Right axle housing cracked where the backhoe U-bolt attaches. I've had this tractor for over 25 years and of course now that I'm thinking of selling it this happens. Thoughts on welding it? Other option is to replace the axle housing, huge pain in the butt, or selling it as is and taking the loss. Tractor runs fine and everything works, what do you think a 9N with loader and backhoe is worth with the broken axle tube vs fixed?
Cracked 9N axle housing
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Put your self in the buyers shoes, if you see a weld red flags are going to start jumping up. If you are going to sell it my advice would be to replace the housing. If you want to keep it use a rod that has a little nickle in it (for cast steel) and cross your fingers. I have had good luck welding cast steel with a mig and .035 mild steel wire.
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Although I think that a good welder could take care of it, there are a lot of Ns out there that are available cheap with blown engines and such ...from which you could salvage the part..and have more parts left over...i am not sure if the later Ns will fit it...but I see 9s on CL and facebook marketplace all the time..here is one in Ct
https://nwct.craigslist.org/grd/d/woodbury-ford-9n/6860223158.html
https://nwct.craigslist.org/grd/d/woodbury-ford-9n/6860223158.html
I can get a replacement housing for around $150 delivered, the issue is the work involved in replacing it. Backhoe has to come off, at least enough to move the tractor about 3 inches away from it, have to unbolt the loader from the axle as well, though I think I can just jack that up half an inch and leave it in place. Then strip everything out of the old axle tube and set it up in the new one.
Just wondering what the unit is worth as is if someone else wanted to buy it and fix it, compared to what I'd get after I replaced the housing.
Just wondering what the unit is worth as is if someone else wanted to buy it and fix it, compared to what I'd get after I replaced the housing.
I wouldn't either, now, but in my younger years when I had more time than money I would certainly have given more than scrap value to get a working loader and backhoe that needed some work. Heck when I bought this 25 or so years ago I had to put the backhoe together and mount it and the loader on the tractor, which I bought separately.
This is kind of a sign of overloading the machine. I know it is done, we all have done things with a machine which is way over normal capacity. It is also an indication of how tough these little Ns are. How many other machines at 75 years old would be alive after the abuse many have seen.
I work my 8N, but try to respect its age.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I work my 8N, but try to respect its age.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm fairly sure there was either a flaw in the casting or damage to it at some point in it's life. There is a "dent" in the casting where the crack is, but not where the U-bolt touched it, and it had been painted over. That said, this backhoe unit was originally designed for an 8N which probably has heavier walled axle tubes. I know they upgraded the 2N tube thickness twice in it's production, so this early 9N probably had the thinnest tube wall of them all.
Sure Seal removal method I saw on youtube, use a ratchet strap and sheet metal screws to pull the seal out. Didn't work on it's own, had to also hit the side of the seal with a screwdriver to help pop it loose while the strap tensioned it.
Attachments
What method is used to set the pre load on the differential bearings? The only adjustment available that I can figure is shimming the axle tube with gaskets, but how would you check the amount of pressure on the bearing? There was only a single gasket and no shims on the original. Should I assume the housings were machined to tight enough tolerances that using the same gasket thickness as original would be correct? The original gasket looks to be in perfect shape, I suppose I could reuse it, maybe with a thin coat of gasket sealer to be sure?
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