Why did Ford do it this way?

douglloyd

Member
I posted earlier about my 52 8N front axle pin working loose while mowing. Finally got this fixed yesterday. Sorry I don't have a picture of my fix - but here's the diagram. BTW, the bolt #22 is not near as long as the picture shows - it's more like 1 inch or less.

I had a spare front axle hanger from a parts 8N from years back. Had this hanger all installed on the tractor, the pin put through, all the spacers and washers in place, then come to discover the hole for the pin retaining bolt is blocked. Huh?

I must have torn the bolt head off when I was taking the front axle apart. This was a good 10 years ago. So here’s this half inch of threaded stub stuck in the front plate, less than flush at the hole. Everything else is done, but I can’t bolt the new axle pin home. Grrr.

Tapped on it, soaked it with PB and ATF, tapped some more, no joy. Drilled it through with a couple of different size bits. Got it down to less than a quarter inch of metal all around (little off center) still would not budge. Did not want to use heat because it was already on the tractor, and I was working right under the radiator.

I tapped and sprayed it more over the last couple of days – no luck. Even tapped in an EZ out, but was careful not to crank on it too hard. Finally I spun the pin around, lined up the holes and drilled through the new pin, the threaded plate and the front of the hanger, and put a big bolt all the way through, with a lockwasher and nut on the inside. Mowed yesterday pretty much all afternoon with no axle problems that I could tell.

That pin can't go anywhere now. Since a loose plate was where the assembly originally failed, how come Ford didn't just through bolt this?

Doug in east TN
a199639.jpg
 
Heat what's left of the bolt red hot and allow to cool to ambient. Repeat a couple more times. You CAN do that without any risk to the radiator, if you are careful. By then, remains will probably screw out by hand, or easily with and extractor.
 
When you drill them out I use a drill bit that cuts turning counterclockwise. Seems to help loosen em up for the ee zee out.
 
Most people use too small of a screw extractor for the diameter of the bolt, snapping the extractor and causing a bigger problem than they started with. Drilling out the bolt with the right bit and extractor relieves the tension on the thread. The left hand drill bit is a good call as it will sometimes loosen the broken piece.
 
The hole in mine (#15) was a thru hole with threads however the threads were buggered up.

Here's how I fixed mine. Re-installed the front pump mount to lock pin in place.
Plus I installed the bolt (#15) with a lock washer and nut 'just to be sure' it won't happen again.
Don't want to replace yet another fan and radiator!
a199834.jpg
 
2X on the left handed drill as Cowdog suggested. Closest thing to magic I have ever experienced. Also never use the spiral shaped EZ outs. Use the straight extractors with four gripping edges. They are much stronger.
 
(quoted from post at 07:48:55 08/30/15) I posted earlier about my 52 8N front axle pin working loose while mowing. Finally got this fixed yesterday. Sorry I don't have a picture of my fix - but here's the diagram. BTW, the bolt #22 is not near as long as the picture shows - it's more like 1 inch or less.

I had a spare front axle hanger from a parts 8N from years back. Had this hanger all installed on the tractor, the pin put through, all the spacers and washers in place, then come to discover the hole for the pin retaining bolt is blocked. Huh?

I must have torn the bolt head off when I was taking the front axle apart. This was a good 10 years ago. So here’s this half inch of threaded stub stuck in the front plate, less than flush at the hole. Everything else is done, but I can’t bolt the new axle pin home. Grrr.

Tapped on it, soaked it with PB and ATF, tapped some more, no joy. Drilled it through with a couple of different size bits. Got it down to less than a quarter inch of metal all around (little off center) still would not budge. Did not want to use heat because it was already on the tractor, and I was working right under the radiator.

I tapped and sprayed it more over the last couple of days – no luck. Even tapped in an EZ out, but was careful not to crank on it too hard. Finally I spun the pin around, lined up the holes and drilled through the new pin, the threaded plate and the front of the hanger, and put a big bolt all the way through, with a lockwasher and nut on the inside. Mowed yesterday pretty much all afternoon with no axle problems that I could tell.

That pin can't go anywhere now. Since a loose plate was where the assembly originally failed, how come Ford didn't just through bolt this?

Doug in east TN

Because they thought the welds would hold and people wouldn't twist the cap screw off trying to remove it . They were wrong. Happens all the time. They made lots of poor decisions - like a PTO driven hydraulic pump ;-) When you go with old engineering and old iron you have to learn to grin and bear it....

TOH
 

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