8N Steering Spingle Rebuild Questions

Reposted from Restoration Forum:

1951 Ford 8N..... So, after pushing a little too hard into a bank while using the front loader to scoop dirt off the top, I ended up with my front wheels going two different directions. I assumed I sheared a pin somewhere so put it in the shop and disassembled the front spindles. I inspected everything but did not find any woodruff keys at the top of the spindles so guessing the last guy neglected that little detail. I noticed that the left spindle was blackened probably from friction heat and that there are rough spots (grooves really) where the spindle rides in the bushing. I ordered a left spindle and spindle rebuild kit on this website. The right spindle should clean up with a little emery cloth. I also already have new tie rod arms and wheel bearings that I was planning to do so those get done at the same time.

Ok, so I have searched a lot of threads on here and still have a few questions..

From what I got from other threads, the missing woodruff keys are either 5/16 X 1 1/4 or 1/4 X 7/8. It appears for my tractor that it should be the 1/4 X 7/8 but will buy both sizes. From what I see in the threads, the steering arm (to spindle) bolts are 7/16-20 X 2 5/8. It appears that the steering arms slipped on these bolts without the woodruff key in place. Should these be Grade 5 or Grade 8 bolts? I haven't found the woodruff keys or the steering arm bolts advertised or available on any of websites for tractor parts.

To drive out the bushings, can you drive out both of them from the top and out through the bottom? Can this be done with the outer axle/spindle support still on the tractor or do you have to remove them to use a press? No, I don't want to drive the old top one down and leave it inside. I am considering a bushing cutter so anyone have a favorite? Likewise, installing the new bushings, I assume the top goes in from the top and the bottom goes in from the bottom? Same question on installing them, can it be done without removing the outer axle/spindle support? If done on the tractor, any tips on pressing them in?

Lastly, are there supposed to be either top or bottom grease seals on the spindles or is this old school, squirt in grease until it comes out top and bottom?

Thanks...

First a bit of chiding for you.
Grease your darned tractor!
I hope you haven't worn through your
bushings and into the axles. If you did you
will need to have them machined or get
different axles.
Take the axles off the tractor. Put them on
the bench or preferably in a vise to work on
them.
Dunno what size woodruff keys you need.
Someone here will know.
Grade 5 bolts are probably fine but I would
use grade 8. You will likely have to cut
them a tad shorter as Ford used a lot of
bolts made to special lengths. You can
tighten them in then use a hacksaw to cut
them off.
You don't need a bushing splitter. You can
use a Sawzall and if you are careful, split
them lengthways enough to drive them inward
and then pry out the pieces. Cutting torch
works good too if you are adept at using
one.
Install new bushings from the top and from
the bottom. You will have to ream them to
fit. I use emory cloth wrapped around a rod
in a hand drill and sand them to fit. Sand,
test fit, sand, test fit, sand, test ad
nauseum.
Go ahead and order the lower thrust bearings
along with your spindle bushings. Especially
since you have a loader.
No grease seals per se, might be a simple
Oring type rubber one at the top.
If you can't do all of the things above at
least get the axles off the tractor, get all
new parts in hand and bring everything into
a nachine shop or tractor repair place to
ream the bushings. Will save you lots of $
if you do.

Thanks for the info.

The kit I bought from Yesterday's Tractors has the thrust bearing also.. Chiding accepted as I probably need that as a reminder but I only bought the tractor in late February knowing it needed little things here and there. I noticed one side had a little grease and the other had a lot. I don't think it wore through the bushing at all but was scoring them and the spindle on the left side. I think somebody had changed the bushings a ways back (could be where the woodruff keys got left out at that time). I have a nice shop area with heat/AC and a gantry crane so its easy to lift the tractor.

By the way, I lifted the front sides by the axles and have jack stand under them. The manual shows a lift or support point just behind the front axle, in the center, and under the front of the engine. Is that ok? It looked a bit like the front of the oil pan. For safety the front loader is chained to the gantry crane so it can't come down and the front of the tractor isn't supporting any of loader weight while I work on the front end.

I live in Washington State but work full time out of state so it will be about 4 weeks before I get back to working on it. Engine and running gear work great. I already had to straighten one radius rod. Have a new tire and rim for the right rear to put on. This will be a rolling restoration and a working farm tractor as opposed to a trailer queen. Next on the list after the front end will be the rebuild of the hydraulics both on the three point and the front loader since they both work but leak down. Loader will be the big challenge as I want to convert the drop bucket to hydraulic and maybe change the lift arms to double action (all for the fun of it).

Rolling restorations are good.
A lot of that is simply catching up or
deffered maintenance.
Don't sink too much dough into it - loader
or tractor. It doesn't take long to spend
yourself into the price range of a real
loader tractor - Ford 3400, 4400, 4500, 345,
445, etc, etc. They will have many features
an N only wished it had.

So, the new spindle arrived yesterday at a friend's house and she sent pictures. I am curious about how it looks.

The vertical arm/shaft that connects to the steering arm has very fine concentric machining rings throughout the length. I assume this machining is to allow grease to migrate along the shaft through the bushing area and capture very small amounts of grease between the shaft and bushing. I was expecting a polished "bearing" type surface where the bushings ride.

Additionally, there are heat marks over the area where the bushings ride (a band at each bushing location). I assume this is from heat treating the area that rides against the bushings.

Can someone confirm these issues?

Thanks..

Ok, so the rebuild is complete. The new spindle needed just a little polishing. The deburr from machining was not a good as it should be. Spindle slid into place just fine after polishing with a little emery cloth.

I decided not to hassle too much with the bushings so bought a bushing cutter and removed them. Not too bad. I also bought a hydraulic press and the new bushings went right in without any problems.
The thrust bearing doesn't fit snug on the spindle shaft but I read on here that is the way they are these days in aftermarket. So, put them on anyway.

Wheel bearing change went normal, again, the hydraulic press made is so much easier to put the new races in... A little strange to put the bearing seals in backwards from conventional wheels.

I bought new spindle nuts but did not use them. The face of the new nuts is not as large a diameter as the old ones. The bearing kit did not include a backing washer between the spindle nut and outer bearing as you would find in most older cars so I wanted the wider face of the old spindle nut.

Lastly, I was going to put on new tie rod/drag links but ran into two problems. The ball joint bolts on them do not seat deep enough to compress the grease/dust seal against the joint at all and on the left side of the tractor the bolt for the steering arm end hits the radius arm. Put the old ones back on temporarily until I figure out if these are the wrong drag links.