Removing lift arm from a 701

[rmaynard 14,897]

I've read several posts on the subject, and I was warned that trying to remove the lift arm from a 701 would try my patients, but I really didn't realize how true that was. I have struggled with stuck wheel hubs in the past, but this is quite the task. I have the roll pin removed, and I have been soaking the assembled pieces in PB Blaster, but as of yet, there is no movement. I don't want to mushroom the end of the shaft by beating it with a hammer, and I don't see any way to use a puller. The entire assembly and hood stand is off the tractor.

Any help from anyone who has removed one of these (without damage) would be appreciated. :thanks:

[Kelly 1,028]

HEAT lots of it, and a air hammer with a blunt tip I've taken a few out that way with no bigg issues, but some I've had to heat a few times, and I mean red hot.

[dclarke 4,011]

Bob, I had to heat mine to get it out.... They can be a real pain, that's for sure.

[squonk 38,928]

Get yourself a good brass punch. If you have to wack it, The punch gets abused and not the part.

[sorekiwi 761]

Yup, what they all said!

On my 502 propane wasnt enough, needed oxy/acetylene and the center bit red hot. You need to be careful that all your beating doesnt distort the hoodstand too much.

Good luck!!.

[rmaynard 14,897]

Looks like I'm going to have to turn up the heat.

Thanks gentlemen!

[AMC RULES 36,945]

Wonder...would you document for us, what the process entails Bob?

[rmaynard 14,897]

Wonder...would you document for us, what the process entails Bob?

I have tried heating with propane, which is all that I have. Since it looks like I will have to take it somewhere to have access to acetylene I may not be able to document with pictures. I will do a follow-up though and let you know whether or not I was successful.

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,040]

Put it back together and keep it original- lol :teasing-neener:

[rmaynard 14,897]

Steve, you know me. I can't leave them alone. Now that it's apart, it's not going back together unless it looks like it just came off the showroom floor.

[AMC RULES 36,945]

I was just thinking...

if anyone could discover a way to make it easier for the rest of us to do, it would be you Bob.

[rmaynard 14,897]

Well, here it is almost 3 months since I began this task. The lift arm assembly has been soaking in PB Blaster the entire time. I finally got a day off and decided that I would not sleep until the lift are was removed. So, I got out my brass punch and began to punch. No movement. I visited a friend with a large vise and an acetylene torch. We clamped the lift in the vise and heated it until it glowed orange. I could then rotate the arm slightly, but it would not move to the side. Again we pounded on it with the brass punch until it was flush with the outside of the dash tower. At that point, we decided to get out the impact driver. That only succeeded in mushrooming the end of the shaft and keeping it from going through the lift portion. So we got out the grinder and ground off the mushroomed end, and continued to use the impact driver until the shaft had moved about 3/4" and stopped. At this point, all we were doing was concaving the end of the shaft inside the lift mechanism, causing it to further restrict movement. With the 3/4" gap now between the lift arm and the tower, we managed to fabricated a method of holding it on the 40 ton press. By golly, after about two hours total, we had it apart with minimal damage to the sheet metal.

That is a project that I don't wish on anyone. Considering how easy everything else has come apart on this 701, I was really surprised at the difficulty level this was.

[Martin 2,130]

sometimes its the smaller stuff that you spend the most time on. at least you finally got it apart. when you fight forever and still end up losing, resulting in cutting the shaft or whatever is the easiest part to replace thats when its hard to take,

steering wheels and lift arms seem to be right up there with the best of them as far as pain in the a## things to do sometimes..........

congrats on winning the battle, bob!!

[rmaynard 14,897]

Though I never plan to take it apart again after it is reassembled, I am going to liberally coat the shaft with never-seize. Who knows, 52 years from now, maybe my grandson or great-grandson might decide to take it apart again. He will thank me and say,

that was

[jay in nc 209]

i'm looking forward to seeing it as the featured tractor in june. your restorations are top shelf Bob.. Jay

[buckrancher 2,675]

Put it back together and keep it original- lol

yea originally rusted

[Butch 194]

Wonder...would you document for us, what the process entails Bob?

I have tried heating with propane, which is all that I have. Since it looks like I will have to take it somewhere to have access to acetylene I may not be able to document with pictures. I will do a follow-up though and let you know whether or not I was successful.

Go to Home Depot, Lowes or your Hardware store and get the yellow can. I think it may be acetelyn but I'm not sure. It's a whole lot better than that propane you're using. I don't even mess with the blue cans anymore.