Farmall B Overhaul

[Darren]

I am new to the forum, been thinking of overhauling my tractor since I have owned it (~6 years), mainly because it leaks all over the floor. Long story short, work has us on a one week break, COVID has me staying around the house - I decided to start my overhaul this week. After about 4 partial days, I have it torn down to pieces. Every gasket and seal is leaking, but only a few minor issues. If anything, I am learning about how these tractors are put together and will make future projects easier.

Biggest issue: 3rd gear is worn down about 40% on the one side

My Plan:
Clean up all the parts (internal and external), replace all seals and gaskets, ensure all hardware is properly installed (missing a few bolts here and there), work on a few minor issues (left brake doesn't return like it should, steering is worn), replace belts and hoses - then consider straightening some sheet metal and getting it painted. Really just looking for a nice tractor to drive around the block now that I live in a small town.

I few thoughts:
- internal of transmission is coated in old oil, more than I anticipated. It is like hardened grease. I read about using kerosene to clean it, I will see how far I go with it torn apart but will likely get it almost perfect before putting it back together. Not sure what a bad one would look like but guessing this is just 80 years of use. I read of others using brake cleaner on internal transmission like components. Anyone have other thoughts?
-Forum sponsors are going to be getting some business while I continue the overhaul, glad most replaceable components are readily available.
- the steering u-joint is not like other u-joints I am familiar with. I don't see any c-clips to take it apart. It needs replaced as it is sloppy. Am I missing something? I can get a better picture if it would be helpful.
- I am impressed with the craftsmanship of these old tractors, especially all the gears - knowing they are made with manual machining equipment 80 years ago. Only a few gears show some wear, most appear in good condition.
- getting the tractor low to the ground before splitting it worked out well. Before I took the front frame piece off, I had a cross member attached to the steering mechanism, which added additional stability. I only used the engine hoist twice, once to get the front lowered to the ground and then later to remove the front piece of the frame (where the radiator sits). Of course I know more about how it comes apart, I would likely approach a 2nd one differently - but it worked out well in the end. My wood brace seems sufficient for keeping the mid section upright.



I am not a forum expert, here are some photos showing the before and current status.

before photo

start of overhaul

transmission

parts on the floor

more parts

even more parts

[Urbish]

Good Morning. Nice effort and good looking tractor! You will have a beauty when you are done.

Regarding trans internals, kerosene is your friend. Since you are putting in the effort, I would get the inside of that trans as clean as I could. Make sure that you thoroughly clean the oil troughs and bearing oil holes. When I rebuilt the transmission in my 1946 B, the troughs and holes were full of hunks of gear teeth. All of my gears looked about like your 3rd gear from many years of abuse.

Let me know if you have trouble finding parts. My steering U-joint is about shot too. IH no longer makes a replacement and I do not know of anyone who does. I recall somebody using one from a different application with some success. I'll look for that post.

[Gary Dotson]

For that steering shaft u-joint, check with industrial suppliers, for a substitute. McMaster Carr list one that would be suitable but you might want to shop around, it's pricey.
You're starting with a pretty good looking "B"! That's always a big plus. Welcome to the Forum and enjoy the ride!

[Eugene]

30 years ago, west central Iowa, I purchased the steering shaft u-joint for my B at the local welding shop. The welding shop had the u-joint on hand. The purchased u-joint was larger, more robust than the original.

Edit. I purchased the entire u-joint.

[T-Mo]

Nice looking B. I have a '44 B, with a Henderson Midget loader. I can't help you on the steering u-joint, sorry.

[Don McCombs]

My steering U-joint is about shot too. IH no longer makes a replacement and I do not know of anyone who does. I recall somebody using one from a different application with some success. I'll look for that post.

Are we talking about the entire universal joint here, yokes and all? Or are we just talking about the spider?

[Jim Becker]

Mine has been loose for over 60 years that I am aware of. Wengers has a picture of a used original on their site.
https://www.wengers.com/steering-shaft- ... 2977d.html
They look like they were originally assembled using a welder rather than snap rings. I don't know how all the places that sell a replacement cross and bearings expect you to get them apart.

[Darren]

Thanks for the feedback. The link Jim provided is what my tractor has. I saw this link, thinking it must be removable but it does appear welded on the ends.
https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/Farm ... 24890.html

I guess I will stop prying on it since it appears difficult to fine a replacement. It still works, just very loose. I will look around for an aftermarket option. I will try to continue to post updates as I continue this project.

[Don McCombs]

I had similar sloppiness in the steering on my Super C. I found that the majority of the play was in the mounting of the yokes to the shafts and not the cross. With two universals, the play was really compounded from the steering wheel to the steering gear box. I think, originally, the yokes were mounted to the shaft by means of a hole drilled through all the components and fastened by a roll or solid pin. I replaced the pins with a through bolt and eliminated a lot of the play. Your situation may be similar.

[Urbish]

EDIT: I just measured my B's steering shaft: 7/8", so the ones from Surplus Center won't work...

I don't recall the diameter of the shafts entering the U-joint, but Surplus Center may have one that would fit for pretty cheap: https://www.surpluscenter.com/shop.axd/Search?keywords=universal+joint

[Urbish]

This one from our pals in China might work with some hole drilling to pin it: https://www.amazon.com/APDTY-141581-Universal-Steering-U-Joint/dp/B07N8MCVXJ

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

From my past experience working on old tractors I would love to be a little mouse on the wall watching you put that back together. LMDO (laughing my dentures out)

[Gary Dotson]

Search ebay for 7/8 universal joint. A lot of choices pop up, lots of seller offering the same China one but it looks like there are a lot of higher quality ones, for very reasonable prices. When I re-did my Cockshutt 20, I needed, pretty much, the same u-joint, I think I got it from Grainger. That was before I knew anything about the World Wide Web.

[Darren]

Thanks for the help with the u-joint, bought a "new old stock" dana u-joint. I have started cleaning up my parts and found that the big gear inside the left final drive has two hairline cracks on the outside gears by the two rivets (1 and 3 o'clock). I am looking for a replacement but considering drilling a couple new holes and added some bolts to stiffen it up. These are a two piece design, the outside gears are riveted to the inside hub. The lip just inside the rivet is the inside diameter of the external piece - so only ~1/4" of good material inside the rivets before the piece falls out. Here are some photos. I assume these are heat treated which makes a weld repair not feasible. Anyone have experience doing a weld repair on the final drive gear?

[Don McCombs]

You may want to check with JP Tractor Salvage, one of our site sponsors. They may have a good used gear. There is a link to their website at the bottom of this page. I would suggest calling rather than emailing, though.