Hello all, for the past year I've been working on the restoration of my Super Major- evenings weekends and basically when I felt like doing it! I didn't set myself a deadline to get it done by and there are still a few jobs to complete yet- don't think it will ever be "completely" finished. Are they ever?
Anyway, thanks to everyone one the forum. I haven't posted much but have read a lot and picked up loads along the way and had help from family and freinds along the way as well
It's my first restoration so has been a bit of a learning curve- here's a few photo's of it undergoing it's resto, sorry if they're not too clear first time posting photos:
Hi Dave, Thanks Yes have changed the pre cleaner to the squarer version this and put a new exhaust on too....
It's sprung a few oil leaks I assume from where it's been stood around for so long so hopefully use should sort this out with haymaking season fast approaching!
Great Job Andy! You got yourself a nice looking tractor, and we are all jealous of your shop facilities!
Seeing the pic you posted tapping out the bolt holes in the tombstone got me thinking about a trick my uncle taught me years ago on broken exhaust manifold bolts that works equally well on the broken bolts in the tombstones.
Get a nut a few sizes larger than the broken bolt, for a 3/8” bolt I like to use a 5/8 or ½” nut, place the nut over the broken bolt and weld the two together from the top. Don’t be afraid to lay the weld in there and get the whole thing good and hot, this is half the trick to get the rusted bolt out, just don’t get it penetrating into the cast. Now grab a wrench and start rocking the bolt back and forth a little at a time, you have to do this rather gingerly or you’ll just twist the top of the bolt off. You can feel when the bolt starts to crack loose, don’t get to carried away just keep on working it back and forth and you will be able to get it a little more each turn. As it cools down you can add some penetrating oil to help it along. This takes a little practice to get the feel of knowing how much you can crank on it before it twists the bolt off, but don’t get to upset when you do, just weld on another nut and have another go at it. Sometimes it will take several tries, just remember to get the weld started on the bolt and not into the casting, then fill the nut up with weld getting everything good and hot. This method has never failed me even if the bolt is broken off flush.