8N makes more progress

This evening I got a few minutes to work on the 8N again. This time I replaced the Proof Meter (tachometer), added a gas gauge which is like the one riding mowers have – a float extends into the gas tank and sort of tells the gas level when the vehicle is still. I would have replaced the steering wheel, but so far have not figured out how to get the old one off. I removed the center nut and used some Parts Blaster liquid to loosen the fifty-three years of rust. No luck this evening.

I drove the tractor around the yard, enjoying both the new ammeter (which I think I have wired correctly now) and the Proof Meter. I also greased everything I found that had a grease fitting. I found a few more after I ran out of grease in one of the grease guns. I have two full size grease guns and a new air powered one which I have not yet used. The one grease gun is empty now.

Tomorrow I will work on the Ford 640 and remove the rear wheels and fenders to paint them, hopefully remove the gas tank and add a fuel shut off and tank filter AND stop that leak on top of the engine. I can add fender decals to both tractors and might get the hood for the 640 finally repaired and back on that tractor. It has been a long time on it and I want to get it back together again. Lorenzo said he will help me tomorrow. He is a great painter and has muscles to help with the tires which weigh about 200 pounds each if they have no water in them. The 640 needs a new muffler which I have in my tractor stock. I will adjust the points and probably will have to adjust the carburetor since the tractor had a very clogged air filter and may have had the carburetor adjusted to compensate for not cleaning the air filter. I bought a copy of an original ground wire and will put it on the 640 as I can't use it on the 8N since it is a 12 volt system now and the battery post is too far from where it was on a six volt system. I do have a new battery box for the 8N and will paint it red tomorrow and get it on soon.

Tractor Boy

8N wheel finish

This evening I decided to mow the grass while it was 90 degrees and managed to do about a third of the yard inside the fence before I lost interest.

Then I decided to tackle the wheel on the 8N by myself. I got the bolts and new battery holder today from Just 8Ns so could do this – I thought. The wheel center weighs about forty or fifty pounds, I think. I put it in the tire rim and put one bolt at a time in place. Of course it did not fit any better than the one for the other wheel so I got the trusty sledge hammer out and adjusted the center to fit the rim. This time I wore ear protection as it gets pretty loud when the steel meets steel. With just a few light taps (and several hard smashes) the center fit perfectly in the rim. The air impact tool snugged it in place using the new bolts, nuts, and washers. A few squirts of gray paint and the wheel was ready to go back on the 8N on the right side.

Okay, here is a challenge for you. How does one person hold a 200 pound wheel in place while either jacking up or letting down the tractor to align the wheel with the hub? Easy, hold one wheel in one hand and work the jack with the other. Yes, it is not that easy and I am going to feel the pain in the morning, but I got it done. The impact wrench again snugged the nuts on the lugs and I was able to let the jack down (after removing the jack stands) and take these neat pictures. When I finished it had cooled to 88 degrees.

Tractor Boy