I had my first real test drive with my Major yesterday and noticed that it doesn't want to go straight at higher speeds. The right front wheel wobbles a bit due to slightly bent rim. It also really needs a new bearing but this is probably not the problem here, although it is not helping either.
I measured the distance between the front tires and it is almost an inch greater at the front. According to this site: http://www.ozebiz.com.au/racetech/theory/align.html that condition is called toe-out and it causes just the symptoms I'm having.
I spent the afternoon today trying to adjust the tie rod to no avail because it is rusted tight and wouldn't budge. I even tried to move the other steering arm one notch in the spindle but that resulted in too much toe-in. Adjusting the tie rod one notch would probably have had the same effect because the notches are so far apart. It was only after these fruitless attempts that I consulted the repair manual and discovered/remembered that the toe-in is not even adjustable in Majors
I would very much like to to be able to drive straight so is there any remedy to this problem? I wonder why the setting has changed so much in the first place? I could try cutting a new notch between two excisting ones in the tie rod. Is this recommendable? Could it weaken the rod too much or something?
The toe is not adjustable. I think there’s something bend or worn. Lift the front a bit and feel how much play there is on the wheels. Maybe adjusting the bearings in the wheels can help.
I should have mentioned this earlier but I have changed all the bushings in the steering linkage and tightened most of the slack off. I also adjusted the front wheel bearings just last weekend. Everything looks straight. The left hand steering arm is not the original one, though. It had been welded to the spindle and I replaced it with another used one. The original spindle was good enough so I didn't replace it. Maybe the "new" steering arm is a bit out of tolerance and is slightly in a wrong position?
As Henk says, there is no adjustment on a Major. Your links on the top of the stub axles should be keyed in with bolts onto the splines so again there should be no way to get them wrong bt wear in the groove might make a difference.
Possible cause: Splines engaged in the wrong position on stub axles.
Wrong steering links. Some after-market steering links are not perfect.
E27N parts.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian
Brian wrote:Your links on the top of the stub axles should be keyed in with bolts onto the splines so again there should be no way to get them wrong bt wear in the groove might make a difference.
Possible cause: Splines engaged in the wrong position on stub axles.
I'm aware of the fact that the steering arms (that is what the repair manual calls them) can only be installed in one position. I was only trying to see if rotating them one notch would help with the problem. The bolt groove could then have been dealt with had it worked. The links are correctly installed. The grooves are not worn enough to allow incorrect installment. And if it was wrong the wheels would be way out of alignment as I discovered because it makes so big difference even if it is only rotated by one groove.
Brian wrote:Wrong steering links. Some after-market steering links are not perfect.
E27N parts.
All the other parts look original apart from the LH link that was bought from a used tractor parts dealer. It may or may not have been an after market version.
I'm missing something here. There are not that many parts to go wrong
Could it be a half groove that's wrong?
I have bought some new king pins and they had a spline that was turned a half groove. They were Ebro manufactured. Could be you have an Ebro part on your hands.
Timo,
Could it be that the steering arm that was welded to the spindle was wrong and someone modified the tie rod to make it work? Now that you put the right steering arm on, could the tie rod be too short or long?
I went through the old parts that got replaced and I found the steering arm and an old spindle. It seems that I changed the spindle also after all but forgot it. I must have experienced a senior moment My excuse is that it was several years ago (I started the restoration 8 years ago). Anyway, the only thing I can think of is that the grooves on the new spindle are wrong as Henk suggested, although I don't think they are Ebro parts. The "new" steering arm and spindle looks identical to the old ones and they came from a parts tractor. It is difficult to compare if they have the same angles. I have attached some pictures. Maybe you can see something I don't.
Look at the top of the stub axle, it is far taller than a normal Ford one. It is a replacement and they sometimes get it wrong.
There is no way to modify the track rod, you would have to re-groove it all the way across both sides otherwise, if you set the wheels out, you are back to square one.
I would check that stub with an original, I would be 80% sure it is wrong.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian
I think Brian is right. (Is he not always).
After Brian pointed out the top of the king pin, I recognise I had the same problem. I think you have Ebro made king pin on the left side. These will give you a half turned groove.
Check out this topic on the old board: http://www.fordsontractorpages.nl/ubb/F ... 00637.html
Try to remove the steering arm and compare the top of the king pin with an old one.
If you found out that the hole for the stud that goes trough it is modified you have a wrong king pin
Brian wrote:Look at the top of the stub axle, it is far taller than a normal Ford one. It is a replacement and they sometimes get it wrong.
So it seems. I didn't notice that before. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll compare that with the original next weekend when I get to the tractor.
Brian wrote:There is no way to modify the track rod, you would have to re-groove it all the way across both sides otherwise, if you set the wheels out, you are back to square one.
By "setting the wheels out" do you mean adjust the front axle so that the wheels are further apart from each other. I don't think that it is ever needed. But I agree that the modification is not the ideal solution. I'll see if I can find a new stub axle. I wont be needing to use the Major until next spring anyway, so there's no need to rush things.
The half gap were the stud is going through did not fit on my Ebro king pins. Because the steering arm was a half groove turned the gap also had to be moved a bit.
When the gap in the king pin is worked half a groove to the left or right, it's modified.
Also the Ebro king pin would be 10 mm longer and therefore there should be something to fill up that space.
The half gap were the stud is going through did not fit on my Ebro king pins. Because the steering arm was a half groove turned the gap also had to be moved a bit.
When the gap in the king pin is worked half a groove to the left or right, it's modified.
Also the Ebro king pin would be 10 mm longer and therefore there should be something to fill up that space.
OK, thanks for the explanation. The king pin / spindle / stub axle (I assume these all mean the same?) in my Major is not longer apart from the very tip, as was pointed out by Brian, so there's no need to fill up the space. So it might not be Ebro but some other make but wrong all the same.
To further suspicions of an Ebro part... Looking at the photos, the second photo down the cast in name does not look correct. If Fordson, should it not read "EnFo" for "English Ford"? I noticed this on many parts while restoring my Power Major
(1) Timo...Have a look underneath the Stub Axle. If it is a genuine part, the Part No. will be cast in. Stub Axle R.H. Part No. E1ADKN-3105. Stub Axle L.H. Part No. E1ADKN-3106.
(2) Dave...Where you are looking at the word 'EnFo' is part of the axle extension, not part of the Stub Axle.
(3) Frank...Yes, you are correct, the arms are bent on both sides. Not like the E27N which are straight. These are bent to give clearance for the Tie Rod.
(4) Brian & Henk... Yes, the Stub Axle is slightly taller on the top. I have about 8 like that, all fitted to E27N's.
(5) There must have been some slight difference in the Stub Axles between the E27N and E1A, otherwise they would have carried the E27N Part No.
Timo, is there any chance your axle could be bent?
Is it possible that one of your stub axles is an E27N part. I was lead to believe that E27N and E1A major front axle parts were interchangeable but Barry has made me think twice, the number on the end is the same for the left and right hand axles but the prefix is different. As Barry says the part number is cast into the axle on a genuine part. An E27N part will have E27N at the start of the number.
My worst fears in regards to some parts I bought for one of my E27Ns has come true, the replacement stub axle and steering arm are both wrong. The axle is an Ebro part and the steering arm has a bend making it an E1A Major part. Way too late to return them now, but now I need to find some E27N parts to replace them. At least it is only one side and I have a good few years before I will get to that tractor's restoration. Just for everybodies information the Ebro part I have has a flat top and has the groove for the clamping bolt machined about 10mm higher. The over all length is the same as my E27N axle and the splines continue down far enough to fit the steering arm at the right level.
Regards, Frank.
P.S. Maybe a bit of toe in will help with handling at high speed. Does anybody want to hot up an E27N? I have the steering parts you might need.
Real tractors don't need tin work to be beautiful.
Now that I'm home again I was able to take some more pictures.
Here's the "new" left hand side stub axle that is currently installed. The one that is supposedly wrong.
Here's the original left hand side stub axle that was replaced. The new axle is clearly different.
And here's the original right hand side stub axle. Note that this is similar to the original left hand side stub axle. They are a matching pair as was expected since they are original as far as I now.
What is interesting is the part numbers. They are all "E27N 3107 D". The only difference seems to be the other number in the original axles which looks like "9452 W" on the left side and "9452 V" on the right hand side.
There are two sets of numbers for the front axles RH E1ADKN3105 or E1ADKN3107 and LH E1ADKN3106 or E1ADKN3108. I don't know what the difference is between the 3105 and 3107 and the 3106 and 3108 but I do know that the LH has to be an even number and the RH has to be an odd number. It looks to me that you have three right hand axles. As for why all your axles have E27N prefixes I don't know, maybe there was a change made later in the history of the New Major that caused the number change which superseded the E27N parts.
Regards, Frank.
Real tractors don't need tin work to be beautiful.
Stub Axles E27N 3105/3106 were used until approx. December 1955 (Engine No. 1369225). They were then given the E1ADKN prefix because a change had been made to the manufacture. The change was - Splines were increased in diameter by .005 inches. In order to improve the fit between the Steering Arm and the Stub Axle.
Commencing with Engine No. 1510131 (May 1959) another change was made to the Stub Axles. From this time Part No. E1ADKN 3105/3106 are induction hardened to minimize breakage during Industrial use. In addition the slot for the Steering Arm Retaining Bolt was widened. This improved Stub Axle retained the same Part No. and can be identified by a dab of white paint on the unmachined portion and the letter 'H' stamped on top of the splined journal.
All through this thread I've used the term Stub Axle, whereas Ford called them Spindles. Maybe if everybody called parts by the correct Ford terms it would be less confusing as each country does have their own favourite terms for different parts.
Now Frank, where did you get the numbers E1ADKN 3107/3108 from. I can't find it in any of my information.
(Very concise and factually correct.) 
Just for everybodies information the Ebro part I have has a flat top and has the groove for the clamping bolt machined about 10mm higher. The over all length is the same as my E27N axle and the splines continue down far enough to fit the steering arm at the right level.
