841 - Radiator Problems

Well gentleman (and any ladies that peruse these boards), I am back again.

Finally got the chance to do some work on my 841-S. Was gonna change the oil and drain the radiator, but ran into some problems (naturally).

The radiator plug (or drain, or whatever) will not come off the radiator (despite the application of copious amounts of WD-40--that's what you see in this picture below, not coolant).



So, the plan was to take the radiator off to work on the plug, which involved removing the sheet metal (found out I'm missing several screws and bolts in the process). Got the sheet metal off, and got down to remove the nuts from the two studs holding the radiator on.

One came off (albeit not easily), but the other just turned the bolt:



Any advice on how to get this thing off without having to grind the nut off? And, if I do (which will ruin the bolt), how do I get it back on once I've (hopefully) gotten the plug out?

In other news, I discovered this is broken (looks like a long time ago)...



I'm gonna call it part of the front axle housing. It's the "key" that holds on the front axle pivot. Does anyone know what this is called, where I can find a replacement, and how you'd go about putting it on?

Thanks a bunch, guys! I've learned a lot from this forum. I intend to use this guide:

http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=ford&th=344550

in the near future to do a 12V conversion.

Cut the bolt off. It is replaceable, just slips in
the hole.

Slips in the hole? How does it attach to the radiator? Is it a carriage or plow-type bolt, or something else?

We figured the bolt was welded or soldered onto the radiator.

The radiator bolts are common carriage bolts. Anti sieze upon reinstallation with new bolts and nuts. DO NOT overtighten.

Install new radiator pads.

Buy a salvage front axle pin retainer. This would be a good time to remove the pin and install new bushing and (probably) pin.

Dean

That front center axle pin is held in place by the part with the bolt through it . But it appears to have been broken in two for some reason . Before you attempt removing that pin , be sure to raise the front of your tractor & support it good with sturdy blocking underneath the engine . You don't want a catastrophy happening when you loosen the front axle so be extremely careful about the blocking you use . You will need to remove the tie rod ends from the tractor before starting the project because once the front axle is loose , you will need to roll it out of your way temporarily . Then remove that big bolt , & then that broken holder . A new pin & holder can be bought at your local NH dealer . Once removed , be sure to clean all surfaces up good (shiny & bright) . Don't use any kind of lubrication because it will attract dust causing advanced wear on the new parts . I'd use a good rust oleum red oxide primer on the bare metal & be sure you let it dry for at least a day .You may have to use heat along with a good drift pin & hammer to drive the old pin out . Reinstalling the new parts is the easy part . It may be a good idea to have a buddy handy for help maneuvering the front end around . HTH ! Good luck & be careful . Let us know how you did . God bless, Ken

i got a tip for ya.

if you remove the lower rad hose and take the cap off.. it drains.

you can then flush the block and rad with a garden hose.

i reccomend changing hoses and thermostat / gasket too.

Not welded. There is a half round and slot on the bottom of the radiator that lets you angle in a carriage bolt. The square on the carriage bolt needs to wind up in the slot to keep it from turning when the nut is loosened. Most likely your is out of the slot. You could try moving the radiator to the side using a mallet and wood block. If you cannot get the radiator to move side to side, drill the bolt from the center of the nut (that's what I did).

Ground the bolt off, and got the radiator off. Took not even 5 minutes. Unfortunately, the radiator leaks, so did some soldering. Hopefully it's enough of a band-aid to see if I can get it to start once I re-wire it.