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Allan in NE

Well-known Member
Posted this over on the Farmall board, but maybe I'll get a bit more traction with it here too.

Need some ideas:

Got a problem; not great, but it is just driving me crazy 'cause it just isn't "right".
A little slop between the pitman arm and it's gearbox shaft. Would probably outlast me the way it is, but it just bothers me.

The shaft is roughly 1 1/8" in diameter, splined and TAPERED. Splines are not quite as big as a 540 PTO shaft and roughly 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" long.

Anyhoo, over the years, this thing has been allowed to get loose and wobble the cinch fit out a bit. Not "real" bad, but enough that I just don't wanna trust it.

I can't just "washer it up" on the taper, because then the pitman arm would be too close to the gearbox and would hit the cover bolts.

How in the heck can I tighten that taper-fit up? Maybe "shim" it with a wrap of tin foil in and around the shaft splines?

Thanks,

Allan
 
Arc a bead down the outside of the pitman to shrink it. Saw this done on a wheel hub once.
Kenny
 
Maybe shim stock? Quite a few years ago I had farm guide catalogue and on the back cover it had an ad for stuff called Belzona molecular or something like that. They claimed it could repair shafts and keyways and all kinds of stuff. I'm not sure if it was an epoxy or not. I have used epoxy's like JB weld and it is very hard when it dries but I don't know how much shear strength it has. Lock-tite might have something. JB weld can be smoothed out if you use a little water when you put it on(like silicon) and can also be filed after it dries. If nothing else is available, could a little weld on the splines work? Using a harder rod would stop it from deforming. Dave
 
Bearing supply house had some stuff like that once to fit up bearing on loose shafts. Don't know if it would work on the pounding of a pitman.
 
Allen, I've sawed thru the arm on the back side and drilled a hole thru the arm and a little of the shaft and put a bolt thru it and tighten it up. sll you want is a groove in the shaft for the bolt to set on. if shaft is too hard to drill, put the groove in it with a grinder. I'm sure you've seen that set up before. they will stay tight.
 
Shrinking is the way to go. Either run a bead like stated, of take a torch and heat a line nice and hot. To this at a couple places and then let it air cool. It will shrink down.
 
How difficult to pull the splined shaft? Should be a shop that can "flame spray" the shaft and build it up.

Flame spray uses a oxy acetylene torch to heat a shaft in a lathe and powdered metal is fed into the flame to deposit on the heated part. Its been around for some time. Typically softer than the base metal.

You got all I know, never had any first hand experience, gotta be less bux than a new part.
 
Cut pieces of shim stock to fit the grooves (I have also used copper because it would make the irregular fit when needed)Put it together and keep tightening as it makes its fit. It will eventually not tighten any more and will likely stay put. I did it on our 3020 front end and it was still tight 10 years later when we traded it.
Andy
 
I like the shrinking idea.. I have another shrinking idea to add.

The arc bead around the circumference WILL shrink it for sure.

You can also heat it red or near red, and then lay it flat on the pad of an anvil ( splined hole side facing up and down)and then give it a few whacks with a maul.. this will shrink the ID of the splined hole a little.

The last option is to shim it up with strips of steel strapping from pallet packing crates.

I'd go with the arc bead myself..

soundguy
 
Loctite. 562 I think is the number. It's green and used for 'tightening' the fit on sloppy parts. Clean, put it in and let it set up for a day I think.
I did that on the pitman drive shaft on a 615 combine once. It lasted for a while but it's not a permanent fix.
Ended up making a new shaft and double keying the hub to the new shaft rather than splines....
That said, the Loctite will cost relatively little and not do anything permanent should you decide to go in another direction later on.

Rod
 
Two Questions. Can you grind some off of the bolt heads and gain some clearence? Can you grind some off of the bottom of the arm and gain clearance then washer it down?
 
Allan this may not sound good but,i've had good luck using a small center punch.Use the punch around the shaft to expand the metal a little.The tap the arm on the shaft and keep it tight.
 
Quit screwing around. Forget about welding, shim stock, gorilla glue, duct tape, etc. Just buy a new tractor. Spend your kicker check on something useful. Hey! You only live once, and they outlawed poor houses years ago.
 
Hunt up another pitman arm that is not worn, theres a good chance it"ll tighten up on the worn shaft. If not, at least you won"t have as much shimming to do. And there is always quick metal when all else fails.
 
Yes Sir,

That's what I did. CaseIH is drop shipping a new arm and will have it on my doorstep within 20 hours.

And, cheaper than the diesel fuel it would cost for me to run the 100 miles down to their store.

It rained last night, no cutting today anyway, and the more I thought about this, the more it looked like it could be a continual/perpetual problem unless it was fixed right.

Thanks,

Allan
 
Man, that cheating. You can loose your memborship in our club for doing that. Buying new....unheard of!!!
 
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