International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going

   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going
  • Thread Starter
#131  
For what you’re doing I would just use silicone as it’s not containing any pressure.
The auxiliary/remote valve attaching to the side of the lift housing would be "containing pressure" I do believe. Unless that connection is the drain/return to the tank only.
 
   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going
  • Thread Starter
#132  
I use a 1/4" air angled die grinder with 2" Roloc style head, and 2" surface conditioning discs similar to the 3M Roloc discs. 3M brand are pretty expensive, even HF is high on them. I buy them in a box of 50 every year at Swappers Day in Johnstown off a tool guy there. They work, and last just as well as the ones made by 3M. Makes gasket removal a quick, clean job.
...

Not sure what the collet size is on your Dremel....
1/8" collet.

It doesn't look like the 2" roloc's will work.

Though I do have a die grinder, I don't have shop air right now. We need a good shop air compressor. I was using an old Campbell-Housfeld 20gal 110v compressor (125psi) but found the tank was rusty beyond what I was comfortable pressurizing. So I got an 11gal or so tank from Harbor Freight and plumbed the compressor to it. When we moved it just got to be a jumbled mess.

Our shop has 240v which is nice for fabrication/welding (I run a restored '66 Lincoln Round Top Idealarc and so far have had 0 power issues on that old tank). So what we upgrade to will be a 240v compressor - maybe 80gal and 5hp or 7.5hp. Right now it isn't in the budget.

That leaves me with the dremel, or I could use a 4.5" angle grinder and abrasive surface prep/paint removal disk.
 
   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going #133  
Excellent info. I didn't quote the whole thing, but there is a wealth of info there.

Do you have any thoughts on the gasket materials - what to use/what to stay away from? Or are they all comparable?
For the top of the transmission case the FELPRO KARROPAK material would work fine, being nothing there is pressurized. Thickness would be determined by the thickness of the original gasket they make it in several thicknesses. 8-10 years ago, I bought a cheap digital caliper for lathe work, really handy for measuring other things like gasket material. That one gave up the ghost on me this winter and got a new one at Menards for around $20 just like it. Don't use it that often, but nice to have for things like this.

I ran the part number for the aux. hyd. control gasket through Bane-Welker/Circleville and shows the price @ $1.87. You may call Plain City and check that price. If it is, I'd get it through them. When it comes to hydraulic pressure, I bite the bullet and buy the OEM gasket. When I typed in the 3061055R2 P/N 3061055R3 popped up too, that one shows $30. Not sure what the difference is other than being made from a different material..?? A parts person worth their salt may be able to answer that.

I suppose silicone would work there and be much easier. I will just say I have bought more than several tractors/garden tractors to add to the collection here where a PO has used it on engine oil pans, transmission covers, and anywhere else you can use it. Apparently, their thought was if a little does a little bit of good, a lot will do a lot of good. A Farmall B I bought years ago someone had used it on the engine oil pan, had the little blobs sticking out on the outside, and was seeping. I pulled the pan and had blobs on the inside too, and some had come off, apparently washed off from the oil splashing around, it had about 1/3 of the sump screen covered. Luckily it didn't starve the engine for oil, and I just hoped the filter caught anything that may have passed through. It was the same with the gear shift cover. Flushed that well and got it cleaned out. Don't know about the long term, someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse, so the little B went to a new zip code.

This was back from the day of the "blue goop". Seems everything I've seen it used on it wept a little oil after a number of years. That may have had something to do with surface prep, not sure. I'd suggest just use what feels right for you.
 
   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going #134  
1/8" collet.

It doesn't look like the 2" roloc's will work.

Though I do have a die grinder, I don't have shop air right now. We need a good shop air compressor. I was using an old Campbell-Housfeld 20gal 110v compressor (125psi) but found the tank was rusty beyond what I was comfortable pressurizing. So I got an 11gal or so tank from Harbor Freight and plumbed the compressor to it. When we moved it just got to be a jumbled mess.

Our shop has 240v which is nice for fabrication/welding (I run a restored '66 Lincoln Round Top Idealarc and so far have had 0 power issues on that old tank). So what we upgrade to will be a 240v compressor - maybe 80gal and 5hp or 7.5hp. Right now it isn't in the budget.

That leaves me with the dremel, or I could use a 4.5" angle grinder and abrasive surface prep/paint removal disk.
I hear you on the air compressor. I started out with a C-H "Silver Bullet" of about the same size. Rain the die grinder with it, at times it ran the snot out of it. Painted with it too, and even with the HVLP gun it ran constantly. I was in heaven when I got my 60 gal. single stage. It served me well for 29 years and locked up last year. Replaced it with a C-H 6 hp, 60 gal. single stage. It will do what I want it to do.

I did a little research before buying it. If you dig a little deeper, you'll find they are rated by service hours, and/or running hours. Most compressors sold at big box/TSC/Rural King like DeWalt, I-R, or comparable are rated at 1,000 hrs. or, $1 per running hour. I found the C-H was rated at 5,000 service hours. Got it here:Air Compressors Direct | Your Online Air Compressor Store and they shipped it factory direct for free. If I was in my 50's again, I'd have probably sprung for a better one, age had a lot to do with it and what I need to do here now. All I can suggest is if you have a few choices in mind, read the reviews. Some you have to take with a grain of salt, as some I think were wired up with too light of wire and they burned the motor up, etc.

The angle grinder with a knotted cup brush would probably work great. I use DeWalt brand, and they seem to work great, and last. Just be careful on the sharp edges, as they will kick, don't ask how I know. They will eat you up...
 
   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going #135  
The auxiliary/remote valve attaching to the side of the lift housing would be "containing pressure" I do believe. Unless that connection is the drain/return to the tank only.
Sorry I wasn’t clear. I’m only referring to the tank to rear axle sealing surface that is horizontal.

The valve should have o-rings IIRC.
 
Last edited:
   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going
  • Thread Starter
#136  
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the lift housing separated from the rear end/transmission housing? My hoist is moving the whole tractor so I know I have an enormous amount of force on this thing. I tried all the hoist pressure with beating a pry bar between the two at the same time but was unable to get any sense of movement between the two.

I am lifting from only the rear of the housing where the top link attaches. I want to make sure I can break the castings apart first before I try to lift the whole assembly. So far no luck...
20250222_203124.jpg
 
   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going #137  
I would make sure all bolts are out (I see one still in place on left side where ground strap is) and lines are disconnected.

Then take a thin chisel or thick putty type knife and drive it between the mating surface in multiple places and that should break it free. If not try a pry bar.
 
   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going
  • Thread Starter
#138  
The bolts are all completely unthreadded. I have them sitting in the holes to keep track of them - so they arent floating around somewhere else.

As to the putty knife - I can try that.

I did try a rotary hammer with a chisel (hammer only mode) for a while last night, also, with enough hoist pressure that the rear tires were just barely on the floor to keep the tractor from swinging with me pushing on it. No luck with that method, either.

I also dont want to damage the sealing surfaces wedging things between them.
 
   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going #139  
Here is the Canadian you tube and it shows him prying it up.

 
   / International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going
  • Thread Starter
#140  
I finally got the housing separated Sunday. I took as much weight on the hoist as I could with the rear tires barely on the ground so the machine wasn't swinging when I pushed on it, then kept hammering with the rotary hammer/chisel. I moved to the other corner - right side - and got the castings to start moving apart. Once they moved I set the tractor back down and blocked the gap with 1/8" steel tabs. From there I did a combination of hoist pressure and prying.

Now the hard part is that rear lift housing has to be completely removed from the tractor chassis in order to get enough clearance to get the shifter forks clear from the transmission casting. I can't move the hoist with the weight of the lift housing so the only option I have is to move the chassis. I can't move the chassis by pushing myself, or even with a couple people, and we don't have another machine so the next route is a winch. Since I can't push a rope I need to come up with a way to rig to both ends of the tractor. That is what the past couple days have shifted focus to - fabricating a rigging plate to bolt to the shop floor behind the tractor (against the rear shop wall). I'm using 5/8" wedge anchors, 4 of them perpendicular to the direction of pull. In 3000psi concrete they are rated to about 1300lbs each. I think the weakest link would be the concrete. That said, I doubt it is going to take that loading to roll the tractor. If the trans was locked and I had to drag the tires, maybe. Its just a heavy rolling load on mostly flat tires.

More updates as I get there...
 

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