Loader Ford 3000 lower radiator nozzle flattened

[jdharris5]

I have a Ford 3000 with front end loader(Ford 771) . When I purchased it a little over a year ago I noticed the radiator was leaking from the lower nozzle. I pulled the radiator and had a new nozzle installed at a radiator shop. It worked ok for a little while until I noticed the same thing was happening. The bottom of the nozzle was flattened. I was able to round it out without replacing and it again worked ok for a little while. The same thing has now happened again. I was using the loader to lift some fire wood and I noticed the radiator was again leaking from the lower nozzle which is flattened on the bottom. There is about 1" between the nozzle and the axle. I suppose the axle must hit the nozzle either when I go over a bump or perhaps lift something heavy. Any suggestions as to what I can do to stop this from happening will be appreciated. Thanks. JD

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

Look at what ever stops the axle from moving up too high. it may be missing a rubber bumper or shim or something. if nothing is missing I would make a spacer to stop the axle.

 

[jdharris5]

Look at what ever stops the axle from moving up too high. it may be missing a rubber bumper or shim or something. if nothing is missing I would make a spacer to stop the axle.

Thanks. I'll look at it more closely.

JD

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

Pivot pin might be wore out allowing axle to set to high in chassis. Something fairly important is out of wack for sure

 

[RickB]

Pivot pin might be wore out allowing axle to set to high in chassis. Something fairly important is out of wack for sure

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! Worn pivot pin/bushing/axle center section/bent radius rods. Or a combination of.

 

[jdharris5]

I pulled the radiator today and the lower nozzle will need to be replace again. I inspected the front end as best I could. The radius rods seem to be ok. The 1.75" hollow pin is intact with some wear where it goes through the axle but the gap seemed to be less than 1/32". The loader is run off of the front pto so the pto shaft runs through the middle of the hollow 1.75" pin.

JD

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

You really need to lift the front axle off the ground to get a good read on what's wore. Watch the axle for movement up and down as you lift the tractor.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

You really need to lift the front axle off the ground to get a good read on what's wore. Watch the axle for movement up and down as you lift the tractor.

To lift the tractor set a jack under the nose of the tractor so as the axle will be suspended, or use the loader to lift front of the tractor off the ground

 

[jdharris5]

To lift the tractor set a jack under the nose of the tractor so as the axle will be suspended, or use the loader to lift front of the tractor off the ground

Thanks. I'll give it a try.

JD

 

[jdharris5]

To lift the tractor set a jack under the nose of the tractor so as the axle will be suspended, or use the loader to lift front of the tractor off the ground

I used my jack to lift the tractor and examine the movement of the axle where it attaches to the tractor body. As I quickly raised the right wheel the axle seems to move maybe 1/8" at the center attachment. There is some wear at that point.

I was thinking of putting a 3/8" steel plate between the radiator and the radiator mounting holes. This would raise the radiator 3/8" and I would have the plate extend out below the lower radiator nozzle to provide some protection. Does this sound like a reasonable approach.

Thanks.

JD

 

[Soundguy]

the 'easier fix is just to weld a large hex nut or other bit of metal to the axle stops to limit upward travel. it's the prefered bandaid on fornt mounts that do a similar dance and brak the nipples off the dizzy cap.

it's not the REAL fix.. a bandaid for sure.. but also pretty cheap , fast and easy.

 

[jdharris5]

the 'easier fix is just to weld a large hex nut or other bit of metal to the axle stops to limit upward travel. it's the prefered bandaid on fornt mounts that do a similar dance and brak the nipples off the dizzy cap.

it's not the REAL fix.. a bandaid for sure.. but also pretty cheap , fast and easy.

Sounds like a good solution, but, I don't see any axle stops on this tractor. I don't know if I just don't know where to look or they have been lost over the years.

JD

 

[Soundguy]

axle stops are just the mechanical limits the axle can move before touching metal from axle to bolster!

if you have no axle stops are you saying your axle can rotate 360 degrees like a propeller? I'm betting it can't

 

[jdharris5]

axle stops are just the mechanical limits the axle can move before touching metal from axle to bolster!

if you have no axle stops are you saying your axle can rotate 360 degrees like a propeller? I'm betting it can't

At present the radiator nozzle seems to be the axle stop. If that wasn't present the axle could go even higher before contacting other parts of the body structure. The loader brackets that the radius rods go through would be a possible place to put a stop. When the axle on the right is raised the radius rod on the left comes close to the bottom of the hole in the associated loader bracket. The loader brackets are made from 1/2" steel. Perhaps there was a bracket that served as an axle stop that was removed when the loader was installed. Although it is a Ford loader it looks like a custom install.

JD

 

[Soundguy]

the rad rods are not meant to be stops. yer axle in the bolster is the stop!

 

[jdharris5]

the rad rods are not meant to be stops. yer axle in the bolster is the stop!

Thanks, as you can see my knowledge of tractors is limited. Am I understanding this right? When the right side of the axle is raised the left side should contact the bolster plate. So if I welded a piece of metal to the bolster plate at the point of contact then that should at least be a temporary fix.

JD

 

[Soundguy]

yes. metal welded at contact will limit travel. do so on both sides if needed.

 

[jdharris5]

yes. metal welded at contact will limit travel. do so on both sides if needed.

Thanks. I appreciate the guidance. Sorry it took me so long to catch on.

JD

 

[Soundguy]

it's easier to 'see' it then explain it.

once you see the mechanical limits. then you 'shim' the limits.. etc.