|
Midwest Boy: If the steering is tight, and the crack is not going to affect structural strength of tractor, I'd be tempted to drain the gear oil, install a grease zerk in the drain port and pump it full of of moly grease. I know you will get those nay-sayers telling you this is not the proper way and that if care is taken with a rebuild it will be good as new. However, let me remind you most of these tractors started leaking from their steering gear box within 5 years of being new. I can't believe IH made that many mistakes assembling these when new. No, of course they didn't, the steering box was just poor design. I've had 2 of these going for years on moly grease, no mess, no fuss and no rebuilding. Oh, by the way the steering boxes that never leaked were on tractors that never did anything. That will also be true if you rebuild by the book. If your just going to look at it, fine, if your going to work it be ready for a mess. Now, if you like mucking around in the grease and oil, disregard my advice. I also have a 1963 Farmall 140, clearly I can see it has never leaked. I know it sat parked in a heated warehouse for many years. My opinion on this 140 is based on my many years of starting out with new tractors. Judging from wear on items like front end, fast hitch, seat, control levers, etc., my guess is this 140 has yet to hit the 500 hours of service mark since new.
|
