Jack - My Fordson Major Tractor

[Dandy Dave]

The cable is way too long. I think Agriline has the right one. You may also want to see if the drive is working up by the timing gears. It is not uncommon for the drive to be bad. Agriline has these also. Dandy Dave!

[JohnnyBoy]

Thanks Dave, I saw the cables on the Agriline site the other night when I was browsing but I've got more major problems to deal with first like wheel bearings, fuel tank leaks and brakes etc.

[henk]

John,

All the cables are to long for the new major. I have made a document to show how you can shorten the inner and outer cable.
Its somewhere on the documents on the main page. http://www.fordsontractorpages.nl/manua ... _cable.pdf
The last part is wrong. Don’t grind it but make a press tool to square the round cable at the right size. If you grind it you make it week and it will snap at the point were it goes from round to square.
Its a delicate job and you needs some self-made tools but it can be done.
As Dave say the drive is can be a problem. Mine has the problem in de counter.
Took it of this week to open it again and look for the problem.

[JohnnyBoy]

Henk,

This is where I really want to kick myself ... My father was in the motor trade in the 60's and I had a lot of his specialised tools up to a couple of years since... One of these was a tool for making speedo cables. It squared the ends of the inner cables and crimped ferrules on to the outer cable... AND there was all the cable cutters and some reels of inner cables with it.

I wonder what became of it when I split with my ex... I'll ask Son if it's still at my old home.

[henk]

I have similar experience with some diesel pump tools. They were at school and I sold them without knowing what I sold.
Sold also all the UNC thread tools, thinking who needs them. This was only one or two years before I bought the Major.
If I could kick my but it would be (fordson)bleu.

At least these tools are easy to make.

[JohnnyBoy]

Got a front wheel bearing collapsed so thought I'd spin the wheel hub off and have a look...
... YUK YUK...

So I spun the hub back on and I'll get the jet washer out tomorrow

[super6954]

Ok due to a comment I did the decent thing and removed the post
and will be taking a long break from the forum have fun with the majors happy Tractoring Regards Robert

[Brian]

Chaps,

Could we please avoid mentioning specific parts suppliers. There are some out there that are trying to sort out the problems, others continue to produce rubbish.

I understand the frustration but we are not able to support comments via the site without allowing a "comeback" from the companies involved.

One particular post has caused a fair bit of agro. for management as the poster did nothing to correct his problem with the company except post on here and this upset the supplier.

I do not know the answer but I do not want this site to close down due to adverse comments about something we cannot control.

[JohnnyBoy]

Hummn, Me thinks I've missed something here but never mind, back to Jack.

I got both the wheels off and stripped the opposite side wheel bearings out for the part numbers and off to my local bearing supplier. The bearings on this side were in a little bit better condition in so far as they were intact. Now it is a long time since I've bought bearings for anything and I know there's inflation to consider, but when I asked the guy for a price for all 4 bearings and he came back with £155 + VAT and told me he'd have to order them in, I think I was very polite in saying NO and thanked him for his time pricing them up.

I've managed to locate all 4 bearings and seals for £85 inc VAT and delivery

[JohnnyBoy]

Back up and running, I can’t believe I’ve got away without severe damage to the stub axle when you consider the debris I’ve removed from the offside wheel.

Happy now I’ve renewed all the wheel bearings on both sides and knowing they are well packed with clean grease.

[Dandy Dave]

Looks like they drove her though mucky water a time or two .. Good thing you replaced them before the axles and hubs suffered. Good move. Dandy Dave!

[JohnnyBoy]

Yes Dave, I thought the same. Brakes next to see what the salt water’s done to them.

[JohnnyBoy]

This last weekend gave me the opportunity to have a look at Jack’s brakes, because Jack had been used for boat launching the salt water had taken its toll here as well. I firstly took the offside wheel off for access to the inboard brake drum mounted to the front of the axle. The brake is fixed to the brake shaft by a single bolt in the centre if the drum, with a few blows to the bolt head with a hammer prior to fitting a socket on a long bar and the bolt was easily freed off and removed. After releasing the brakes by slacking off the adjustment with a screwdriver through on of the large holes in the brake drum, I was able to lightly tap the side of the drum with a hammer and remove it.



With the drum removed I could see the effects of the salt water on the mechanism. The pull off springs were well rusted, one of which had come away from the lower shoe and was just hanging there next to the adjuster. The springs that hold the brake shoes to the back plate were fitted were fitted wrong and part of the spring fittings were missing. The brake drum itself was rusted inside and there was evidence of standing salt water in the drum that had contributed to the corrosion. I had quite a bit of rusty metal to clean up before refitting and I also had to figure out how the replacement brake springs kit should fit because one of the replacement springs did not look like any of the springs that were already fitted.



I repeated the process with the nearside brake to find a different spring arrangement which did not represent the offside spring arrangement nor the replacement spring that I had received from my suppliers. This is the way I’ve fitted the replacement spring kits, pictured is the nearside brake. My reasoning is the wheel turns anticlockwise when the tractor’s traveling forwards therefore the brake drum turns clockwise.



Recalling my dad’s explanation of braking systems back in the late 70’s and my college work at the time, this is a leading/trailing arrangement with the top shoe leading and the bottom shoe trailing. However with the floating adjuster, a heavier pull off spring should be fitted to the leading shoe to enable it to activate first then letting the self-energising effect increasing the effect of the trailing shoe which would normally be reduced.
I’m just hoping I’ve got it right, having said that the brakes really work well now

[Kim]

Given how long the salt water sat in there, it could have been much worse. GOOD JOB!

[JohnnyBoy]

Thanks Kim,

I've still got a lot of work to do on the tin work but I need to get Jack road worthy first, while I complete the restoration of Susie May, my little grey ferguson.

[bluecraig0776]

Your Major looks better than mine and I've been working on mine for months LOL

[JohnnyBoy]

Your Major looks better than mine and I've been working on mine for months LOL

I’ve still got a long way to go with the tin work but that’s going to wait until my Ferguson’s done first, although I need to do a few jobs such as the front crank seal and the pump drive shaft seal.

[bluecraig0776]

Good stuff. Take plenty of pics as I didn't and wish I had to show progress.

[JohnnyBoy]

Good stuff. Take plenty of pics as I didn't and wish I had to show progress.

I'm blogging it all as I go. Check out http://jack-my-fordson-major.blogspot.com/

[JohnnyBoy]

Saturday the 13th my V5c registration document arrived for my Major’s “Q” plate while I was down at the Newark show so I got some plates made up whilst I was there.

Monday saw me at the post office to get my road tax but they could not tax it because the taxation class was “Exempt sec (V) (and a few other letters thrown in for good measure). Despite the efforts and phone calls of the lady behind the counter they were unable to help and referred me to the local DVLA office.

Tuesday morning I was off to the local DVLA office with all my paperwork in hand and when my turn came the young lady was very helpful, making the changes on the V5c “Agricultural” taxation class and issuing me a tax disc for my “Q” registration number, so at least I can legally take “Jack” on the road now.

I then presented the lady with my application for the age related registration number and a change of taxation class to “Historic”. Initially, she said I couldn’t do it as my tractor was a 1988 model but once I pointed out that was the first registration date for the “Q” plate and not the manufacturing date and showed her the verification letter, she accepted my application, attached a few notes to it and forwarded on for processing, so fingers crossed now

[JohnnyBoy]

Jack’s been an absolute “god send” this last 2-weeks with the bad weather , transporting 100-litres of water at a time up to the field for the horses despite the oil and diesel leaks. I did wonder if I was doing the right thing getting a second tractor and especially a Fordson when I was looking for a MF 65 . I’m really happy with Jack despite his faults.

[Dandy Dave]

I did wonder if I was doing the right thing getting a second tractor and especially a Fordson when I was looking for a MF 65 . I’m really happy with Jack despite his faults.

A massy 65 The fordson has it all over a mf 65. You done did good. Dandy Dave!

[JohnnyBoy]

It’s raining, almost sleet and I’m up at the field pulling the damper off Jack's engine and the timing case cover to renew the front crankshaft oil seal.

WHY?

The warmer weather of spring and early summers only a few months away… So why don’t I wait until then?...

…I’ve just got to get it done.

[bluecraig0776]

Thats what I like to see Johnnyboy Commitment

[JohnnyBoy]

Thats what I like to see Johnnyboy Commitment

Commitment, you don’t know the half … I can’t believe the amount of Red Hematite I’ve had to clean off, even the old crank seal was stuck in with the stuff