Shimming front axle
 

Since I was doing the ISO mounts / oil pan repair in this thread, i decided to check the slop in the front axle too. There's quite a bit, measured about a tenth of an inch fore/aft motion. I've seen the threads on clamping with 3/4" fine thread, grade 8 bolts, but I think that would have a tendency to re-spread.

I've also seen a lot of threads on shimming, but no one really mentions what to shim with. My question is what is best to put in there? I took the measurements and it looks like 3/4" ID and about 7/8" or 1" OD. Used a scale on the axle to measure the fore/aft slide and it looks to be just under 0.1". The axle beam is only sliding fore/aft, no tilting at all. Checked the pin and bushings too as many have said. Pin looks near new and bushings are tight and straight. Do i need some kind of hardened shims or just plain washers (grade 2? 5? 8?)? Should i split the slide distance with shims on front and back or just shim one side?

Along the same lines, has anyone tried putting a zerk fitting in the pin or axle to grease the pivot periodically? The pin looks like some hard stuff, but maybe drilling vertically (1/8" or so?) into the axle beam, to the pin's center cavity might be a good way to push in some lube. I suppose it's not too hard to pull the pin and grease it, but a zerk would make it stupid simple, and i need that!

There should already be a zirk in the axle.

[QUOTE=rdeyoe;343096

I've also seen a lot of threads on shimming, but no one really mentions what to shim with. My question is what is best to put in there? I took the measurements and it looks like 3/4" ID and about 7/8" or 1" OD. Used a scale on the axle to measure the fore/aft slide and it looks to be just under 0.1". The axle beam is only sliding fore/aft, no tilting at all. [/QUOTE]

I got my shims from my Cub/IH dealer but you can go here:

http://www.grainger.com/category/ecatalog/N-1z0dmpz#

Get a shim thick enough that you have to tap it in with a hammer. Makes a big difference in steering play.

If there is a bolt and a nut used as the pivot pin, can you explain how it is going to "re-spread"? :Huh:

He means using a bolt to squeeze the channel back together and the putting a pin back in.

For what it's worth I always just replace the pins with a grade 8 bolt, even if you shim it its still just c channel and its going to spread more. You need to buy an 8" long bolt so it has a long shoulder to avoid the axle riding on threads, once its installed and tightened to your liking just cut off the extra.

Oh - OK.

Why not leave the 3/4" bolt in? I've seen numerous posts doing just that.

Roland- Yeah. That's what I was meaning. Clamping the channel closer and re-installing the pin. Seems there's some sort of clearance issue with the bolt head on the oil pan.

olds45512- my pin, bushings and axle are in such good shape (maybe it was replace by PO) i wanted to keep it more or less stock. I think shimming would do fine, but that does bring up an interesting idea. Why not drive a roll pin or bolt into the rear bushing to keep it from spreading? Hmmm....more to consider. Don't think i've seen that one yet...

Mike- Thanks for the supplier, i'll look into those. Didn't realize that Cub dealers had such a shim. Is it an actual Cub part (number)?...or just off the shelf item?

Won't the head of the bolt hit the oil pan on a 12-16hp?

YUP. The postings I have seen is where the head of the bolt is turned in a lathe and cut down to about 1/8" height. Then a "nylock" nut is used to keep from vibrating loose. Keeps the channel from future spread, and a nice and tight front axle.

:ThumbsUp:

I found the pictures I was looking for...

Very good Roland,maybe Jeff can make a kit .

Thank would be a good idea. He could make it with a "nylock" nut or a "castle" nut with a hole drilled in the bolt to accommodate a cotter pin.

:IH Trusted Hand:

I'd buy a couple. :beerchug:

Wow! Thanks Roland. I was just going to ask if anyone had some pics of the clearance issue. I had it in my mind that the oil pan was practically on top of the rear bushing, but there looks to be some space in there. Probably only half of the head of that bolt has been removed. Perhaps I could to a combination of shimming out the 0.10" gap and clamping with the bolt.

Arrrgh, time for another parts run! :D

A friend of mine and forum member Richard Christensen, done this modification in 2008. Knowing him, it was well thought out and is still holding up on his 1450 today.

I used a the bolt and castle nut from an 82 series on the front axle of my 1650 ( I sawed about half of the bolt head thickness off in my bandsaw to clear the oil pan ) and the threaded end of the bolt would hit the mule drive making it useless.

I guess that is why the person in Rolands pics. used a thin nylon nut and cut the threads of the bolt off at the end of the nut.

You can't use a nylock or a castle nut because its to long and will hit the mule drive when installed, I use a regular nut and once I have it where I want it I cut through the nut and bolt at about half the thickness of the nut and put a tack weld on the end to keep the nut from loosening.

That sounds beautiful, olds45512.

All I done for a shim on my QL, was simply find a steel washer that would fit the pin outside diameter { and not touch the bottom of the c-channel } , and sand the washer down flat on sandpaper until I was able to get that sucker between the c and axel. Was tuff to assemble, but it can be done. Think of this the same as a GM starter shim, basically in a nutshell. { I get paid full time to jerry fix, field fix, make work, and keep up the fight sort of job pretty good }

Replace the pivot pin keeper coil pin.

If my repair ever ceases to hold tight, I'm going the nut and bolt method. These wide frame are a lot harder to squeeze together than the narrow frame for sure.

Thanks guys. Didn't think about the front side hitting the mule drive....definately don't want that, but doesn't completely rule out the bolt fix.

My pin didn't have a spirol type pin in it...it was a plain roll pin. Which leads me to believe that the pin has been replaced already. Seems a shame to completely replace it as it's in really good shape. Not a mark on it. Think i'll do the same as you johncub and just washer it up this time. If it wears out again, it's not like it's very hard to lift motor and go with the bolt.

So far, mine has remained tight this year. I did shim behind the c-channel, and in front of the axel where you will find the large, flat surface of the axel. I found it difficult to shim after the front axel { behind }, and still line up the pin to the rear of the c-channel. Just me.

Maybe you can estimate using a feeler gauge as to how thick of a shim to start with. I'd guess .010" ?

Still, that bolt idea sounds awesome too.

take care

That is tight. Glad my 82 series machines have more room. Having done all of mine now I would like to add. Be sure the bolt shank is long enough to support the pivot section. All of mine had excessive wear due to the support riding on threads of the bolt. To fix I found a bolt with enough shank length and cut off the excess to clear the mule.

The bolt length is 8", the shank is long enough that only an 1/8" on the axle is on threads.

4 machine I have done now all had 1/4 to 1/2 of the area with threads. I am guessing someone did not use the factory bolts in mine...

I just got a 122 with a very thin head bolt which looks similar to the O bolt. Anyone know what model they started putting in the pin with roll pin set up?

Does it have an oops pedal?

You know I never even payed attention to that

Edit just looked no oops

I am working on a 122 today and the pin was a regular one,the othere one I was fixin has one also.po mod

You can make this easy or you can make it hard(er). The thick shim will fix the problem instantly and for very little money.

This is a great conversation!

When I did my 1250 Nightmare 4 years ago, I used the 3/4" bolt and nut to squeeze the C-channel together and re-set the axle with a new pin. I like the way the pin was machined with a depression cut into the middle of it to accommodate grease.

I like the modified bolt and nut idea, but will that take grease as well as the current style pin does? If I ever need to do this again, I will use the bolt and nut. It looks like a better option to me, if it will stay lubricated.

To everyone who contributes to this conversation, Thank you!

Brian Wittman

Is my thinking correct when greasing the front end. I jack it up on the frame. So the grease gets in the places that are normally under pressure from the weight.

not sure its required but it does make sense.

I got a couple of washers to use for shims. I had measured it at about .10" of "slide" and in the store they looked about 1/16" thick. Figured i could grind/sand one thinner if i had to. When i went to put one in, it was TIGHT. Way more snug than i thought it would be. Took a little persuasion to get it lined up. Went liberal with some grease in the bushings, axle beam and the pin and finally got it back in. I took a white paint pen and painted a line to show the spirol pin hole orientation so I could turn the axle pin before getting i completely in. Took some slight banging to get it all the way in, but she's there now. Put the spirol pin back and dropped the jack (tractor is on jack stands). The axle beam is nice and snug now. It won't slop down on either side without maybe a couple of pounds of down pressure on a wheel.

With the axle beam tight, now I can trace down all the other looseness in the steering. Rod ends are pretty sloppy, the steering gear probably needs going through and the drag link is waaaay off in its length, but one thing at a time.

Thanks for your post on the zerk fitting, Yosemite Sam. There is indeed one there. Found it after a short search. I'd never have found that thing if no one had told me it had it. Seems there was a good amount of fairly fresh grease around it too. Someone loved this old girl...

heheheh...went to adjust the drag link to center the steering. Taking the rod end off of the steering gear, it just popped off the ball. Well, there's one sloppy point! Looks like the previous owner replace the other end of the drag link, and one of the tie rod ends. Went to Rural King and got another pair. New one on the drag link, and a spare...tie rods are good. Got the steering centered really well now and she turns just as sharp right as left.

Getting to be a comfortable ride now! :)