D15 Revival

I was by the shop yesterday.

Rear wheels are back on, engine is back in (with new clutch and ring gear), rebuilt starter is back on, etc.

Still waiting on welder and front axle to finish putting it back together.

Since tractor has been sitting, at least a quart of oil has leaked out of the rear axle. That is in addition to a small leak I found while she was sitting in my barn. Once she is back together and running, we will need to find the source of both leaks, but also to find out if the transmission is good, or if she jumps out of gear.

Stay tuned!

Quick update. New parts are piling up, including new remanufactured clutch assembly, new ring gear, dressed down flywheel, new temp gauge, new muffler, new seat, rebuilt starter, plus the previously mentioned new rims.

Still waiting for word from the welder. Original plan was to source the pin locally, but it is not a standard size, so the actual pin from AGCO may need to be ordered.

BTW, when looking at the pin and matching bolster from AGCO, they are different for Series 1 and 2 tractors.

JimIA posted the part numbers, but those were for the series 1 tractors.

But the front axle assembly is the only thing holding it up from going back together.

Shame it is dragging on. I will start cutting some fall hay this week and had hoped she would be ready by now. Plan B is being enacted instead.

Look good for another 50 or more years. I assume you did not fill them? The tires look to be in pretty good shape too. That saved some dollars for other areas of the project too. Thanks for the update.

Welder still has bolster and axle. He was going to have to extract the bushing somehow.....it was not chewed through, so no meat was lost in the bolster casting. He is also welding the replacement pin onto the axel.  He left with those last week, and as of today, no word from him. Welder welds for a living, but this job is on the side so he gets to it when he gets to it. But I expect it back this week.

New rims are in and old tires with new tubes (no fluid) are mounted on them. Not installed yet.

Temperature gauge and power boost meter were the only instruments not working. I can live without a power boost meter, but with any engine, I like to know if it's running hot, so I got a new temp gauge from DJ's and it will go in when the engine goes back in. It was NOT the $175 OEM version.

No other news to report today.

That is the main purpose of the welder. He is replacing the pin. I think if he put his mind to it, the bends can be taken out too. I've seen what a good hydraulic press can do. But looking it over, the tractor would drive and be usable as is....with the bum axle. (once the pin and bushing are fixed).

Bushing has been ordered from AGCO and if it comes in, I'm going to get it later today.

On the rear rims, one has got the cancer pretty bad. Rust is about all that is holding it together. The other isn't far behind. It may look good in the photo, but not to me in person.  New rims with new tubes and no fluid will last longer than I will. All 4 tires were almost new when it was parked. Rears stayed up and look to be good. Fronts were almost new too, but lost air and were sitting flat on the rims for who knows how long. They have stayed up since I pumped them up, but have some nasty looking breaks in the sidewalls where it sat flat all that time. Time will tell on those.

 i would look for a replacement tractor!:) I think it may be a tractor chop shop too!

Those rims look pretty good compared to the stuff I work with. Your getting a welder, get a good Mig with gas. You can fix those rims with a junk donor rim of the same style. Just cut out a section and weld it in place. 

Also those rear tires dont look to be in too bad of condition. Unless somthing is bad on them I would use them. New ones would set you back 600-800$!

Oh yea you can save that axle. That tubing should be able to be heated and bent back. The brace behind needs heated and bent (straightened) as the tube is bent too. May have to fasten the axle to something real stout to allow force to be applied. Or a big press? Might be better to cut loose the brace at the small end and then re weld it?

Your "progress" looks about like what I call progress too!:) You have a couple things going for you too. Its inside and you have folks helping!

Shine up that stub shaft. Weld it up and grind it back to near size!  I know all this is easy for me to say, harder for you to do,

 Hear is a shot of a lift arm I straightened this morning:

Regards,

 Chris

BTW, if anyone has a front axel......one with a good support pin that hasn't been chewed up and isn't bent......... and you can "part" with it.............speak now or forever hold your peace.