Fine time to leave me, loose wheel

Tom671

Member
This was not my day! My 4000 3cyl Rowcrop decided to lose the front wheel today. It seems there was a problem with the front axle long before I bought it. By the looks of the dust cap that covers the wheel bearing, the left front wheel was being held on by a nail. After further investigating the threads on the adjusting nut and the spindle are striped, actually almost smooth from rubbing back and forth from years of neglect. I have only had this tractor about a year now and just now started making repairs on it. It sat about first 8 months I owned it and did not have any problems with it then(LOL). I could go on and on about it, but, just one more thing. The left front spindle housing has been welded. It must have had a rough life.
 
That's a tough one.
Those parts will be hard to find.
There was a guy on ebay parting a 4200 out.
Search for Ford Row crop.
Worst case you could put a NF under it.
The pedistal from a 701/901 RC will bolt right on.
 
".................Lucille......" Sorry, I couldn't resist either. I love the gambler song where "gotta know when to hold and when to fold, when to walk and when to run (like crazy).........
 
That is true, its a good policy to go over everything, see what it needs, take care of it before its in the field. Sucks to lose a spindle like that. I saw our 3600 with a front wheel problem and of course I only worked on this tractor in later years, it had been at this place a long time, various people working there over the years, not as much maintenance was done as should be. It would have eventually fallen off, but I got it repaired, new bearings from napa.

One of the help literally sabotaged a spreader, big frozen chunk in there, and had let a bearing go so far as to grind metal, all of this did some damage I could not fix on my own that day. I caught him doing this when I heard that noise of trying to pass that chunk through. He was hired by another person involved here, I finally got rid of him. Really hate people who abuse equipment like he was doing, he knew better too. We had gotten another spreader in addition to this one, another relatively clean NI with the flail type beater, but it had not been used in some time. I spent a few hours going over it, greased everything, checked the gear box, lubed the roller chain and open gear ratchet pawl with open gear spray lube etc. Adjusted the apron chain. It made for a late day as things were delayed because this must be done before it goes to the field, but I never had any trouble with that spreader for the years I used it. Every other friday, or once a week depending on useage it was serviced when I worked there, along with the tractor that pulled it, the 3600. Its just the right thing to do.


I have not let the new to me 4630 out of the garage yet, for the same reasons, hopefully this week though!
 
Easy to braze or weld up and re thread, or mill and cut undersize thread. If there are any threads left you coil use a two part squeeze cheater nut, I'd try the rethread option. Btdt works fine.
 
I now realize the meaning of "Enamel Overhaul". That is what this tractor had. I had seen it in many tractor rides, and I am now beginning to wonder how it ever made it to the end of the rides. I was in a big hurry to buy it before I left town for work, and now I am paying dearly for it. It makes for a good learning experience, and I get to meet and talk to good people when I need parts for it.
 
while I will be the first in line to make something work without spending any money..............
I am amazed by some of the 'solutions' ya find when pulling front hubs to do the bearings and paint.
hate that job, always a rigged mess in there and endless cleaning to paint that area.

Just one of those areas that gets neglected.
Doing them on a farm working Deere 420 I just bought....hub wouldn't come off.
ok, something is bad or the inner bearing is seized to the shaft..
used a puller...and expected to buy some parts.
nope, all fine.....the ancient grease was just that hard.
Puller had to pull hard enough to pull the rear seal out to get it off, bearing wasn't stuck. The grease ridge was just that old.....
 

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