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Farmall A U bolt

Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:41 am
by F-Troop
This may be a silly question but did all A's come with the front axle U bolt? I have a 1940 A and there is no sign of the U bolt except some holes in the casting? Is it very importent and if so can you just use a regular U bolt to replace it. If so what size is needed? Thanks in advance for any and all advise.

Re: Farmall A U bolt

Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:31 am
by B Shaver
I sold my "A" several years ago, but I do have one of the U bolts. I'm thinking that the bolt was to limit the front axle swing on uneven ground( tractor stability). The bolt material is 1/2 in rod. the spread is 4 inches cc and the length is 9 1/2 in. from the outside of the bend.

Hope tthis helps.

Bill Shaver

Re: Farmall A U bolt

Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:14 am
by F-Troop
That is exactly what I was looking for. thanks

Re: Farmall A U bolt

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:55 am
by Bus Driver
That u-bolt is very important for stability in my opinion. On the 140, access to one of the nuts on that u-bolt is possible only with the bolster removed from the tractor. As I remember, the crank pulley is in the way for wrench access- and the bolster is in the way for pulley removal. In my case, the left spindle assembly was stuck in the axle tube, preventing removal of the axle tube from the U-bolt. So the bolster and axle assembly had to be removed from the front of the engine together. Awkward, to say the least. Then the u-bolt could be removed, permitting removal of the axle. Then the fun of getting the stick spindle out of the axle tube.
My guess is that a previous repair on your tractor involved removing the bolster. The u-bolt was removed. When the bolster was reinstalled, it was then discovered that the u-bolt could not be reinstalled with the bolster on the engine and they just discarded it.