What We Did Today

Corley5 · May 01, 2005, 11:10:52 PM

We had a pretty busy Sunday. We started our day with plans to cut a $30,000.00 walnut ;) ;D next to Grandma's house. By the time we were all rigged up and ready the wind had come up to the point that we decided to call it off for the day. The tree will make one rough log and a bunch of firewood. Just wish it was worth $30,000.00 :

Grandma has wanted it cut for a while now and since she is planning on a new roof this summer it has to come down. It drops nuts on the house. ;D
After calling off the logging op for the day we decided to be tractor mechanics. Our 8N Ford backhoe tractor has been laid up for a while now with rear end problems. It all started about 20 years ago when I was using the tractor at camp to fill in a wetland ;) ;D and tore up the ring gear. We didn't have the facilities there to split the tractor and only replaced the ring and not the pinion. They come as a matched set. It lasted until we brought it home a couple years ago and I once again broke something in the rearend. This time we're gonna do it right.

Not sure if that hole in the top with the ring gear showing is supposed to be there. If it isn't it shouldn't hurt anything as nothing else is cracked. Never had a Ford this far a part before and the last time it was even close was 20 years ago.

We used the gator to separate the rearend from the tranny as the rearend is locked up in its present state :(

The hoe looks lonely
Tomorrow night we're gonna finish taking the rear end apart and find out what is really wrong.

chet · May 01, 2005, 11:18:49 PM

Looks like 2 clear 16's in da butt. :D

pigman · May 01, 2005, 11:23:48 PM

Definitely a $30,000. tree. :

Might go for more if you put it on eBay. ;)

pasbuild · May 01, 2005, 11:36:32 PM

Theres got to be $30,000 just in crotch wood ;D

Tom · May 02, 2005, 07:30:43 AM

I want to see the tractor back together. :D That tree can wait.

asy · May 02, 2005, 05:47:44 PM

Quote from: Tom on May 02, 2005, 07:30:43 AM
I want to see the tractor back together. :D That tree can wait.

I dare ya to say that to Corley's Grandma...

More photos as you go please...

asy :D

Corley5 · May 02, 2005, 06:03:25 PM

We were hoping to either get the tree cut tonight or finish disassembly of the tractor but... It's been snowing and blowing with a temp of 36 degrees :

. Just gonna stay inside where it's warm ;) ;D.

UNCLEBUCK · May 02, 2005, 11:15:53 PM

Looks like you got a good project going ! Ford sure made a good hoe , never seen one on a 8n before . Good luck on your repairs and be careful cutting that tree down . I bet you will get a whack of wood from it ! Are you going to drop it all at once or piece by piece . I think I would cable it and pull with tractor while someone cuts . I really dont know ?

Weekend_Sawyer · May 03, 2005, 09:52:06 AM

I bought an 8N last fall. I have been pretty much a Farmall fan all my life but that little ford has GUTS. I used it for the little bit of plowing I do, fixed up a 3ph disk, run a bush-hog and am currently running a 6' finish mower on it. just a great all around tractor for me.

I notice yours has the proof meter on the dash, I believe that means it is a 50' or newer.

Keep us posted on the work progress.

Corley5 · May 03, 2005, 08:04:50 PM

I think it's a 52 ??? but will have to check the serial# to be sure. The hoe is actually a Sherman, the same company that made the two speed trannies and other stuff for the N series Fords. They are gutsy little tractors. We've skidded and loaded some pretty big white pine logs with it and for its size it's a digging machine. The loader was made by Wagner Iron Works. As for the walnut tree we've got the chain hooked up in it and are going to use the winch on the equipment trailer for insurance ;) I'm confident it'll fall away from the house without a problem but better safe than sorry. ;) ;D I got home late from work this evening and we didn't have time for much except cleaning some sludge out of the cases etc. It's only 40 degrees with a stiff wind anyway. Tomorrow's supposed to be in the upper 50s though. The bad thing is we've got a heated shop but it's so full of other stuff there isn't room to get the whole tractor inside :

:

. Oh well, there's better lighting outside ;) ;D

UNCLEBUCK · May 04, 2005, 12:28:20 AM

Youre lucky Corley you not only have a heated shop but a cement floor . I have waited since I was 16 for the day I can cement the shop floor . I am so tired of fixing bigger stuff out in the grass and weather . Whenever I can swing it I use the money for something else and then regret it later .

Corley5 · May 04, 2005, 10:44:24 PM

We finished taking it apart tonight. The ring and pinion are toast especially the pinion. That's what happens when you only replace half of a matched set ;D Dad's going to order them up tomorrow along with gaskets, new wheel seals and seals for the 3 pt arm pins. The bearings all seem real good. Weather permitting we'll cut Grandma's tree tomorrow night 8)

I think it's bad ;)

Lotsa chunks in the case :(

Ring and Pinion. The ring is chewed up too

The end was also broken off the pinion shaft

This is Fred. He's the supervisor ;)

Corley5 · May 04, 2005, 10:49:43 PM

We never had a shop with cement floor til 4 years ago and it didn't get heat til a couple years ago. We always worked out in front of the tool shed on the grass. Did everything from tune ups and break jobs on the vehicles to engine overhauls and clutches in tractors. One thing about working outside as I mentioned before is the light is better. No amount of artificial light it seems can match the sun ;D

Corley5 · May 05, 2005, 10:15:38 PM

Dad went to the local Ford dealer today expecting to order a new ring and pinion and he could have except for the fact that they wanted $1,000.00 for the set

:

>:( >:( ???

:( :'( :(

>:( I spent a couple hours this evening looking online for them and after checking many online tractor parts sites including some dedicated to N series Fords I came up with nothing. I found several places that have ring and pinion sets for NAAs for around $500.00 and from what I can tell the only difference is Ns use 7/16" bolts for the ring gear and NAAs use 1/2" ones :

The axles, bearings etc are interchangeable. I've got a couple #s to call tomorrow that will hopefully yield something. We'd rather put new gears back in it but if that means spending a grand on them the old girl will get a used set. It was still too windy to cut Grandma's tree. Maybe tomorrow evening ;D

UNCLEBUCK · May 06, 2005, 12:54:04 AM

Amazing prices isnt it ! Maybe you get lucky and find a good used set . This internet stuff sure comes in handy for finding parts . I suppose you need the industrial ? I have a place called kugler salvage 1-800-874-2130 when I break down , they got a big bone yard and ship nationwide or else worthington tractor parts maybe ebay . Better get that tree down or else gramma going to cut off the hot biscuits ! Atleast thats what mine would do ;D

Corley5 · May 06, 2005, 09:59:53 PM

Finally had a good night to cut the $30,000.00 walnut. Light breeze out of the east was just perfect 8) 8) 8) Grandma still went way out into the barnyard because she was sure her house was a goner ;) ;D ;D

Ready for action 8)

Just like I planned it ;) ;D

Now we've got a mess to clean up

Grandma's happy 8) even though she felt the need to evacuate her house during the operation. I haven't had any of her biscuits in quite a while but they are the best. On some occasions she'd add french onion dip to the mix. Those were really good 8) 8) She also makes the best fried chicken and her chicken gravy can't be beat or her rhubarb pie or.... Now I'm hungry again

Corley5 · May 06, 2005, 10:08:16 PM

I also found a used ring and pinion at http://www.owossotractorparts.com/default.aspx for $175.00 and they're a matched set. Gonna pick em up tomorrow. I want to see them before I pay for them. Always nervous about ordering something used. You never now what might show up. A trip to Owosso also works out for this weekend because tomorrow Dee graduates with her Masters in Social Work from CMU 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) Owosso's about an hour south of Mt Pleasant so we're just gonna have to leave a bit early. ;) Got my priorities you know Tractor parts 1st and graduation 2nd ;D

UNCLEBUCK · May 06, 2005, 11:58:33 PM

Well thats a good way to end the week . Tree down, found parts, still going to get biscuits and somebody gets a masters degree . 8) Dee is your wife ? Tell her congratulations !

Corley5 · May 07, 2005, 07:44:22 AM

Yup Dee's my wife A.K.A. The Old Lady much to her displeasure ;D ;D ;D Gotta start watchin myself though she makes more money than I do ;)

Norm · May 07, 2005, 07:54:18 AM

Well contratulations to both of you! Good job on the tree dropping Corley, with my felling skills Grandma would have needed to go to the next county. :D

MemphisLogger · May 07, 2005, 12:00:51 PM

Corley, I betcha you could get even more for it on ebay now that it's down ;)

Seriously though, what are you gonna make your Grandmother outta that walnut to compensate her stress and anxiety?

;D

Corley5 · May 07, 2005, 08:03:41 PM

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. The long chunk I'll saw. I've got a friend ;) who just got himself a Woodmizer 8) and after I go over the short butt piece with a metal detector he's gonna saw it. I thought about cutting out all the crotches and seeing what they'd do on E-bay. What about the stump ??? Would it be worth digging up ???

Corley5 · May 15, 2005, 07:49:11 PM

Worked on Grandma's walnut this afternoon for the 1st time since I cut it. The weathers been nasty as a rule the last couple weeks and when ever we've had a good day there was something else that needed doing. The rain tapered off this afternoon and about two I waded in with the 372 8)

All cut up except for the butt Whew Haven't ran a saw much since I cut our firewood last fall. It took just exactly 2 tanks of gas. The saw leaned out just as I finished the last cut on the butt 8)

The butt made a 100" log. I didn't think it would but things look different once you start carving

Other side of the butt. There should be some crotch wood in there somewhere ;)

The last of the three 100" pieces out of the trunk. Lots of crotches on the end.

I also cut anything that was fairly straight into sticks to saw. All together there are 3 big pieces and a half dozen or so smaller chunks to saw up. Lotsa a green color between the sap wood and the heartwood that appeared awhile after a cut was made and most of it was pretty well faded away when I called it quits

I got the H and the dump trailer out and hauled two loads of brush away. I was going to get another until I looked at my watch and saw it was 10 after 6 and realized I was hungry ;) ;D Oh ya, Walnut brush doesn't load well on a trailer :

There's lotsa firewood too 8)

We've also got all the parts to put the 8N back together and plan to do that this week. Want to finish up the tree mess tomorrow night, spray my punkin patch with RoundUp Tues and work on the tractor Wednesday. That's the plan anyway. It'll probably change ;)

Corley5 · June 12, 2005, 09:46:45 PM

We finished putting the tractor back together a few days ago and put the hoe back on it today. This was her maiden voyage. Drove it from the shop to my house for pics and back. No funny noises in the rearend. Guess we did something right 8) 8) 8) 8)