Jacking up the rear.

[Willy]

I got Lil Red with the rear wheels set up as narrow as they go which goes back to her original career plowing fields. Narrow rows and all that. I'm wanting to widen the track out to about 48" and I've got the manual pages printed off for doing so. And there's a set of rear wheel weights I'm going to have to deal with. My intentions on jacking it up are to raise the the rears just enough to where they barely kiss the shop floor, to keep the heavy lifting to a minimum as I'll be having to do this by myself. I've got a bunch of oak blocks I can use to make wedges for the front axle.

All I have for jacking up the Cub is a large floor jack and a pair of 3 ton jack stands. If I lock the drawbar into it's brackets into place, could I jack it up by the drawbar and then use the jackstands under the drawbar to support it while I reset the rear wheel track?

[staninlowerAL]

It probably will work. I suggest that you jack at the point on the drawbar as close as possible to the axle and use the jackstands for safety support at the point under the axle housing/transmission that is designed for jacking/supporting. If your track change involves repositioning the weights I think you will be less stressed to remove them seperately, deal with the rims/tires and then reinstall the weights. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Eugene]

Wedge the front end as you previously stated. Agree with Stan. Use the supporting points under the transmission and right extension tube.

Separate the wheel weight from the rim. I'm getting told and weak to wrestle with the combine wheel weight, tire and rim.

I wedge the front then use the 60 lb. sand bags for vehicles on the elevated axle side of the tractor, don't know if you will need them. Idea Is to help prevent the tractor from tipping over, incase I make a mistake.

[Stanton]

Definitely wedge the front axle. Remove the rear wheel weights prior to jacking rear.

Here's a few tips on how to remove/install rear wheel weights from our How To Forum:

http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=143&t=51950&p=431387&hilit=wheel+weights#p431387

http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=143&t=29875&p=236155&hilit=wheel+weights#p236155

There are 2 or 3 pictures offering suggestions in this thread:

http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=94037&hilit=wheel+weights+installing

Hope this helps.

[Willy]

Lots of great ideas there.

I've thought on the it a bit more about locking the drawbar. I didn't have the original locking bolts on it when I got the Cub as it still had the rear cultivators on it and the drawbar was hanging on a wall inside the barn. I've been using a pair of clevis pins and washers to hold it in place, but I'm thinking that for this, I'll get a pair of grade 8 bolts and nuts. I'll go back to the clevis pins after the wheels are farther apart.

Seems like this would also be a good time to replace some leaky axle seals while I've got it apart.

[Don McCombs]

I've jacked mine up using the drawbar many times. I find a farm jack works well as long as you don't lift it too high.

[jsfarmall]

Your idea will work. Can also use the pads under the tranny and right axle for the jack stands. Jack left side first. Remember the wedges. Did it today myself.

[Willy]

My original idea which I have no idea where it came from was to jack up both rear wheels at the same time. I've decided it would probably be safer to just jack up one side at a time. I went by the hardware store yesterday afternoon and picked up a pair of grade 8 bolts and nuts to hold the drawbar in place on it's brackets while the wheel is off the ground.

I'm still trying to decide how to get the wheel weights on and off though. The rest of it shouldn't be a problem, but with nothing to lift with but a floor jack, it's requiring some thought.

[tmays]

Not going to tell you those bolts won’t hold the drawbar secure while tractor is jacked up, but they very well may not. The drawbar is meant to be used with the proper Implement bolts with a shoulder. The slot in the drawbar bracket can slide off the regular bolt you bought, if enough upward pressure is placed on the drawbar, whereas the shoulder of the implement(drawbar) bolt would hold it in place.
If your bolt is tight enough, most likely it will be okay. And if it does come loose, not like it will have far to go

[Willy]

I think there's a little confusion here, but no biggie. I've got the original shoulder head 5/8" NC bolts holding the brackets on to the finals. The 1/2" grade 8 bolts I just bought are to use in the holes for adjusting drawbar height and I went grade 8 mostly as just a safety measure. I never had the originals and have been using 1/2" clevis pins when "locking" the drawbar height. Most of the time though, it's hooked up to the lift with the locking pins out.

[tmays]

Oops, my bad. .

[Dale Finch]

Even with the tight, correct shoulder tapered (thanks for the correction!) bolts attaching the drawbar to the final, I would place the jack as close as possible to the forward mounting point to limit the possibility of their slipping through the slots, since the drawbar is designed for it to do that.

[Jim Becker]

They should be tapered head bolts. I assume that is what was meant by "shoulder bolt". An actual shoulder bolt would not work well there.

[Willy]

Yep, taper head/shoulder original Farmall bolts. It had one in every hole on the finals when I got it. I guess to keep the dirt out out of the threads.

I'm only going to lift it just enough to get the wheel off. No need to go any higher and I sure wouldn't want to try to pick those wheels up, put them on the hub and try to hold them in place while starting the bolts. My back just isn't in that good a shape any more.

[BigBill]

I use a 48” tractor jack that was on sale at harbor freight.