1951 JD A Drain Plug Stripped

d9gdon · Jan 19, 2011

I went to drain the water out of it a couple of months ago before it froze and I couldn't get the drain plug out very easily. When I did get it out, it looked like someone had welded it in and there were very little threads left in the head. Anybody else have this happen and can I use a thread repair kit to fix it?

F-I-T · Jan 19, 2011

The easiest fix is to re-thread it. Since it's a tapered pipe thread, borrow a pipe thread tap from a plumber friend. It will only take a turn, maybe a turn and a half to produce all new threads. I have a tap around the shop some where, but I don't have it with me so I can't remember the thread size. Jdparts.com shows the "A" A2093R drain plug as 3/4" NPT.

Vern H · Jan 19, 2011

d9gdon,
Harbor Freight sells some pipe taps that are just about good enough to clean up an existing thread. They are CHEEP. Take a look on their website. Good Luck. VH

d9gdon · Jan 19, 2011

I'll look at it again, but I think the threads are completely gone not just messed up. I would think it'd be too big to rethread.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 19, 2011

Seen a bunch of the rubber ones you use to replace freeze plugs hanging in the bottom of heads while the tractors are on the trailors

Steve in Tennessee · Jan 19, 2011

I replaced mine with a reducer and a small drain plug in the reducer. JB Weld the reducer in place. Use the small drain plug if you need to drain the system.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 19, 2011

I bought a screw expansion rubber plug that you use for a boat plug and it has worked 10 years in my JD-D.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 19, 2011

The original is 3/4 National Pipe Thread. I had the same issue on my 52 A. I went up to the next size and cannot remember if it is 7/8 or 1 inch. You will need to re-drill the opening for the correct size for for the tap. I reamed mine with a taperd ream which makes the tapping part eaiser. You will want to stop the tap as soon as it goes through the opening. It is a tapered fit and if you tap too far, it will not tighen.

NoDakInMN · Jan 19, 2011

I would not rule out trying to dress the threads with a pipe tap first as that would let you know if the threads in the case were stripped or if it is the plug that was stripped. How did the plug look?

Also, as the thread is tapered, it is possible that there is enough good metal above what is stripped out to tap that out and thread in a new plug.

F-I-T · Jan 19, 2011

...which is why I suggested that first...

d9gdon · Jan 20, 2011

There is one thread left in the deepest part of the hole. The rest are not there. I'll try the tap first and redrill if necessary.

1951 JD A Drain Plug Stripped

d9gdon

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F-I-T

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Vern H

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d9gdon

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Anonymous-0

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Steve in Tennessee

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Anonymous-0

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Anonymous-0

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NoDakInMN

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F-I-T

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d9gdon

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