D17 Live Hydraulics project

So here, I've used the coupler-shortener/shaft-straightener (also square and oblong roundener, and if I so desire, cam-lobe-maker:



First, I sawed it off with a bandsaw, then I put it in the lathe, and cut it down to appropriate length (trued up the end, 'cause bandsaws ain't known for precision)... then I cut a shoulder in it.  I'll cut a plate that fits the hole pattern and fit the coupler in there. 

Now, for those of you that are machinists, the rest is elementary, but most folks don't have a lathe in their workshop (much less five), so bear with me while I put a little explanation here...

The mother of ALL machine tools is the lathe.  A lathe holds and rotates a workpiece, while a cutter is put against it. 



The basic concept is making something round out of something that isn't, but what's REALLY happening, is that you're establishing an AXIS, and then making CONCENTRIC CUTS around it.  This is important to remember, and when I make the rest of the coupler, I'll explain not only how I do it, but WHY I do it that way.  With ANYTHING, there's always more than one way to get something done... when making precision parts, there's advantages and benefits to every method... but also costs and challenges.  Operating machine tools is only a small part operating, and the rest is about thinking ahead so that you do things in an order that make your workpiece more accurate at each step, rather than compound an inaccuracy at each step.  In the case of this collar, I put it in the lathe chuck, and used a dial indicator against the OUTSIDE of the collar to get it roughly centered... then I took a piece of shaft material, polished it, and slid it into the splined center, and put the indicator against IT... and adjusted the chuck again.  This is because the collar's hole and splines MAY NOT have been concentric to the OUTSIDE in manufacture.  These collars are clearly US-made, by a reputable manufacturer, because it was within 0.0004" of concentric.  I also checked the amount of 'wobble' at the far end of the shaft, and found that 18" out, it was still under 0.0007", so really danged true.

Many (like the imported sheaves and collars found at farm stores and import-tool outlets) are off by lots... 0.004" or more... and they're frequently way out'a square (they'll wobble like crazy 18" out) so if you trust the OD, you're screwed- it never runs true.

More on this later!

Here's a quick look at how the pump fits the front of the bolster.  In finished form, I probably won't have it recessed that deep, but we'll see what I can do to get it close.  I don't like big things hangin' out the front, to get tangled up in stuff.


Notice the direction arrow on the pump?  Handy!!!  Yes, the crankshaft, when viewed from this end, is spinning clockwise.  The pump, since it's FACING the engine, must be the CLOCKWISE type.  SOME pumps are reversible... if you're willing to disassemble them and re-orient some components, but many aren't.  IF you look in a dismantled pump, you'll see that there's little passages at each end... they go from one side cavity (the high pressure side) to the bearing shell.  Then there's oftentimes a passage that goes from the far end of the bearing, to the LOW pressure side.  When operating, the pump's output pressure forces oil into the bearing space, to hydraulically 'float' the shaft between bearing and shaft, just like the crank mains and rods of an engine.  There's also high-pressure oil forced along the edges of the pump's gears to minimize surface contact force against the sealing face 'wear plates', cooling the gears and minimizing wear.  This is one of the first reasons why it is so important to keep hydraulic fluid clean, and level proper to prevent aereation (bubbles).

This pump ain't exactly cheap, but it should last my lifetime's worth of abuse with minimal care.  There's cheaper pumps out there, and different shapes.  I selected it for it's shorter length, side-ports, and robustness.  One could use a longer pump, with end-mounted plumbing, but it'd require additional plumbing fittings to reach, and would be very susceptable to pump and plumbing damage.


Edited by DaveKamp - 30 Apr 2011 at 9:47am

Well, I'm glad I had everything shipped ground, 'cause UPS's hub got a little plugged-up with the storms.  Tracking reports that by end-of-biz today, I'll have the splined couplers, a pump, and upper/lower radiator hoses...  I'll put in a little wrench time between now and Sunday so I can get the 17 up and operable... need to drag some stuff off the trailer for a run down to Tennessee on Tuesday... it'll stall my progress for a little bit, but it'll give me time to measure and calculate and order the shaft.  Won't take me long to finish up the kit when I return!

DaveKamp wrote: Hee hee... thanks for the tip... but believe it or not, with all the crud I blasted off, that darned socket was somehow devoid of the grime-monster... there was a little I picked out, but most was from me movin' the bolster around. My preferred mode of operation, is to hose everything down good with a pressure-washer before I start.  I miss lots of places, so I end up with 'temporary tattoos', but biggest concern is to make it so I can find the darned fasteners, and don't lose grip of my wrenches...  keeps me from getting unnecessary dents in my head... keeps the shop cleaner, but no matter how hard I try, there's always something in there somewhere.

I see I'm not the only one with that issue. LOL

Dave,Thanks for the info so far and keep riden that horse,lol.

Dave, sounds like you have the bolster back on. I was going to say clean any junk out of that splined hole. The input shaft on your power steering valve slides in and out a small amount to function. And for those wondering, the pins for the u joint are tapered. A combination of an air hammer and one of the side frame rails to back up the shaft got the job done. A hand sledge and large punch pretty much just bounced.

Dave,what is the number of the pump you got from Surplus Center,Thanks.

No workshop progress to report, but last Thursday I placed two orders... one from Surplus Center (in Lincoln, Nebraska) for some splined shaft collars and a pump... the other from Steiner Tractor to get an upper and lower radiator hose... was hoping to have 'em show up here around Wednesday/Thursday or so, so I'd be able some wrench and machine-shop time in (fab the coupler, measure the shaft, put the radiator back on, get the tin on, running and operational while I do the 'rest' of the engineering and fab work...

Wouldn't 'ya know it... BOTH orders have been sitting...   (sigh).  Dunno how it works elsewhere, but when an order is placed at my company, it gets processed, pulled, and if it's ready before 4pm, ships the same day... regardless of how flooded we get with shipments...  (shrug)

So I did something else instead.  It DID ease up on the rain for a little bit, but would'a been a good evening to turn wrenches and make metal chips.

Could-  my in-laws live just off the Van Meter exit... Marshall works weekends near the west end of 235...

Dave heres a pic of mine i just got done a little while ago putting a pump on my D17 Series 1.

Lloyd-  the fluid power and mechanical engineering, I have plenty of knowledge in... and as much as I've operated a D-17, doing anything other than checking oil was off-limits on Grandpa's fleet... even HE didn't work on his own stuff.  (strange, but true)... so there's some workin'-on-it wisdom out there that others have, that I don't have yet... the kinds of things that don't show up in the service manuals, but should...

Dave, Run by me again how you bolted the puller plate to the old pulley (sheave);

Lloyd-  I won't have a sketch yet, but I'll probably have one by virtue of making the pieces, and I'll share 'em with anyone who'd like 'em.

The CASE/Harvester pump drive coupler is a nice piece- a die-forging, probably.  I don't have facilities to do any castings here yet... and will likely never be able to do any die-forging, but I've got about twenty-five machine tools, three torches, and seven welders in my shop, about the only thing I REALLY wished I had, is a CNC cutting table... something I could put a plasma OR gas torch on.  I've got about 50% of the parts to build one, but the time, and available shop space aren't there yet... it'll hafta wait 'till the big workshop is done.

In the meantime, all the parts I'll use will either be very generic off-the-shelf, or easily fabricated from generic off-the-shelf stuff, so anybody with a lathe and drill press should be able to copy it pretty easily.

Here's the splined shaft, viewed from below:



And here's the part I thought would be the most annoying, but turned out to be simple... two bolts holding the axle yoke to the bellhousing...  had'ta blast more grime off to see it clearly, and clearly needed some more grime-blasting.



Here's the metal plate I used for pulling the old sheave out:

It was made from junk that was just-lying-around.  Actually, it was a shim plate from a scale... I frequently end up with extras...

Dad worked on scads of WD's and 45's and a few 17's.Only pulley set up I've seen had tapered set screws.Thats how my 45 is.Not saying yours don't but I've never seen one with a keyway.

Dave,
Do you have a sketch of your final idea? I have a series 1 and would like to do something like you are doing. I also may come up with some ideas. I have been a machinist for over 30 years. I have done machining on F-16, F-18, L-1011, Maverick Missiles and Blackhawk helicopters. Not counting sawmill, concrete and all kinds of other machinery over the years.
I may not know much about tractors but I might be able to come up with an idea or two. I also have a cnc plasma machine that is useful for making special brackets etc.. I just reworked a bushhog today for a fellow. I am learning a lot about AC's by reading the posts! Keep up the good work!
Loyd