pacer 3,176 #1 Posted March 19, 2013 Has anybody come up with a means of repairing the spindle where it goes through the axle? My front axle is really sloppy. I have been able to repair the pivot point of the axle by welding 2 plates with nice tight 1" holes bored in them and a new pin from some stress proof I had laying around. And I can get the axle set up in the mill and bore the sloppy 1" spindle holes out and install bronze bushings - that shouldnt be a problem... but, how can I get the badly worn spindles back to being 1" top to bottom?? Chances of finding replacements would be slim, even if found likely would also be worn.... I'm sorta thinking maybe to figure a way to cut the worn section off and weld a new one back on?? anybody? other ideas? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
puddlejumper 67 #2 Posted March 19, 2013 Its not a perfect solution but I weld up the badly wore spots and use a hand held mill file and finish of with emery cloth. Sounds worse than it really is, doesnt take to long. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 42,771 #3 Posted March 19, 2013 Those spindles are really bad. I've taken off a lot of them that were much better than that. That looks extreme. a good used set should be easy to find. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kelly 1,031 #4 Posted March 19, 2013 are those GT14?? I have 2 parts ones they may have good spindles, send me a PM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,176 #5 Posted March 19, 2013 Doh! boy, I must've been asleep when I dont even tell what they're off of.... The - badly worn - spindles are off of a '65 1054 thats going thru a major re-work - that "unibody" frame is a pain in the rear! hah!, especially the rear of the tractor! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sorekiwi 761 #6 Posted March 20, 2013 I am always surprised that the steel spindles seem to wear more than the cast iron axle. If your axle is worn though, I think bronze bushes would be a good fix. For spindle repair I would think that probably its just as easy to build a new set. The 1054 ones are just 2 pieces of round bar, a couple of washers and a gusset. You obviously have access to machine tools to do the turning. If you made a simple fixture to hold everything in place for welding, and there may be some demand from other members that could justify your time., This thread shows how I repaired a frame that was badly worn around the bolster pin: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Whmaverick 54 #7 Posted March 20, 2013 Has anyone tried Teflon film wraped around the spindle and slid up into the axle? Might tighten slop and Teflon is slick, might steer easier. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,176 #8 Posted March 20, 2013 Mike, your repair of the 'bolster pin' (I was calling it a 'pivot pin') is very similar to what I did, except I made plates to 'scab' over the badly worn holes, and then made a new pin long enough to span the new width and welded a new hold down piece to it. It now snug enough that I have to tap it in. The spindles problem is stewing away in my brain, I usually let something like this 'stew' for a spell and hopefully a solution will surface. If I havent figured anything out by the weekend, I'll show them to my mentor/friend who is a genius machinist,. I have a well equipped machine shop, but dont have the experience he has, so between the 2 of us maybe we can come up with something. Figure this is a problem with several of the WH models and was hoping some one had hit on a solution. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sorekiwi 761 #9 Posted March 20, 2013 The common Wheelhorse front spindle is a length of 3/4" bar with a bend in it, and then a steering arm welded on. There was a member a while ago that made some reproductions of the roundhood version (without the steering arm). Last I checked the common front spindle was about $65 from Toro which I dont think is horribly unreasonable. The spindles in my 1054 were a little worn, but not as bad as yours. I stumbled across a pair of NOS ones at DavesTractorWorld on Evilbay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WH854 44 #10 Posted March 20, 2013 Has anybody come up with a means of repairing the spindle where it goes through the axle? My front axle is really sloppy. I have been able to repair the pivot point of the axle by welding 2 plates with nice tight 1" holes bored in them and a new pin from some stress proof I had laying around. And I can get the axle set up in the mill and bore the sloppy 1" spindle holes out and install bronze bushings - that shouldnt be a problem... but, how can I get the badly worn spindles back to being 1" top to bottom?? Chances of finding replacements would be slim, even if found likely would also be worn.... I'm sorta thinking maybe to figure a way to cut the worn section off and weld a new one back on?? anybody? other ideas? Are those spindles 1" ? they don't look like 1" in the picture Chas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,176 #11 Posted March 20, 2013 Yes, they are 1" - as was the Bolster pin... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WH854 44 #12 Posted March 20, 2013 Yes, they are 1" - as was the Bolster pin... Boy you will be able to put a FEL on this Tractor Chas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,176 #13 Posted March 20, 2013 Correction, Correction ---- The 1054 spindles are 7/8" - .0875, the bolster pin was 1" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
big mike 13 #14 Posted March 20, 2013 Pacer, here is what I came up with, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dbartlett1958 96 #15 Posted March 20, 2013 Very Clever there Mike! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,176 #16 Posted March 20, 2013 Mike, were you making up a new spindle there? Did it have an angle (kinda looks like in the pic that it doesnt) That 10° angle between spindle and axle is what gives me problems in mounting in the chuck. I have been out in the shop this morning fooling around with different methods of getting it in the lathe and trued up. The 4 jaw is probably doable if I could have the patience!! But.... a jig something like you show is worth looking into, I'll fool around with that this afternoon - right now I gotta go do some 'honey-dos' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SousaKerry 502 #17 Posted March 20, 2013 I used to work in the hydraulic hose fitting industry machining 90° and 45° forged fittings in the lathe. We would take the forgings and put them into a soup can of melted low temperature lead alloy so that the end that needed turning was sticking out roughly in the center. Allow the lead to cool and solidify then cut off the can. Chuck up on the protruding end of the part and turn the lead concentric. Then you cut the whole thing in half on a band saw, remove the original part and you have an instant fixture. I tried unsuccessfully one time to sleeve the spindle to 7/8" then machine some custom sized bronze bushings. I didn't get the tolerances right and did not have enough clearance, so it didn't work very well. But I think I could have made it work if I did it again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
big mike 13 #18 Posted March 20, 2013 Pacer,I started with a piece of round stock and a piece of 1/4 x 2 flat stock.I bored the hole for the round,slipped in in a welded it.Then from the same flat stock I bored two "tabs" to fit the spindle.I center drilled the sprindles in the mill.I slipped the tabs onto the spindle,put the live center in the center drilled hole and used the tail stock to hold the whole works in place.I tacked the sides of the tabs,checked it for run out and then welded the tabs in place.It's not perfect but it works good enough for a house of its type. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
buckrancher 2,694 #19 Posted March 21, 2013 you can easily build these spindles with a lathe and bridgeport mill and welder Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,176 #20 Posted March 22, 2013 Well I took the K I S S route (keep it simple stupid) repairing the spindles. I I just filled the worn places with braze and sanded/filed back to the needed .875 dia. Knowing this alone wasnt going to remove the slack, I knew I was gonna have to bore the axle,which was worn about as bad as the spindles, and install bushings. so the brazing method should bring it back close. Its not back to factory specs, still got a bit of slack in the bottom, but the top - which was worn so badly - is good and snug. Sure do love my mill and lathe.... I used the handy-dandy little HF belt sander to knock down the worst of the bumps and then filed it til it slipped in the new bushings. Then got the axle cobbled up in the mill (that 10° angle is a pill to work with) and bored out to accept the bushings. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
puddlejumper 67 #21 Posted March 22, 2013 Hell, I was about to decide I had been doing it wrong, All them fancy tools and you still did it my Poor boy way. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RJR49 129 #22 Posted March 22, 2013 Seems like turning it down and brazing on a sleeve would work if you can fixture it in a lathe. Wheel Horse Doc probably has one if he chimes in. If not I am sure there must be some good ones around a lot cheaper than rebuilding one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lane Ranger 11,134 #23 Posted March 22, 2013 Pacer : Keep posting those 1054 upgrade pictures when you get a chance. I am sure several Red Square members would be interested!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
