New to Wheel Horses with a lawn ranger question

[dlpaw 3]

Hello,

I just took apart the front two piece rims on our '63 lawn ranger, and in between the two rim halves was the remains of a gasket that did not fare so well over the years. It must have failed years ago, because there was axle grease in the inner tube area.

When I reassemble these rim halves, should I make a new paper gasket to use, or do most of you folks just use a type of gasket sealant instead? I had thoughts of using permetex #2, since it is non hardening and stays pliable without shearing like RTV type sealants.

I'd appreciate hearing about how you folks seal these two piece rims.

I brought this little tractor to redo with my son, as something for him to learn with. He was quite excited when he saw it in the garage for the first time after school!

Thanks for all the help so far folks!

[buckeye 5]

I made new gaskets for mine. I thought about using silicone, but was worried that it might plug the grease zirk. Also have to consider how hard it would be to get them apart in the future, since you basically would be "glueing" them together

[pfrederi 19,299]

I would also make my own. Not hard to do. If you don't have any gasket material on hand a manila folder makes a decent stand in. Lay a piece of material over the wheel and tap away with a hammer to outline the wheel and the bolt holes then cut away...(an exctoknife is a good tool for the bolt holes or multiple punches with an ordinary paper punch)

[littleredrider 409]

Put bearing in it. Don't have to worry about it or ad any grease.

[Kelly 1,035]

I put sealed bearings in mine, and did need a gasket.

[sorekiwi 761]

Like Kelly I put in sealed bearings so I wouldnt have to grease them.

I did make gaskets too, there is a little raised nub on one side that locates in a hole in the other piece. On my wheels I needed the gasket to stop the nub bottoming out on the edges of the hole.

I used no sealer at all.

[dlpaw 3]

Thanks folks, I'll make some gaskets for them then. I'll check into bearings for it, but I may take the cheaper way out and keep the bushings in it for now. Does anyone one recall the bearing numbers needed for these? I am assuming they would be flanged bearings? Thanks a bunch!

Daniel

[sorekiwi 761]

Mine had ball bearings already in it, not the bushings. I replaced them with sealed bearings.

This thread has the cheapest price I've seen:

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?...2098&hl=bearing