Skip to main content

Cub wheels

Image
By Robert Adams

The past few days I have been working to remove the steering wheel of the ’49 Cub so I can replace it with a new steering wheel. First, I tried squirting it with Parts Blaster (PB) for a few days, several times a day. Then I tried striking the forward side of the spokes with a brass hammer. Finally I got some washers to protect the center of the steering column and used a two pronged gear puller and still more PB. The wheel is almost off. It is soaking in yet more PB. Later I think I can get it off.

 

The wheels are held on by 7/16X20 wheel bolts. Half of them are corroded near the hex head. If I can buy replacements, I will replace them. The better ones were all refurbished with a proper size die. I also used a tap to clean all ten bolt holes on the wheel hub. The lower set of bolts in the pictures shows the corrosion.

 

I used one of the bolts to provide leverage with a wooden 4X4 so I could remove the center cover and get to the cotter pin and nut holding the bearings in place. By removing the cotter pin I could easily unscrew the hex bolt to clean the inside of the hub as well as the bearings. The bearings, both inside and outside look good. The gap apparent on the inside bearing is the same on both right and left sides of the front wheels so I know it has not lost a roller. I watched how my father repacked wheel bearings by hand and used the same method to repack the bearings. Then I reassembled both hubs with bearings and plenty of grease, cleaned it all with kerosene, and painted with IH red from a rattle can. I am pleased with the work.

 

There is one place left to lubricate. It is the fan hub. The screw circled in the picture is supposed to be a hex head bolt. It will be removed if I can get it out. Then motor oil is inserted through the hole closed by the screw. The engine is rotated using the hand crank 9for my Ford tractors) until the hole is down at the bottom and any excess oil will drain out. I will replace the screw with a proper bolt and lubrication is done for now. Next will be to replace all the wiring.

 

Tractor Boy

Popular posts from this blog

Farmall Cub Switch Replacement

By Robert Adams
It was a cold, wet, dreary day in Central Texas. Perfect weather in which to replace the light switch I replaced last week. The first replacement was blowing a 20-amp fuse in less than a second when turned to the farthest right position. Fortunately, I had added a separate fuse holder to the circuitry when the replacement did not have a fuse position. I spoke with the nice folk at Farmall Cub Forever and ordered a three position six-volt switch which arrived a few days ago. This time I took pictures so you can see what I was doing. Again, I replaced one wire at a time. The switch has a protrusion which fits in a notch in the console, and I replaced it so the two were properly aligned. I discovered it was easier to take the console off this time, and I did not need a small monkey to reach in the confined space.  I did; however, forget that I placed a piece of board between the hydraulic housing and the hood/fuel tank. So, when I started up the Cub to see how well it would run, there...
Read more

Farmall Cub greasing

By Robert Adams
Replacing gear oil and greasing the ’49 Cub ought to be a straight forward task(s). Well it hasn’t been. The transmission fluid was tan, looking like tan paint. Folks on Yesterday’s Tractor Farmall forum said it meant water had got inside the transmission. I wonder whether this tractor was under water at one time. I bought a Spectricide brand insecticide pump, put kerosene in it, and flushed the transmission, then refilled with 90 weight gear oil. The gear oil looked like and had the consistency of thin honey. Pic 1300 shows the transmission filler plug. A lot easier to reach than the plug for emptying the transmission. Note it has a square head. All of these plugs are square headed. Three and a half pints later, the transmission was back together. After the transmission, I decided to check the steering gear oil. It was not tan. It was black as could be so I flushed the housing with kerosene again and refilled with ¾ pint of 90 weight gear oil and replaced the filler plug. Pic 1301 s...
Read more

8N Ford Nears Completion

By Robert Adams
The past two weeks I have been working furiously on the 1952 * N to get it ready to be a show piece (another name for Parade Queen) for the opening of Vacation Bible School. Painting is pretty complete. I bought a OEM tool box and realized it goes in the location where the solenoid has been on this old 8N since I bought it dead in a field about three years ago. Pics 004-007 show the solenoid on the brace under the hood. The hood is off the body at this time. That was a three person job both to remove it and to replace it again. I still had a quarter tank of fuel which added about 24 pounds to the weight of the hood. Pic 011 and 012 show the solenoid atop the starter where it is supposed to be. I lengthened one wire by soldering a piece in the line, and replaced another, being careful to work one at a time after studying what was supposed to happen electrically. Once the battery was in place I turned the key and pressed the starter (gear shift in neutral) and the starter turned as it...
Read more