I bet this will present some machining opportunities!

[C-Bag]

I've seen some pretty catastrophic damage but that ranks right up there! The first pic of the hole in the case....wow! Just out of curiosity have you tried finding JD crawler forums? It's always amazing like an iceberg, doesn't seem like much but a ton of resources once you get below the surface and into the network.

I always hate to see that kind of slobbery red goop which always spelled doom in a transmission or transfer case. Or maybe everytime I've had to go into a trans I saw that rusty condensated clapped out gear oil. So that nose piece is just gone? Like the bearing died and expanded in that nose and shattered it? Wonder if this is why these are so rare, like it was a major fault that killed production?

 

[PHPaul]

Well, perhaps I was overly pessimistic.

There is indeed a "JDCrawlers.com" and the owner parts out antique JD crawlers and sources NOS and repro parts. He's pretty sure he has the reverser housing on the shelf, and KNOWS he has one in a parts machine that just came in. Just waiting to find out how much he wants for one.

My theory is that the bearing on the front of that intermediate shaft grenaded and then the shaft flopping round broke the end out of the casting. The way that nut is beat up is my major clue.

Rest of the trans looks okay as far as the gears go, most of the bearings are pretty bad probably got run for a while with little or no oil after it all puked out that hole. Bearings and seals and such should be reasonably available. Only other question is saving the threads on the nose of that intermediate shaft.

 

[C-Bag]

Well, perhaps I was overly pessimistic.

Only other question is saving the threads on the nose of that intermediate shaft.

I know that feeling when you hope you can get a break buying a problem to get a deal. And that sinking feeling when it doesn't go your way. I hope this guy can be reasonable about how much he wants for the casting. Maybe the intermediate shaft is your chance for some creative machining? Have you seen Abom's vids on metal spraying?

 

[brino]

Damn!

.....but as my Dad taught me, never make decisions at the end of the day when you're tired.
Maybe a few hours away from it can help you think a few things thru.

I wonder if that cast could be brazed over and a new hole bored.....

Is that a nut that has been welded on (and possible trying to fill the hole in the casting)?

-brino

 

[PHPaul]

@brino - nope, that nut beat itself to death on the casting after the bearing grenaded.

Life gets in the way today, but I'll get it off tomorrow and get a look at the threads on the end of that shaft.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

maybe if you very carefully use a dremel or small angle grinder with a thin disk you can cut that nut in 2 or 3 places without going through to the threads underneath. Then wedge the pieces apart to remove the nut. At least that way you wouldn't damage the threads any further when removing the nut. Thread files or a thread chasing die might get you back in business with minimal effort, fingers crossed.

great project btw, I love reading this big project threads. Read on about a Triumph TR6 a while back that was simply epic.

 

[PHPaul]

Well, Miracle of Miracles, I spun that nut off today and the threads on the end of the shaft are essentially unharmed. I'll need to dress the very last thread with a jeweler's file a bit to get a new nut started, but that's it. Apparently the nut was a lot softer than the shaft.

Clutch housings and PTO shaft bearing support plate are being stubborn but that's just a matter of persistence.

 

[PHPaul]

One step forward...

When the front bearing on the output shaft went out, the shaft flopping around did some fairly significant damage to the ring gear. The pinion seems to be okay.

Have feelers out to "the pros" as to whether or not I can live with the ring gear in that condition and just shim the pinion to put the load in the undamaged area.

If it has to be replaced (likely as a set, and the pinion is a machined part of the output shaft) we're getting to a major decision point, financially. The housing I need for the front is available for $125 plus shipping which isn't horrible. I suspect a ring and pinion would get seriously expensive.

 

[PHPaul]

Damage to pinion. REALLY not comfortable running that in addition to the damage on the ring gear. Waiting on Lavoy to see if I can afford to replace it.

 

[cjtoombs]

Not a pretty sight. If I were going to use this to putter around the yard or haul it into town to drive it in a parade every now and then I would debur those gears and use them. If I expected to get any serious work out of the tractor, they would need to be replaced. Good luck.