RING GEAR R&R

[09112]

Bad ring gear on my Allis B. After splitting the tractor is it a shop job or can this be done without any special equipment?

 

[DLTTrekkers]

Make a fire and throw ringgear in fire till red ....then on flywheel and let it cool by itself

 

[orangeandgreen]

Watched our ag teacher install one years ago. With flywheel laying on welding table, starter ring was placed on top of it and he started going around it with a rosebud. After a couple of minutes it fell into place with a tiny bit of help from a couple screw drivers.

 

[09112]

Posts #2 and #3 just about answers my question. I know how to build a fire and use a screwdriver. Haven't figured out how to get it off yet but I'll just bet it's heat related and I can provide that as well. Thanks for the input guys.

 

[Raspy]

You can get the old one off by splitting it with a cutting torch, or if you have to, with a grinder.

Do not heat the new one to red hot, or by "throwing it" into a fire! That will anneal it and the teeth will be become very weak. It should not even get to the point of turning blue, which happens at about 450 degrees. A rose bud is the preferred method of heating them, but you could even do it with your kitchen oven. Keep it clean and have the flywheel ready to go. Heat it and drop it on. Do not pound on it.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I agree with Raspy!

Put the ring gear in the oven...

You can cool the fly wheel with ice and drop the HOT gear over it...

SR

 

[countrybumpkin]

You can get the old one off by splitting it with a cutting torch, or if you have to, with a grinder.

Do not heat the new one to red hot, or by "throwing it" into a fire! That will anneal it and the teeth will be become very weak. It should not even get to the point of turning blue, which happens at about 450 degrees. A rose bud is the preferred method of heating them, but you could even do it with your kitchen oven. Keep it clean and have the flywheel ready to go. Heat it and drop it on. Do not pound on it.

This is the best way, as for the flywheel, put it in the freezer the night before and leave it till you get ready to remove the ring gear from the oven.

 

[09112]

I really like the oven and freezer suggestions. This seems to be the cleanest and probably the best way for a no nothing novice to get the job done. Thanks guys. I love this site, getting all the ideas is like being in a candy store. They're all good, but some are a bit better than others.

This is my required daily reading where I can get educated on so many subjects. At the moment it's tractors but the next project will probably be a motorcycle.

 

[flusher]

Don't use heat. As mentioned you'll mess up the heat treatment on the ring gear. Cool the flywheel with dry ice and the ring gear will slip on easily.

Good luck

 

[09112]

Well, Flusher, that is even a better idea. I was having a bit of a problem with wifie on using the oven but I have a fridge in the shop and I can cool that down real quick. My thoughts were that I could in fact mess up the heat treatment if I got it too hot. My goal was to bake to 400 degrees max. But if the flywheel will shrink enough then I will be pleased to work with no heat at all. Easier all round. Thanks for the input. Sorry you moved back to the city guy.

 

[LouNY]

Before you start set up a bench with your flywheel sitting on it and blocks the proper height for your ring gear.
You will have better results chilling the flywheel in the freezer or using some dry ice and heating the ring gear in the oven.
It will work much better using both. It is easy to go on to far on many flywheels.
Good luck

 

[ruffdog]

A solid object like the flywheel (or a shaft) will not change size as much with temperature as a thin walled object like the ring gear (or a bushing). I do like the idea of cooling the flywheel and LIMITED heating of the gear. We would use heat or liquid nitrogen to press fit parts together at one of my jobs. It takes some soak time for parts to grow/shrink too.

 

[09112]

Every suggestion has merit and probably experience behind it. I love to get a boatload of posts where I can benefit from the many ideas put forth. As you can see I am no mechanic either by trade or nature. Being my first attempt at taking on a mechanical project I am relying on the experience of others. As stated before, this site is and has been required daily reading to gain knowledge in so many different fields. I haven't split the tractor as yet and will order the ring gear probably next week. I'll post how I got along and what methods I used. Thanks for the input guys

 

[flusher]

Me too. But time and age are thieves for all of us. I used the dry ice trick to install valve guides on several of my old tractor restoration projects.

Good luck

 

[crazyal]

I have no idea about your tractor but I have done a number of R&P on Toyotas. To get the ring gear off I've always loosened the bolts then just tapped on each one going around in a circle being careful not to move the gear too much on one spot. To get it back on I just did the same thing but by tightening the bolts (very little at a time) to slowly draw it back on. Again making sure to it didn't get cocked. But you need to make sure that the flange the ring gear bolts to is strong enough otherwise you could break it. If I remember correctly I just tightened the bolts maybe a 1/16 of a turn (or less).

 

[countrybumpkin]

I have no idea about your tractor but I have done a number of R&P on Toyotas. To get the ring gear off I've always loosened the bolts then just tapped on each one going around in a circle being careful not to move the gear too much on one spot. To get it back on I just did the same thing but by tightening the bolts (very little at a time) to slowly draw it back on. Again making sure to it didn't get cocked. But you need to make sure that the flange the ring gear bolts to is strong enough otherwise you could break it. If I remember correctly I just tightened the bolts maybe a 1/16 of a turn (or less).

It’s the ring gear for the starter on a flywheel, not the rear diff ring and pinion.

 

[crazyal]

It’s the ring gear for the starter on a flywheel, not the rear diff ring and pinion.

Ahhh. Never had to change one of them.

 

[DLTTrekkers]

Bad ring gear on my Allis B. After splitting the tractor is it a shop job or can this be done without any special equipment?

This thread started with the words "without any spesial tools" .
And I gave that advice without spesial tools. Now I see freezers and ovens.

 

[Raspy]

This thread started with the words "without any spesial tools" .
And I gave that advice without spesial tools. Now I see freezers and ovens.

But you had a fire. Just about everyone has an oven in the kitchen and controlling the heat is important. But you're right, it was about doing it with no special equipment. Part of the problem is getting the old one off and that requires a torch or a grinder because hammering on it could be a problem. Just about every shop that is going to work on a tractor will have a grinder and a torch. Those are not necessarily "special equipment".

 

[09112]

Actually, to remove the ring gear, I used a propane torch for about five minutes then used a chisel and hammer for about 10 swats and it fell off. My "special equipment" so far has been a small fridge I keep in the shop, the propane torch, and when the ring is received I will use the oven at 400f. I'm guessing about fifteen minutes in the oven will be sufficient to expand the ring without losing temper. Have I guessed wrong?