restoration of A #3
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=131910
Printed Date: 31 Oct 2025 at 2:26am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: restoration of A #3
Posted By: Matt (Jordan,MN)
Subject: restoration of A #3
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2016 at 1:36am
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One of the projects this winter is to finish the multiyear restoration of A serial number 25703. This is the 3rd A off the line. It is owned by a customer/friend of Are's. They were taking it to a show when it started nocking. It burned out the front 2 rod bearings so it was decide to do a complete restoration. The engine was disassembled and the crankshaft and 2 rods were not savable. I sold them a good crank and 2 rods. The block had 18 cracks in the deck and one behind the front lifter cover. This wasn't the original engine so it was decided to replace the block instead of getting the cracks welded. The engine was taken to a local machine shop that does Babbitt work. The engine is now in are shop with a ground crankshaft all new Babbitt and new 5 1/4 bore sleeves in it. There is NOS 5 1/4 gas pistons and rings sitting on the shelf for it. We are currently putting the transmission back together with all new bearings. This tractor was used hard in it's life and the gears weren't the best. I had what was left of a late U here so we parted it out and used most of the gears in the A. Here is a few pics of before we started and the engine getting taken apart. The last pic is of the front main bearing and how worn it was. I will post more on it when we get more done. Matt    ------------- Owner of Matt Scott LLC Specializing in NOS and used Allis Chalmers tractor & implement parts & liturature and Magneto Repair http://www.mattscottllc.com/ |
Replies:
Posted By: JoeM(GA)
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2016 at 6:14am
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Quite the project, take pics and be sure to share! ------------- Allis Express North Georgia 41 WC,48 UC Cane,7-G's, Ford 345C TLB |
Posted By: Butch(OH)
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2016 at 8:02am
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Pheew! thats a bad looking bearing. I just thought back and its been 16 years now since I went through our two As. I hope you have the manual for the tractor so you can get the trans together correctly on try #1. Cant tell you how many calls I got from people over the years from people who tried it without following the procedure in the manual and found out it dont work so good cause that last gear wont clear the case, LOL. |
Posted By: Matt (Jordan,MN)
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2016 at 2:43am
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We have a factory service manual for it. It is still kind of hard to understand what the tech writers we trying to explain. We now have the differential together and in the case. Something fell apart in the diff and chewed up the case. So the one out of the U was cleaned up and used. This project is going to be put on hold for a bit so we can get another customers Ford done. Here is some more pics. The first one is one the crankshaft front main bearing. You can that it was starting to get hot. You can also see the 1st rod journal which was so bad that it started to peel iron off the journal.  The next 2 are of the transmission being disassembled and of a bad rear axle bearing. This one was the better bearing of the 2   The next picture are of the transmission case & rear axle housing after it was primed.  The last picture for this post is a close up of the serial number. As being the 3rd off the line there is a learning curve. The case was originally stamped U25703. They caught there mistake and decided it was best to get there handy chisel and chiseled in A over the U. You can still see the U under the A.  ------------- Owner of Matt Scott LLC Specializing in NOS and used Allis Chalmers tractor & implement parts & liturature and Magneto Repair http://www.mattscottllc.com/ |
Posted By: Butch(OH)
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2016 at 5:42am
| Matt, the bearing for the axle is the only one in the entire tractor that I could not find a replacement for. If he is going to use the tractor, epecially since it is 100 cubes over stock be sure to use a deep groove beafing at the rear of the pinion shaft as it carries the thrust. This was the weak point of the transmission along with deflection of the shafts and why they changed things in mid 1938. Somewhere I have a bearing and seal list if you are interested. The assembly of the transmission does not follow what I would call common sense thus the procedure in the manual causes a person to think along the lines of that's stupid, it's easure to do it this way,,, problem is you get it 97% done and it all has to come back apart,,, I am guilty as charged,LOL. |
Posted By: Butch(OH)
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2016 at 5:47am
| Forgot to add that the differential problem was likely the pin. They were lucky that it stayed inside the case. Lots of them had chunks get between the bull gear and case and broke the back out the the case. Seen many Us and As welded up back there. |