D15 Revival

jeickman01 wrote: What was the final fix on the front axle pin?  I have same problem on a D17 III and was quoted over $300 for a 70253386 Pivot Pin.

Found a replacement axle assembly that had a good pin, plus was not bent. Used the best parts of the front end assemblies to make one.  The spare parts were saved and sitting on a pallet in the barn. My plan is to take them to a swap meet, unless somebody needs them now.

While the D15 was in the shop, a guy brought in a D17 with pivot pin in similar condition. He took the assembly to a welder, who built up the worn places with weld, the ground it back down to size. Looked pretty good.

Looking good.

Sounds like maybe Union Station playing the music in your video??

Funny you should ask.

Was at the Boonville swap meet a few weeks back and forum member AJ caught my eye with an aftermarket replacement for the factory 3 point hitch. It required conversion back to a snap coupler setup, but seemed to me to be a lot more sturdy. It was already sold, or I would have bought it . This one......as viewed from the bottom.

So as of yesterday, I checked again on the progress of the welding job on the drawbar support casting, and no joy......hadn't been touched. So I loaded it all up and brought it home. Have also spent a lot of time and effort trying to find a replacement casting with no luck. So have decided to abandon plans to get the gimpy factory 3 point back in shape and will convert it to a SC tractor, with after market 3 point of the type shown. Won't look the same, but will work the same and should be much stronger.

Have managed to round up most of the SC component parts already and working to get them installed. Once that is back on, I think she is ready to leave the shop and go to work.

It has been a while since I've published any videos.........

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Things are still in limbo.........casting and related 3 point parts still at the machine shop.

Hopefully, they will get to all that soon.

Problem with d-17's and down, factory 3 points are held on with those 3 vertical bolts, and side to side stresses, on the 3 point, can move them bolts enough, to start them backing out.  Add to this, the fact that all oil leaks head toward them bolts, and you have a serious flaw, if you don't check them, at least, each time you hook up something heavy...

Close to it, and as the bills start coming due, the part about being pretty dang stupid ain't far off either! 

On the plus side, with all the major stuff out of the way, she should be good for another turn around the track. She does run pretty sweet.

(Nothing like the smell of new muffler paint burning off in the morning).

As promised.........an update.

Thanks for forum member AJ, who agreed to part with a good usable front end (in exchange for some paper with pictures of dead presidents printed on it), she is back on all 4's again. Back from the dead!

Even more better, not only did she start,  this time she moved! Amazing what a working clutch will do.

There are still issues to resolve, but we were able to take her a lap around the parking lot. Everything we tried was working, and on the brief run I had, she did not jump out of gear. 

We are getting there!