Hi - Looking for some help and info please- re major project

super6954 · Post by **super6954** » Fri May 21, 2010 5:18 pm

Hi Mark
sounds like a load of bad news on the inter Should of just stuck with the old blue paint.

On the subject of your brakes I think i would stick with the fordson brakes as if you modify them and there is an acident on the road the whole world will fall in on you. They are not approved for use with the tractor. these tractors have been around for a while and as long as the components are good and the tractor is used sensibly i would say you should have no problems with the originals. 60 pounds is not out the way for the cables they used to be 100 plus each! and I think it would cost more than 60 pounds in parts and time to do your conversion.
your tractor is already fitted with a hand brake it is the lever that is behind the belt pulley drive if it works it will lock the transmission solid and the tractor will not move.
The other thing is that if you do decide to go ahead and do the brake conversion is that you will need idependant brakes.
they will help you with steering in muddy conditions with a load on the tractor. The front end may not steer and you can assist it with the left or right brake to point it in the right direction.
Also that tractor has no differential lock so if one wheel starts to spin you loose drive some times you can use the independant brake to slow the spining wheel and get traction back it worked for me once or twice.
have fun catch ya later.
Regards Robert

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Sun May 23, 2010 7:32 pm

does anyone know if i can obtain an inlet manifold for one which has a air filter sticking out the top of the bonnet like on the 590e engines??? i dont think im going to be able to fit this air filter and battery together in the same space.

Would an intake manifold of a 590e fit straight on? or does anyone know of anywhere in the uk where i can buy another from?

Thanks Mark

super6954 · Post by **super6954** » Tue May 25, 2010 10:05 pm

Hi Mark
I have the manifold that you need on a county 954 that is a 330 from the 2700 range. my 6d also has the same on it. it has to come from a non turbo they are different again .
The only thing is with those manifolds seems to be the inlet in the middle sticks up pretty high and there is not much clearance to get the major style hose on . It catches under the hood on my 6cyl power major.
I believe that the manifolds from 6d with mechanical govener fuel pump. 330 360 and 365 cu in will all fit the same engine.
i think the 380 had bigger ports on the heads so that one wont fit. try that guy that had those rotted out motors in an earlyer post on here or any truck breaker. It may also be worth trying some of the guys that wreck fordson/ ford tractors and conversions in the vintage or cl;assic tractor magazines that are U.K based.
the other thing could be to block off the end in yours tidily and get somebody to aluminium weld a suitable size pipe in the top centre of your old one then you could make the height right to fit the hose on .

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Sat May 29, 2010 10:58 am

UPDATE

We have rebuilt the engine on our international B250, that tractor appears to be ok now, by father is out using it as i type this.

My Major

I have fitted all new oil seals to both brake half shafts, i have the right hand side half shaft to refit now but for some reason as shown in the picture, the round metal ring next to the casting must of turned round slightly so the holes dont line up with the threaded holes in the casting behind it, if you understand me. I have tried tapping it around with a wooden block, but it seems like the bearing that you can see just inside the tractor is trying to turn aswell??? any ideas, as it does not appear to want to turn easily, i have even put two bolts in the holes then put a long pole against the bolts to try and turn the plate around but no joy.

I have purchased and fitted to new brake cables from sparex, i dont have the time at the minute to design and setup hydraulic servo assisted brakes. once i sort out the above problem with fitting halfshaft i can fit the new brakes, then put both back wheels on.

I have another grey ferguson t20 to work on next week, clutch plate is stuck so i have to split tractor and work on this so not sure how much time i will get on my major

Thanks Mark

Foxen · Post by **Foxen** » Sun May 30, 2010 8:28 am

It's most likely the shims between the diff bearing carrier(the metal plate you refer to) and the rear end housing that has turned, try prying the shims around using something without damaging them..

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:10 pm

UPDATE !

my good friend Matts Massey ferguson 65, 1 owner from new

back axles refitted, new brake cables/springs and brake linings refitted, just waiting for agriline to get the brake drum covers back in stock as one is rotted beyond repair

Sterring rod extended 290mm

two brackets fitted to add strength to side rails and reduce stress around bellhousing

piece off angle fitted over new siderail where a piece had to be taken out around timing cover to retain strength

by using the old throttle rod and the rod which used to operate the blinds on the radiator we have made a new longer throttle rod with a clevis head each end instead of a clipped on sprung one, we have had to turn the throttle lever on the injector pump the other way around and we have retained the threaded section so we can have some adjustment if needed

6mm thick angle which was supporting front of engine was bowing slightly because of weight, so this has been replaced with 8mm thick, i will monitor this

by using the two arms and footpedals off a Ferguson T20, we have created what i think to be a really good front axle support solution. the front axle is now sitting level and is supported correctly, it seems to have strengthened the whole tractor up, we lifted the front of the tractor in the air using the fork on a forktruck under the front casting, the whole setup now pivots beautifully with no fouling of steering rod,sump etc

Had a little run around the yard on the tractor a couple of hours ago, i thought with the extra weight of the engine the steering would be very heavy, im really suprised because it actually really light, i could turn the wheel with one finger even going at a slow speed.

Tomorrows jobs

Make a foot throttle and fit

not using the air filter i obtained, im locating a large twin filter air box where the battery was so i wont have to modify air intake manifold

create a battery tray, to put the battery on the side rail by the starter motor

all wiring and dials

The ferguson t20 with the sticking clutch , after splitting the tractor yesterday, all now is ok.

i went out on our international b250 the other day with toby the golden labrador to meet the forestry man, having done alot of mechanical work on the tractor the last two weeks it now appears to be ok

Thanks Mark

super6954 · Post by **super6954** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 5:04 am

Hi Mark
Thanks for the update. I might of said some stuff in previouse posts that annoyed you whilst doing this conversion. sorry if that is the case.
This is turning out to be one of the best conversions that I have seen in a long while. I wish I had the money to fly you over to Canada to work on both my 6 cyl Majors.
I have the skills you do but not the time or money at the moment with starting my own business.
Keep up the great work and I am looking forward to reading my emails and seeing there are more updates on this Tractor and seeing it finished, (with the video link to youtube of the maiden voyage!).
Regards Robert

Gubbels · Post by **Gubbels** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:38 am

Hi mark,

Nice work again, it is looking great.
I am also busy on the front axle support on my 6 cylinder major. Have you got closer pics of the how you mounted the T-20 steering rods to the "U-frame". I see you don't have one single turning point underneath the oil pan.
I am curious how it turns with two mounting points.

Thanks,

Arno

Pascal · Post by **Pascal** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:12 pm

Hi Mark,

You're doing a great job!

I am looking forward to a flick of your 6 cylinder.

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:22 pm

Hi

Thankyou all for the good comments, by people posting on here, it spurs me on to progress with this project, no one on here has offended or annoyed me, everyone has been very helpful and encouraging.

Im uploading a new video onto youtube as i type this, so look back shortly to see it on here.

I have used a cooper, twin, dry air filter. It has a very good coarse and fine filter which is more than sufficient for the size of this engine. It didnt want to mount it externally as i thought these look ugly, i have mounted the battery externally just on the side rail, i will eventually have a metal box cover over the battery, painted blue,probably with a major disel badge on it. I think the battery fitted there looks better than a monster air filter sitting outside. I have a good friend who is a plastic fabricator, so instead of having the black plastic air infeed sitting up in the air, im going to design something nice and get him to fabricate it for me.

The exhaust pipe shown in the video is the old one off my 4 cylinder engine, on this new engine it is actually not allowing the gases to escape quickly enough and holding back the engine, i have tried a short length of 50mm outside diameter stainless steel tubing, aswell as making the tractor sound so so much better, because there is no restriction the engine runs better, so i need a 1000mm length of this.

The purpose of the a frame is to support the font axle and to hold it level so that it can obviously pivot properly from side to side, now when extending the a frame if you are going to use a trunion pin this pin needs to be inline and exactly at the same height as the trunion pin through the front axle, if it is not your going to end up with the front axle leaning backwards or forwards and it is going to wear out the trunion pin in next to no time and if going over bumpy ground i will not pivot corectly and you will end up damaging something.

Now because of the shape off the sump on this engine, it still sits quite low even near the bellhousing, it is not possible without alot of serious work to get a trunion pin there high enough so it sits at the same height as the trunion pin through the front axle.

so we have to improvise

the way my two fergie steering rods work is that i have retained the ball on the end of them and i have used two fergie foot pegs which i have cut the foot peg part off and just retained the socket part, so now the ball and socket part work in harmony together because there is movement there when the front axle pivots. works really well actually.

started doing the wiring, the three new universal guages i have bought are all too big for the holes in the dash panel, so tomorrow i open them up slightly.

I have not been on a proper run yet, but i went up and down the yard, the torque is immense and with a blip of the throttle the speed is scary fast.

Thanks Mark

super6954 · Post by **super6954** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:10 am

Hi Mark
glad to hear nobody has offended you she's getting there now. I just looked at the video on you tube she looks good and sounds like she has power. Im not sure it could be something else the camera is picking up on the tractor. she has quite a tick that sounds like its on the motor at idle does it need the valve clearances re checking?.
The other constructive comment is when are you going to put the over sized tyres on her as that powers got to get to the ground some how.
Regards Robert

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 8:26 am

The new video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcYOB-E_0yw

Engine is hunting slightly on tickover, and the exhaust pipe is not doing the engine any favours.

I have not yet checked valve clearances but i think the ticking you can hear is the right hand side mdguard vibrating.

Im interested to hear your thoughts when you have watched the video.

Mark

Gubbels · Post by **Gubbels** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 11:58 am

I just saw the video. Now I just want to hear my own one running. It's looking good.

Last night I've got my hands one some Dexta pivot bars (right word?), with linkage to make a similar pivot turning point as you created. My first solution with one turning point just under the oil pan looked too fragile too myself. This is a nice and good solution.

What do you need to do on the tractor, the hood and electrics or more?

anyway it's looking good.

regards,

Arno

super6954 · Post by **super6954** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:26 pm

Hi Mark
I just looked and listened to the video again it sounds like it's the valves to me as when you walk to the back of the tractor near the mudgaurds the noise goes quieter.
when you check the valves make sure the pads on the ends of the rocker arms are true. these ford/fordson motors are a bugger for wearing an indent in the area where the stem top hits the rocker arm. Ie you can put a 12 thou gauge in and set the clearance but it is nearer to 15 thou beacause of the wear. The gauge sits on the un worn part of the rocker arm if that makes sense .
Hope that may help you.
Regards Robert

Pascal · Post by **Pascal** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 6:14 pm

Hi Mark,

Great video! Like Arno, I just want to hear my own 6 cylinder run now.

Unfortunately that take a few weeks.

Enjoy your 6!

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 11:58 am

UPDATE

A few more pictures

Wiring all complete - turn the ignition key, ignition light comes on,press the old horn button which is now the engine start button,engine roars into life, a few revs and the ignition light goes off telling me that the alternator is charging the battery. Ignition light comes back on when i stop the tractor so it reminds me to turn off ignition so i dont flatten the battery

Oil pressure gauge is indicating 40 psi when oil and engine are warm, considering i have not yet changed the old dirty oil or the old filter i dont think this is too bad.

Ammeter working fine, was showing a 30 amp charge to the battery initially has i have been starting the tractor alot with no charge going back to the battery. now charging around 3-4 amps

Long universal engine stop cable is working ok, but im going to fit a small return spring to help it pull the inner cable back through the plastic sheath

Ive got issues with the new water temp probe and gauge i have fitted, the engine came with a digital probe in the water housing, i have fitted my new one but because this probe has a shoulder water is spraying out through the center of it when the engine is running, so i think i will refit the digital probe and buy a new digital gauge then wire that in.

I would love to jump on the tractor and just use it but unfortunantly there is still a number of costly jobs that i need to do before i can use it safely and properly.

The tractor for some time wont be the prettiest to look at,but i want to it to be mechanically 110 %

both front tyres are knackered, they have lots of splits in them and are perished badly,there is a hole on the inside of one of them aswell.

The whole of the front axle and steering needs overhauling, it needs new stubaxles,bearings etc

so tomorrow im going to order all the new parts from agriline, i cant see on their website though the ends for the steering rod between the front wheels as these are very worn and there is lots of play in them.

Im going to convert to steel wheels so i need

2 x hubs to convert to steel wheels
2 x stubaxles
2 x track rod ends
2 x wheels
2 x 6 x 16 tyres??
2 x ends for drag links
seals
bushes etc

these parts are not going to be cheap but i want the tractor right, i dont want to be going down the lane pulling a trailer and a tyre going bang or the wheels wobbling everywhere due to lots of play

Thanks Mark

I just wanted to put this picture up - It is a picture that i took of one of our fergie 20's, it reminds me of a very enjoyable and hardworking day with my dad a couple of years ago,sawing up and carting that big tree ash in the background, it was 5ft across at its widest point, we had many tonne of very good firewood from it.

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 6:33 am

me again

I tried to order an extended bonnet yesterday, no answer on the telephone, so i try again today. I think the bonnet comes just as the two metal pieces, ive got to obtain a new longer hinge and just transfer the handles/catches off my old bonnet. Will hopefully save time and look prettier than welding two bonnets together.

Yesterday i have been spending

and ordered many new parts

stubaxles,seals,bushes,bearings,ball joint ends for draglinks,hubs for steel wheels,wheel studs and nuts,clutch pedal return spring,hyrdaulic and engine oil filters

On the subject of new stubaxles, Agriline can sell them to me but no one there seems to know what size and offset wheel i need. I was hoping to be able to buy the wheels from agriline aswell, so what im asking is, has anyone bought these new hubs to convert to steel wheels, and can tell me what wheels i may need?? I hoping im just standard 6x16 wheels like on a dexta or mf 35

Got a question about fitting the nosecone, i cant remember how mine was fastened down, i can see the 4 threads in the front casting are rusty and i dont have any bolts leftover small enough so i dont think it fastened there, i can see the two larger fixing holes in the bottom of the nosecone at each end but cant see how they fastened down, unless there is two larger holes in the front casting that i cannot see because my new siderails are covering them and i havnt drilled the holes out, i guess that is the case, but can anyone confirm?? thanks. Also does anyone know what thread size the 4 holes are in the casting for fixing down the bonnet?? i may need to buy a tap that size to clean up the rusty threads.

Kiwi Kev · Post by **Kiwi Kev** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:22 am

Mark
The front cowl is held in place by 6x bolts.
see photo

The arrows point to the bolt holes. From memory, they are 1/4 inch.
The 2x back holes are drilled through the side rails and screw into the headstock.
Kiwi Kev

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:37 pm

Thanks you for that Kev, are we talking unf / unc ?? im not near the tractor and cant remember what the threads look like without seeing them

Yeah my front 4 threaded holes are rusty and havnt been used for some considerbalr time so i want to clean the threads up with a tap before i try and fit new bolts in them

My two back holes must been hidden under my new side rails. i have obviously forgot to drill the holes out, but i will drill them out when i remove the front axle and casting, when i overhaul the steering and front axle

Im just thinking though.......... i dont remember seeing two holes on my old side rails for fixing the nosecone through. Strange..... will have to look when im next with tractor.

ps My fiance tells me all my parts have just been delivered.

Kiwi Kev · Post by **Kiwi Kev** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:17 pm

Mark
Yeah, 1/4 inch unc.

That does not sound good when the fiance says "happily" that the tractor parts are here.

could get expensive

Kiwi Kev

henk · Post by **henk** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:21 pm

All thread on the Fordsons are UNC or UNF. American thread.
The cheapest bolts and nuts I found were at the NH dealers.

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:38 am

Tyre choices

Do i go for 6x16, not sure if they will be too small, or 7.5x16, like on our david brown 880

im not sure even what size the original ones are, as i dont think i have even looked yet

super6954 · Post by **super6954** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:41 pm

Hi Mark
I would go with the 7.50x16 one of my supers has the 6.00x 16 on and she sits down on the front quite a lot. with that 6 fitted you need to bulk her up a bit!
The larger front tyre will aso be better if you ever decide to put 16.9 or 18.4 x 30 " tyres on the Back. I have 18.4 x30 on my 6 power major and it looks cool . I just checked my sales leaflets and the 7.50 x16 was the standard tyre for a major with steel rims on front I belive some late supers did have a 19'' steel rim to but they are not that common.
Regards Robert

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 7:54 pm

Hi

I agree with you about tyre sizes Robert. I had 10 mins on the tractor today, im not sure if they are all the same but my 4 threads in the casting for the radiator fixings are 5/16 unc not 1/4 unc, i have cleaned out the threads so can fix my nosecone on when i next get chance. I had a quick look at the new hubs Agriline have sent me, i put one against the 16" wheels on the front of my massey ferguson 35, and the 6 studs on both line up, so these hubs just take the generic 16" wheel as found on mf 35, dexta etc. This makes things easy, my current tyres on my major on the cast wheels are 6x19. So i plan to go for new 7.5x16 tyres, this should give me a very similiar overall height as the cast wheel and tyre, the 7.5 x 16 tyre will hopefully be ideal as this will be a thicker and stronger tyre and will help with the extra front end weight because of the engine.

I forgot to mention in earlier posts that the transmission oil level was low, its milky anyway so i just wanted to top it up to move tractor about, i will shortly drop the oil and replace with new, but i overfilled it slightly as it came out over the part where you fill. i noticed then when the tractor was running and i was moving it about that it was dropping some milky oil on the floor, it was dripping through the part where the engine and backend meet, so i know it was the transmission oil and not engine oil. it seemed to stop then so i dont know if the transmission oil seal had gone, which means i will have to split the tractor in half again, or is it possible that i was just the overfilled oil which was leaking out??

Im desperate to get fitting all these new parts, but im out of the country on saturday so it will have to wait untill i return

Tried ringing for extended bonnet again, but no answer

And Robert, lets see some pictures of your majors

Going by the limited information i can find online, im 99% sure that my 6 cylinder is the Ford 2713E industrial engine 5950cc 363 cu in.

Would really like to find and read so more info on these engines, dont mind paying, is there any info out there? because searching om google does not return much

fergusont20 · Post by **fergusont20** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 2:54 am

Ploughs :

I will eventually like to buy a suitable plough to use with my major, we have a couple of fergie 2 furrow ploughs, but obviously i would like to pull something bigger. what do people recommend ? i would say 3-4 furrows and with no draft control i will really need a land wheel.

Whats your thoughts???

Thanks Mark