# Mower Trouble



## rdean (Sep 10, 2016)

I have about 4 acres of grass to mow each week during the summer rainy time so when the tractor decided to stop moving it was a problem.  I have a 1951 Allis Chalmers WD and a belly mower that I have used for over 20 years.  Cuts over 8 feet at a pass.
Pulled it up on the cement to see what was wrong.



This is what I found.  The hand clutch collar decided to disintegrate and leave the area. 


And it is supposed to go here.



No parts are available new and a used search didn't bring up anything either.  Because of the way it's made the tractor has to be split apart even if I could have found one to replace it.  I did not want to do that and only have a week to get this working again.  I don't have a piece of brass to make one out of but I did have a piece of steel plate.  I figured if the brass one lasted for 65 years then one made of steel should last as long as I am around.



Put it in the 4 jaw and bored the center to size then I used a 3/16 HSS bit to bore out the inside slot.  The bit was sharpened square on the end and worked like a cutoff blade in reverse.



This was the result.



My part does not include the round ears that ride in the shift fork.  I plan on drilling and taping holes in these locations so I can screw in bolts for pivots.  This modification should allow me to install the new part without splitting the tractor.

More later thanks for looking.
Ray


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## Ed ke6bnl (Sep 10, 2016)

let us know how it goes, I wouldn't look forward to doing that install of splitting the cases.


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## dieselshadow (Sep 10, 2016)

Splitting a tractor isn't all that bad. They were designed to do so. I've done a handful. 







I don't want to be "that guy", but isn't replacing a brass part that was designed to wear before the steel ones with a new fabricated steel one asking to wear the more expensive and harder to replace steel part it interferes with in the tractor?


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## rdean (Sep 10, 2016)

Well at my age I really don't want to get into it that deep besides not having the right equipment and making the stands.
I did think about the wear issue but by the time it becomes an issue the clutch would probably need to be replaced anyway.  I did find one clutch rivet in the bottom of the case so maybe not too long.

In 1953 they started making them from cast iron.  The entire section runs in 85 /140 and only rubs when releasing or applying the clutch.   

Thanks diesel and you are not being "that guy"

Ray


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## Joe_B (Sep 10, 2016)

You dont need a lot of fancy stuff to split a tractor. I did mine solo with an engine hoist (cherry picker) and a bunch of wooden blocks to hold it up. Was a piece of cake. I would definitely invest in some brass for that, steel is gonna wear out some expensive parts. Also while you're in there replace the clutch, it only takes a couple of minutes.


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## barnett (Sep 10, 2016)

+1 on not splitting the tractor, I've done a couple and its really not that bad, but if i could have fixed it without splitting it I would have You're going to have to fab your part anyway.


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## rdean (Sep 11, 2016)

Milling the spider.



And after a little cleanup , drilling some holes and cut in half it looks like it will work.



So here it is installed.



I tested it out on some mowing I had left over and all is well.
The hand clutch works very smoothly, no unusual noises or vibrations.
I call it fixed!

Thanks for looking

Ray


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## David S (Sep 11, 2016)

Love it Ray...you got to do what you gotta do.  In another 50 years you can make a brass or bronze one.  

David


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## FLguy (Sep 11, 2016)

I like your fix ! You saved yourself a lot of frustration in trying to find that part. A lot of times I'll make the part instead of looking and like my last  one, several days of looking cause I just knew one had to be available...Nope nothing and way behind on that project. Lesson learned.


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## 4GSR (Sep 12, 2016)

I would put some large oil holes all the round the OD of the spider so it gets lots of lubrication.  The moment lubrication stops, it will start to gauld and eventually seigh up.  If you still want to make one from brass, I have a slug of 360 brass on hand that may fit the bill.  Bearing bronze would be better, but don't have any this big.  Ken

BTW: Nice job you did on the spider yoke!


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## rdean (Sep 12, 2016)

Thank you for your offer but I don't think it will be a problem.  The bottom half of the yoke is immersed in 90 weight oil when stopped and the clutch housing throws the oil everywhere when it is running.  The slot in the yolk is 0.125 wider than the land and the center hole is 0.200 larger then the small diameter of the collar.  The yolk does not ride on the collar except for releasing or applying the hand clutch as the forks hold the yolk up centering it away from the shaft in both up and down and left and right directions.    
Thanks 
Ray


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## orphan auto (Sep 19, 2016)

rdean said:


> Thank you for your offer but I don't think it will be a problem.  The bottom half of the yoke is immersed in 90 weight oil when stopped and the clutch housing throws the oil everywhere when it is running.  The slot in the yolk is 0.125 wider than the land and the center hole is 0.200 larger then the small diameter of the collar.  The yolk does not ride on the collar except for releasing or applying the hand clutch as the forks hold the yolk up centering it away from the shaft in both up and down and left and right directions.
> Thanks
> Ray


Have you thought about trying to babitt (sp)that piece?or making some sort of insert bushing? should be fairly easy


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## barnett (Sep 19, 2016)

Nice fix and you didn't have to  split it !!!


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