The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

hi

i just bought a fordson major and have few questions

-schould i refit de engine with new bearings, the motor still runs great but can i wait untill it stops running.

-i heard the breakes and fireplate are made of asbestos. some people tell me i should let it remove by a special company because one fibre can kill you. and others thell me its safe if i wear gloves and a dust mask. on the internet i read that asbestos can stick on clothes and contaminate others
what should i do?

It is only the dust of it that is a problem. I painted the firewall to cover the asbestos and I have changed carefylly the brakediscs and cleaned the dust with water instead of compressed air. New brake material is not asbestos.

In answer to your question about the bearings I would ask, how old you are? Because if you are going to wait until the engine stops running you may be very old when that happens.

If your tractor is running, with no major oil leaks, smoke or starting problems, do nothing and enjoy it.

If you want to restore it and paint it up like new with cost being no restraint, then strip it down and rebuild it.

But remember, your Major is a tool to work with and like all tools, if you do not use it, it will deteriorate no matter how nice it looks. (IMHO).

I agree with Brian and Grani. Welcome aboard, Dandy Dave!

Was it asbestos in the breakes and fireplate on all the majors? included the Super and NP Super?

Kjetil

Yes.

The cluch disk linings also are made of asbestos. Also, some gaskets are lined with asbestos especially exhaust and manifold where the heat is great. Don't remove them with anything that turns then to dust. Just scrape them carefully. When ever I work on brakes or clutches, on any make, I use a high pressure washer and wash the dust away. Dandy Dave!

Hi, benji, and welcome. It's always a good idea to take sensible precautions as outlined above. Sound advice. But be careful of scaremongers.

You have more chance of becoming pregnant by a blue whale than being killed by a single fibre of asbestos IMVHO!

you can never be to careful with asbestos. keep everything wet. a pump spray bottle filled with water and a bit of pva glue is best. when the water dries the pva is still sticking the dust down.

has anyone found a sutable replacment for the engine heat shield?

Just wonder sometimes how I have managed to stay alive!

We cleaned everything down with an airline when doing brakes and clutches, no one told us about asbestos.

If you don't cut or drill it and wash the clutch housing and brake parts, you have no problems. Keeping the firewall painted seals the problems.