On the '46 "A" again, My tractor has the two-wheel tricycle configuration. I've replaced the bearings, bearing retainer, gasket, and grease-soaked felt rings on my front wheels, all with the proper JD parts. Now I've run into a bump. As I try to reasemble these things, I am finding that it is very hard to figure out how to adjust the castle-nut so the bearings have the proper amount of play (until a light drag is felt, then back one castellation, according to the operators manual)! The main problem is the two fat felt rings (the book says to use two, as does the parts manual) that go between the bearing retainer and the spindle. Instead of feeling the resistance that the bearings would provide as I tighten the nut, all I can feel is the resistance of the felt rings, which are so thick I can't seem to mash them down enough, and I'm afraid to crank down on the castle nut lest I miss the point where the felt rings become fully compressed and the bearings start to seat and destroy the bearings! How the heck is this done right? Are there really supposed to be two of those felt rings on each hub? The ones that came out of the hub were a lot thinner than the ones I'm putting in, but they are the right part number and everything.
I've assembled the hub exactly as the parts manual shows, but it doesn't seem right. How is this done? I'd hate to have this mess loosen up on me one day as I go down the road at 12 mph!
chris
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