'72 3000 sheetmetal or body alignment ? help

[schiker]

What is the trick to putting a hood and front clip back on semi straight?

I had a leak in my radiator so I figured no problem take off the hood front clip take out radiator and take it to a radiator shop to fix it. Then put it all back together.

Well it was going too easy and all according to plan until I tried to put the hood pieces back on. Yeah, I had to bend the front struts to the nose clip but not far. And bent them back. But now its all out of wack.

Before I started the hood had appreciable misalignment and you had to clip the front end first then the back. It was a little tight in front and loose in back.

I suspect this tractor was rolled or wrecked by a previous owner and the sheet metal is just goofy. The guy I bought it from was a tractor fixer upper and trader. It was freshly painted and I should have known better than buy a freshly painted old tractor from a shade tree dealer. But it was all I could afford at the time and the first I looked at without a bunch of weld on linkages etc. Its been about 15 yrs now and its been a good tractor but seeing more over the years it looks like he painted it up good to help seal the leaks threw in some stop leak and lucky me I had an old tractor that looked pretty good. Until I have to go work on it and its the 2nd fix and its not as easy as the first time to fix. Under the paint it has had a pretty hard life.

Or is sheetmetal just notorious for not going back together very easily.

I am going to have to use some cable winches or ratchet straps to bend things back into shape because I can't get the hood to close without a big gap at one end and way overlapped at the other. Does that sound normal? And the center of the hood is awful tight. Its like the front clip is from a different tractor.

Do you start on one side and work around or fix the middle then go to sides?

 

[Opti-Mist]

If the radiator shroud had not been sprung, it and the hood panels should fit pretty well with mounting holes lining up reasonably well. From your post it sure sounds like prior damage and a less than adequate repair are the cause of your difficulty. Is there any possibility of slotting the shroud mounting holes enough to draw it rearward without crowding the radiator? Will shimming the shroud at the front cant it back enough to help? Or will that just make it worse? At any rate, adjusting the shroud to mate with the hood with the hood attached at the rear may be whats required, assuming the rear hood isn't also misaligned.

 

[schiker]

They are slotted somewhat already. I think I gotta just do the best I can.

I guess I'll loosen up everything and push it around some to see what lines up best. Then push it hard and cinch everything down then bend it into place as needed.

The reason I suspect its been tweaked bad is that the hole around the steeringwheel shaft and the fuel tank are not very well centered.

Just a semi difficult job with one person and nothing good to pry against.
I don't have the best straight eye which aint helping.

Anygood tips. I might try a string from the center of the steering wheel or some kind of straight edge. To help align the thing up.

 

[Opti-Mist]

Tolerance stackup can get those two holes at least a bit off from the stuff they have to accomodate.

 

[Soundguy]

sounds like there was a collission and the metal might have been set back.. E.. al bent when bolted together.. I have an N like that.. was a bear to get it all bolted together..

soundguy

 

[schiker]

Yeah, I guess its just a bit off angle. I got it a little better and can live with the fitment. It still cuts grass just fine. Radiator is running cooler with the cleaning too. Victory declared (from attrition not surrender unfortunately) and on to next project.

At 36" distance 1 degree would build approx 5/8 sideways difference. So tolerance stack up and a little crooked has just made it hard to get back together straight.

Being my first time its not quite what I expected. I have fit up some panels on machinery before but the distance from tank to radiator builds quite a gap if off alignment. Someone with more experience would have said tweak this that way bent it a little here and presto back together.

 

[Soundguy]

You ought to try fitting the center hood panel on a 53-64 ford.. trying to get the center hood to match the hood torpedo sides, and the front nose.. and rear cowl.. AND latch, AND not rub or bind... hood panel is near the entire length of the hood front to back... it's fun to play with..

soundguy