This site uses cookies to maintain login information on FarmallCub.Com. Click the X in the banner upper right corner to close this notice. For more information on our privacy policy, visit this link:
Privacy Policy

NEW REGISTERED MEMBERS: Be sure to check your SPAM/JUNK folders for the activation email.

Rod Bearings question

The Cub Club -- Questions and answers to all of your Cub related issues.
Forum rules
Notice: For sale and wanted posts are not allowed in this forum. Please use our free classifieds or one of our site sponsors for your tractor and parts needs.
CraigKennedy
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 140
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 7:52 pm
Zip Code: 28430

Rod Bearings question

Postby CraigKennedy » Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:09 pm

Hey yall can't get an answer on my other post, but today I found metal shavings all in the bottom of the oil pan on my loboy, I took the rod bearing off to inspect them.
They all had some small scratches and small pits, nothing big enough to catch my fingernail on.
I noticed that with the #2 and #4 cylinders down, and the bottom bearings off, I can move the connecting rods side to side on the crank about a 1/16" is this normal?
Thanks

SPONSOR AD

Sponsor



Sponsor
 

Eugene
Team Cub Mentor
Team Cub Mentor
Posts: 20336
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:52 pm
Zip Code: 65051
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Mo. Linn

Re: Rod Bearings question

Postby Eugene » Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:19 pm

Plastigage the rod bearings. While you have the rod caps installed take a feeler gauge set and measure the side to side movement on the rod journal.
I have an excuse. CRS.

CraigKennedy
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 140
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 7:52 pm
Zip Code: 28430

Re: Rod Bearings question

Postby CraigKennedy » Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:24 pm

Eugene, What is Plastigage? I was just looking in the Blue Ribbon Service manual and saw the same thing, thanks

Eugene
Team Cub Mentor
Team Cub Mentor
Posts: 20336
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:52 pm
Zip Code: 65051
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Mo. Linn

Re: Rod Bearings question

Postby Eugene » Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:29 pm

In one of my reference books, side to side rod and main bearing clearance. Minimum .004" and maximum .008"

Plastigage, easier to search Google than to explain.

Edit: Look it up on the internet. Internet will have photos of the material and demonstrations on how to use.
Last edited by Eugene on Sat Mar 14, 2015 11:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I have an excuse. CRS.

User avatar
ricky racer
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 6303
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:40 pm
Zip Code: 49120
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Niles / Buchanan, Michigan

Re: Rod Bearings question

Postby ricky racer » Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:37 pm

Plastigage is cheap to buy and available at any auto parts store. I think you'll need the green. Different thicknesses are different colors.
1929 Farmall Regular
1935 John Deere B
1937 John Deere A
1941 John Deere H
1952 John Deere B
1953 Farmall Cub

Eoghan
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 160
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 10:09 am
Zip Code: 14103
Tractors Owned: 1955 farmall cub w/ fast hitch
Implements:
fast hitch moldboard plow
fast hitch disc harrow
front blade
Danco c-3 mower
Circle of Safety: Y

Re: Rod Bearings question

Postby Eoghan » Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:38 pm

what would be the process for measuring the side to side? is it as simple as pushing to one side, measuring that side, then pushing to the other and measuring the first side again, then calculate the difference?

Eugene
Team Cub Mentor
Team Cub Mentor
Posts: 20336
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:52 pm
Zip Code: 65051
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Mo. Linn

Re: Rod Bearings question

Postby Eugene » Sat Mar 14, 2015 11:35 pm

Eoghan wrote:what would be the process for measuring the side to side? is it as simple as pushing to one side, measuring that side?
Only need to slide the rod with rod cap connected to one side. Feeler gauge and measure the side opposite the direction the rod was moved. That measurement is your side to side clearance.
I have an excuse. CRS.

Clip
5+ Years
5+ Years
Posts: 230
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2014 7:18 am
Zip Code: 28479
Circle of Safety: Y

Re: Rod Bearings question

Postby Clip » Sun Mar 15, 2015 5:28 am

Craig, you cut a piece of plastigage and put it on your crank, then clamp the main or rod cap to it. It'll smash the plastigage to a width you reference on the sleeve of paper it comes in, and use that to determine your clearances.

User avatar
bob in CT
Team Cub Mentor
Team Cub Mentor
Posts: 6018
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:34 am
Zip Code: 06040
Tractors Owned: 77 Cub (red); 74 Cub; 52 Cub; 50 Cub ( post-demo)
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: CT, Manchester

Re: Rod Bearings question

Postby bob in CT » Sun Mar 15, 2015 11:51 am

Two different issues. Plastigauge will measure the bearing clearances between the bearing and crank. It gets squashed flat and the width of the squashed plastic gets compared to a chart to determine bearing clearance.

As for the side-to-side, what year is your engine? They changed rods and cranks at one point. The newer rods were thinner. You could use the newer rods on the old crank but you could not use the old rods on a newer crank as they are too wide. The extra play must not have been a concern since the newer, thinner rods were service replacement items of early engines as long as the proper bearings were used. So, early rods require the early bearings, later rods, later bearings. ENGINE number 261718 and up had the newer rods. In any case, there is always some side-to-side on rods. The piston keeps them centered. Cranks have thrust bearings to them from moving back and forth, but that is a completely different issue.

CraigKennedy
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 140
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 7:52 pm
Zip Code: 28430

Re: Rod Bearings question

Postby CraigKennedy » Sun Mar 15, 2015 12:42 pm

Bob, it is a 57 Loboy


Return to “Farmall Cub”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Indianacub72 and 23 guests