1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

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Steve Simmons
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by Steve Simmons »

Sometimes you have one of those days, and it's usually your own fault. Did some work on the tractor and decided to take it down the street for a test run. The bodywork wasn't bolted on very well and I noticed the right hand grill starting to work loose. Before I could react, it fell right into the street. I was in "car mode" and tried to steer the rear wheel around it, and instantly realized you don't steer around anything with a 5,000 pound tractor, you hit the brakes. Too late, ran right over it. :roll:

Guess I'll be getting the body hammer out... again. :hammer:
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grill-smashed.jpg
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Martin Keller
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by Martin Keller »

OUCH!

At least it is fixable.
May I suggest you strip the paint first so when you start to straighten it you can see and feel the ripples and waves in the metal.
:drive
Martin Keller
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Steve Simmons
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by Steve Simmons »

Yeah, I did that before (see previous post) and I'll probably have to do it again. But at least I don't have to get every nook and cranny this time. It took forever!
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Steve Simmons
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by Steve Simmons »

Not a lot of progress on the tractor, been focusing on other things. But I did spend last Saturday scrubbing decades of disgusting grime from the belly of the beast, and then painted it.
Dirty Underbelly (tow hitch removed)
Dirty Underbelly (tow hitch removed)
underbelly1.jpg (80.25 KiB) Viewed 15772 times
Clean underbelly
Clean underbelly
underbelly2.jpg (65.98 KiB) Viewed 15772 times
Painted underbelly
Painted underbelly
underbelly3.jpg (56.45 KiB) Viewed 15772 times
I also spent another solid day removing and cleaning the even more grimey tow hitch. The transmission had been leaking badly, probably while plowing the back nine, and it was several inches deep.
Tow Hitch cleaned and painted (Draw Bar removed)
Tow Hitch cleaned and painted (Draw Bar removed)
jd-tow-hitch.jpg (52.69 KiB) Viewed 15772 times
It initially appeared that the leak was from the tow hitch bolts, which I assumed were through holes, but it turns out they aren't. So the only other place it could have been leaking was the gasket between the front and rear half of the tractor. Not good! Breaking a tractor in two isn't a quick or easy job. While underneath, I noticed one lock washer wasn't fully crushed so I grabbed a wrench and tightened the bolt. Then the one next to it, and the one next to it, etc. Every bolt holding the tractor in one piece was alarmingly loose! I'm hoping the leak is now stopped. We'll see when I start pouring 8 gallons (!!!) of gear oil in there. (fingers crossed)

In other news, we now have a new set of tires in back and what a difference. It was like riding on caveman wheels made of granite before. Much smoother now, and as an added bonus they are both the same size. This was money well spent. And I found the tires at a discounter for about 45% off!
Sitting in tires is my pastime.
Sitting in tires is my pastime.
tires.jpg (96.64 KiB) Viewed 15772 times
It was hell getting the 60-year-old tires off. The bead is about 1.5" thick, each tire weighs around 100 lbs and they were hard as rock. I had to call in a professional to do the job, and even he couldn't get one of them off alone. It took both of us, me with all my weight on three 4-foot tire irons, him with one more tire iron in one hand and a big sledge in the other.
Breaking the bead
Breaking the bead
tire-change.jpg (104.57 KiB) Viewed 15772 times
Tires removed, I wasn't happy with how rusty the rims were. There was no time to blast them clean and paint, so I had to break the loose stuff off and dump a bunch of talc in there. It will probably be fine since the wheels move so slowly and there are no real cornering forces to speak of. But still, I may remove the tires at some point and do it right just for peace of mind. I can get these tires off and back on myself.
Rusty rim
Rusty rim
rusty-rim.jpg (81.6 KiB) Viewed 15772 times
New shoes!
New shoes!
new-tires.jpg (119.75 KiB) Viewed 15772 times

Photos: underbelly, tow hitch, tire installation
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VWNate1
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by VWNate1 »

The Talc is to seal up rim leaks ? .

I hope you go back in and de rust those wheels soon ~ remember : RUST NEVER SLEEPS and a RIM SLITTING DUE TO RUST ISN'T FUN AND COULD kill you on a Tractor.... :eek: .

Nice to see you're still working on it .
-Nate
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by Martin Keller »

Hi Steve,

When you get ready to paint the inside of your rims you just might want to take the wheels to a shop to have them remove the tires for you and then have the rims sandblasted and inspected befor you paint them. I would also intall tubes into the tires so that if you install NaCl into the wheels it will be seperate from the tire and rim and not cause corrosion as it is a salt solution that adds weight for traction and keeps the tractor from bouncing. Another substance is Rimguard and it is a lot safer and dose not cause corrosion ( http://www.rimguard.biz/documentation ).
Hope this helps.
:drive
Martin Keller
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Steve Simmons
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by Steve Simmons »

The talc is just to "lubricate" the tubes (yes there are tubes!). The wheels are slated to be blasted eventually, once I get the time to pull the tires again.

No plans to use liquid or wheel weights, as this tractor is just a tool for chasing neighborhood cats. ;)
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by HealeyBN7 »

I guess I'll have to show up for tire removal and remounting day as I am guilty of advising the farmer to just "get it done". :hammer:
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Steve Simmons
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Location: Co-Nay-Ho Valley
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by Steve Simmons »

Nate is bugging me for photos of the tractor working, so here are a few. Mostly it spends its time dragging heavy objects around the yard. Sometimes it tears things out of the ground. And sometimes it just stands there and says "Damn, I look good!"
1946 John Deere AN
1946 John Deere AN
tractor-pull1.jpg (305.32 KiB) Viewed 14393 times
1946 John Deere AN
1946 John Deere AN
tractor-pull2.jpg (329.63 KiB) Viewed 14393 times
1946 John Deere AN
1946 John Deere AN
tractor-pull3.jpg (230.16 KiB) Viewed 14393 times
1946 John Deere AN
1946 John Deere AN
tractor-pull4.jpg (174.9 KiB) Viewed 14393 times
1946 John Deere AN
1946 John Deere AN
tractor-pull5.jpg (269.2 KiB) Viewed 14393 times
1946 John Deere AN
1946 John Deere AN
tractor-pull6.jpg (322.59 KiB) Viewed 14393 times
And here's a bonus video driving around the block to keep the seals wet.

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VWNate1
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by VWNate1 »

THANK YOU ! .

That really brings back memories .

IIRC, all the seals in it are (? were ?) leather....
-Nate
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Steve Simmons
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by Steve Simmons »

I'm not sure which seals are made of what, but several I've replaced so far have been paper. Or maybe that's just what the modern replacements are made of.
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VWNate1
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by VWNate1 »

Gotcha .
-Nate
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by Larry Kluss »

Love the tractor, Steve, and the fact that you use it for all kinds of tasks. Though until I got to the video at the end of the post, I was beginning to wonder if you ever faced forward while driving it. ;)
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VWNate1
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1961 Morris Minor W/ 1973 1275 CC engine & gearbox

Ural Solo Motos , old Honda 90 CC Tiddlers
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Re: 1946 John Deere Model A Tractor

Post by VWNate1 »

VWNate1 wrote: Sat Nov 05, 2016 7:20 pm The Talc is to seal up rim leaks ? .

I hope you go back in and de rust those wheels soon ~ remember : RUST NEVER SLEEPS and a RIM SPLITTING DUE TO RUST ISN'T FUN AND COULD kill you on a Tractor.... :eek: .

Nice to see you're still working on it .
-Nate
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