[WI_Jeff]

About 3 months ago, I changed the clutch in my 8N. While I was in there, I decided to change the ring gear as the one on there was starting to wear and someone had already pulled the "turning" trick. Last week, the starter would just spin. Simple minds think simple things. I checked out the starter and it was fine. Replaced the bendix with the new style. It still just turned free. After a little more investigation, I noticed that the ring gear is turning on the flywheel. DARN! I did notice that when I put the new ring gear on that when it "fell" on, after heating it was very loose when it bottomed out.

I may try to weld it in the tractor. That is if I can get the ground directly onto the flywheel. I don't want to "weld" any of the bearings together by grounding to any where else. Anyone have any ideas, I'm always open.

 

[SonnyT]

Gotta be a better way than welding it on? IMO:trink40:

 

[WI_Jeff]

I'm open for suggestions.

 

[monteman_73]

I understand your concern for the bearings, but what I don't understand is if you have enough room to put a ring gear on, why wouldn't you have room for the ground cable for the welder?

 

[CADplans]

JB weld or Loctite gap sealer??

 

[Tencubed]

Never seen a ring gear welded on but don't see why it wouldn't work. Save tearing the tractor in half to replace the flywheel and ring gear again. If you just put some tack welds on it thru the starter mount hole you should be OK. I sure wouldn't get carried away with the welding and would tack one side, turn it 180 degrees, tack again and then turn 90 degrees. You get the idea. Four tacks about an inch long should do it.

Since the crank is bolted solid to the flywheel you should be able to ground the welder to the front of the crank and avoid any potential problems of arcing the bearing surfaces.

Worse case you end up pulling the flywheel again and grinding off the tack welds.

Just my opinion, never done it, hope I never have too.

Mike

 

[WI_Jeff]

"I understand your concern for the bearings, but what I don't understand is if you have enough room to put a ring gear on, why wouldn't you have room for the ground cable for the welder?"
I have the tractor together and plan on welding through the starter hole.

"Four tacks about an inch long should do it."
Plan on the 4 tacks at 90 degrees to each other. The ring gear has 134 teeth. So, first tack at 0, second at 67, third at 33 1/2 and the last at 100 1/2 ( or close to that anyway LOL)

 

[windowgoblin]

What about brazing or bronzing it on a few spots,won't hurt the bearings and easy to remove it you have too.

 

[JohnW]

There have MAY a ring gear tack welded, just be sure to ground to the flywheel some way and then tack it in 3 or 4 places. it won't take much to hold it. Try to get them equal distance.

 

[WI_Jeff]

DONE! :thThumbsUWelded through the starter hole. Four tacks about an inch long. Spaced at 33 and a half teeth apart. Grounded at the crank shaft. Needed a helper to hold the rig gear tight. Just used a pry-bar. WORKED GREAT. I though on this was that if the flywheel is messed up already, so, when a new ring gear is need the flywheel would have to be replaced anyway. It was fairly easy to do.

Thanks for all the input!:thanku:

 

[JohnW]

:thThumbsU even if you are the one to change it next time, the welds can be ground off and use the flywheel again.

 

[oldsarge]

Tell us who you bought the crappy ring gear from.

 

[WI_Jeff]

I got it from Steiner Tractor. When I did contact them, they said it was a "bad Fly Wheel".

 

[oldsarge]

Of course ,the flywheel has been bad for 60 years and the ring gear is a top of the line Chinese product!!:dunno:

 

[thenubsterman]

hey off topic but that is like the power steering pump i put on a tahoe the other day pulled the pulley off with the puller put the new pump on and went to put the pulley on the pump well it slid right on called the parts people and they treated me like i was dumb saying the pulley was too big, i said no when u measure the one shaft its 10 thou smaller then the pump i took off of it. then they proceeded to tell me i had to use their pulley, i guess they forgot i work on cars everyday of my life and their part was cra*. Basically chinese cra* sucks.

 

[Old Ford Lover]

Steiner Tractor huh? Recon I'll Stick with Yesterday's Tractor...So far I haven/t be bitten on my Parts from them !

 

[Kbeitz]

I was hoping I could tell you before you welded it to use a nickle rod.
I fixed many ring gears this way. The nickle wont crack from fatigue from the two different kinds of metal.

 

[WI_Jeff]

I used the wire feed with copper wire. Hope it holds. Didn't think of Ni rod. Got a few stuck away in the "welding fridge" too. Darn!

 

[shamrockjack]

I agree parts from china are not good what can be done about it ? If I still worked on the Ford Tractor I would still get my parts from a Ford Dealer I think you can get mnore done about bad parts there or you can in central IL .

 

[Tencubed]

I was hoping I could tell you before you welded it to use a nickle rod.
I fixed many ring gears this way. The nickle wont crack from fatigue from the two different kinds of metal.

Very good thought! Never thought about mentioning that.

Wonder if it would be advisable to go back and put nirod tacks between the ones he put in?

Mike