.this one is the only one that has been frozen so far.i guess in back in the day if u broke off a grease fitting u just didnt worry about greasing that area anymore.thanks for all your help i will keep u informed

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 8:50 am
by Rick Prentice
this weekend i will try and wedge a chisel in there to widen the gap but the idea scares me somewhat with cast but i will be carefull


bear, you're right about the cast iron. I'd get two sets of wedging devises. If someone tries to actually open the gap to the point that it'll stay opened wider, it probably will crack/snap. All you want to do is lightly flex the opening wider, so you'll leave each wedge in place. You'll know how much soon as the axle pivots easy. Same principal that IH used with squeezing the area tight against the pin. Remember, we're only talking a thousanth or two. If someone reading this tries to spread he ears abunch, they'll be contacting Ralph.

Rick

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:20 am
by Super A
Jim Becker wrote:Those things don't usually get stuck. Are you sure it isn't worn to the point there is an edge hanging between the axle and the casting?


On my Super A, the front end had developed enough wear that the pin could turn in the steering gear housing. Oh yeah, it was that bad. THEN the pin was froze to the axle tube. I used a big punch and a bigger hammer and beat the :censored: :censored: :censored: out of it and it finally came loose.

Then, I replaced the bottom half of the steering gear housing.

Al

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:54 am
by awander
Gary:

OK, Miss Farmall, I'll take the plunge>

What this: "Saepe creat molles aspera spina rosas"


translates to:

"Often the prickly thorn produces tender roses"

Just type "translate whatever you want to translate" at Google, and you will get lots of translation sites.

Re: frozen pivot pin

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:43 am
by cowboy
My cub would not take grease from the day I got it even with air powered grease gun. :oops: Now it never will :cry:
I spent four hours heating and beating it with a 12lb sledge. While it would turn it would not move in or out. There was rust and built up on the on the axle pin and it did not want to come out of the axle but would slide easily through the clamps without spreading them. I started with a hardened M2 drift and shattered it. Then I took a hardened 5/8 bolt ground the head down until it was the just smaller than the axle pin. Even heating the axle red hot it took 20-30 blows to move it a 1/8 inch. My drift slid sideways on one of the blows and broke a ear off of the clamp. Oh well its apart now :evil:


Image


Hope you have better luck than I did Bear :!:

Billy