Top Link

When I first got Tillie, almost 2 years ago, the Top Link Rocker Bracket was broken as shown in the photo below. I couldn't get the Rocker bush to move. It was broken on one side and just corroded into position. I decided to remove the broken Top Link Rocker through a mixture of grinding and brute strenght.

With the Rocker Bracket removed, I thought I would have more room to work on the Bush but still couldn't get it to move. As a result, Tillie got painted with this job consigned to the 'too difficult list' for the time being. Ending up with the Bush remaining in place and being painted as can be seen below.

With the good weather I decided to give this job a second go. What I had found out was the Bush was rock hard, I had tried to run a hacksaw on the inside to see if I could cut it. But the blade just skidded of the inner surface. Whilst looking for a suitable punch or chisel to use I came across an old blacksmiths drill I had. This was the perfect diameter to drill out the Bush, passing through the left hand side axle side flange as seen below.

Well I guess I was just hoping, right ! the drill just bounced off the Bush hardly leaving a mark. So back to the drawing board. What I did find was an old socket wrench extension bar that like the drill could be passed through the side flange allowing me to use a large hammer and was a just the right size to use as a punch on the Bush.

20  minutes later and the paint on the opposite side of the Bush and casting had cracked demonstrating the Bush had started to move. Lot's of release oils and a further 10 minutes of hammering had the Bush well on its way. The photo below shows my makeshift Bush removal tool (Socket wrench extension bar) and the Bush halfway out. Thinking it through it could have been partly down to the very warm weather (25 degrees) that may have just caused the casting to expand a bit ?

The final picture shows the new Top Rocker Link in position all ready for a new Bush which I will need to now order.

Wings - The Final Chapter

Saturday update, couldn't wait.

With the sun shining the paint on the wings has hardened nicely over night. First job is to mount the wings on the Tractor. I need some proper bolts for this, as the new bolts that I'd got aren't long enough to go through both the top and bottom axle mounting flanges. The short ones will do for now.

Wings mounted, adds the finishing touch. I'm pleased with the finish and the 'old lady' enjoys a bit of early morning sun. 

Trigger happy with the camera.



Think this makes an interesting view of a Ferguson.

More Wings

OK, great day on Friday for top coating the wings. I decided to mount both wings onto a length of timber and then hold this in a workmate so that I could spray both the inside and outside of the wings at the same time. The other advantage of this being the wings are the right way up (previously I had sprayed them whilst hung from the garage roof which meant they was effectively upside down whilst spraying).

I'm keen to get as good a finish as possible, to match the bonnet as this turned out so well.

With both wings screwed down to my makeshift timber bench I can start the spraying process. I'm also going to spray the air filter at the same time. A couple of base coats (about 10% thinner in the paint) then leave these coats to 'tack off' before two more coats of about 20% thinner to bring out the shine.

 Finished job with the air filter in the background. note the timber that the wings as screwed to and all the plastic sheet to stop my garage being turned Ferguson Grey at the same time.

Air Filter

As well as propping the Wings, I've started on the air filter. Grinding of the old paint, de-greasing and filling a couple of dents.

Standard approach, using a solid disc in an electric drill to get the majority of paint off and then a grit impregnated brush for the finial clean up and getting into corners etc. The bottom on the filter that holds the oil has some rust holes so this will need to be silver soldered before painting.

All primed and now ready for top coating with the wings tomorrow. The weather has been sunning sunshine so that should help with the painting on Saturday.

Wings

With the sun shining, I have set about finishing fitting the new wing skins to the original wing frames. With both frames removed, and after plenty of grinding the frames have been primer.

I have started by attaching the bottom frame (the wings came with the bottom centre bolt hole already drilled but no others) Once in place, I then drilled the other 6 holes. 2 for the bottom frame and 4 for both the bottom and top frame where the two frames bolt together.

I'm using 10mm stainless hex nuts and bolts with nyloc nuts for the bottom 7 fixings and 8mm dome headed bolts and nyloc's for the top 3 fixings).

This picture shows both wings bolted to there primed frames, hung ready for painting.

You can just make out all 10 fixings it you look closely.

I've decided to paint the wings in two separate sessions, the inside and frames first and then the outside. This is mainly due to limited space in my garage. I also wanted the give the insides and frames a good coating of paint to help protect them. The next image showns the wings after a quick blast of top coat.

 Both wings top coated. Plan is to leave them for 24 hrs before preparing the outsides ready for paint. coating.

Spring is in the Air

Ok, not much happening on the tractor front yet. However, as we are now in British Summer Time it feels like time to get started on Tillie. Whilst I contenplate what to do, I will share April's picture from the my tractor calender. Enjoy !