BCS blues

[jbradley]

I'll have to keep 'having patience' in mind when I tackle mine (a 732 and 948). The 732's problems are my own doing, because I didn't take it apart and lube it up when it first started getting stiff. The 948 was stiff when I purchased the machine last fall. The 34-in tillee was the only implement the guy ever used on it, and when I asked him what the lower hand lever on the right side was, he didn't know, because he never used it. Needless to say, changing the handlebar direction was a bit stiff, too.

 

[WesKootenay]

I'll have to keep 'having patience' in mind when I tackle mine (a 732 and 948). The 732's problems are my own doing, because I didn't take it apart and lube it up when it first started getting stiff. The 948 was stiff when I purchased the machine last fall. The 34-in tillee was the only implement the guy ever used on it, and when I asked him what the lower hand lever on the right side was, he didn't know, because he never used it. Needless to say, changing the handlebar direction was a bit stiff, too.

If yours are only 'stiff', you are miles ahead of me - mine was 'welded'. Possibly a good soak will free them up for disassembly and lubing?
Cheers.

 

[jbradley]

Well, I finally tried tackling the 732, and the pins are welded in place. I'd already purchased the upper coupling, because I'd broken it when changing the direction of handle bars. I'll have to tackle the upper pin when I get the lower one apart, because there is too much give when trying to hammer out the pin. I'd tried putting a section of railroad track behind it, but it still had too much give. I've been spraying Kroil on it 2-3 times a day. I haven't yet applied heat.

 

[WesKootenay]

Well, I finally tried tackling the 732, and the pins are welded in place. I'd already purchased the upper coupling, because I'd broken it when changing the direction of handle bars. I'll have to tackle the upper pin when I get the lower one apart, because there is too much give when trying to hammer out the pin. I'd tried putting a section of railroad track behind it, but it still had too much give. I've been spraying Kroil on it 2-3 times a day. I haven't yet applied heat.

I feel your pain!
My parts arrived yesterday in a BIG box - I never think of EarthTools as a 'big box store' :laughing:



I bought a new PTO shaft and seal just in case, didn't need them but I may one day.



Took a while to clean things up so the lever was free to turn. Coated everything with a generous layer of never-seize, I was able to push the new pin in with big ChannelLock pliers - bit different to taking it out!!



All good now, spent the day flail mowing with no problems.

 

[Ford850]

I'm looking forward for your post showing the shiny new parts on there. :thumbsup:

My parts arrived yesterday
View attachment 599835
All good now, spent the day flail mowing with no problems.

That's more like it!

 

[jbradley]

Well, I finally tried tackling the 732, and the pins are welded in place. I'd already purchased the upper coupling, because I'd broken it when changing the direction of handle bars. I'll have to tackle the upper pin when I get the lower one apart, because there is too much give when trying to hammer out the pin. I'd tried putting a section of railroad track behind it, but it still had too much give. I've been spraying Kroil on it 2-3 times a day. I haven't yet applied heat.

I've finally started tackling the 948. The pin came out fairly easily when I used a 1/8" center punch, rather than the flat 1/8" punch. Keeping it in position made the difference. I still haven't gotten the rod out of its socket. I go out and spray it with Aerokroil a couple of times a day, and give it a few taps. It will eventually give. In the meantime, I managed to break the swivel of the top rod.

I've temporarly given up on the 732, as it's 100+ miles away at my oldest son's. It was an expensive trip taking it to him, as the rear differential crapped out. It's an awful feeling when your at the side of the interstate 100 miles from home, and not going anywhere. Fortunately, I was able to get home by engaging the front axle and driving in pseudo-4-wheel drive. I will tackle it again when I take the upper PTO rod and swivel to him, which I forgot to grab as I went out the door.

After dealing with this with both tractors, I think that they should have had an enclosed bottom to the socket with a grease fitting. Then, if you had to knock out a stuck rod, you could take off the fitting and use a punch through the opening.

 

[WesKootenay]

Sorry to hear it is not going well - with either machine! Eventually all will be well. I agree it is a poor design, but it's what we are stuck with. Now that we have the flail-mower, the shaft gets rotated regularly. I learned the hard way to store our 732 with the clutch engaged - at least I now know how to free the cone.

That was very smart thinking, engaging the 4WD and driving in FWD - very Iowan. :thumbsup:

 

[jbradley]

... I learned the hard way to store our 732 with the clutch engaged - at least I now know how to free the cone.
...

I learned the lesson about keeping the clutch disengaged on my 732, also. I didn't try to deal with it myself and took it to my local dealer. He said they had to finally put in on the hydraulic press, because it resisted all their other efforts to separate it. When I purchased the 948, I commented to the the guy that I bought it from that he should store it with the clutch disengaged (it was in his shop with the clutch engaged) and he said he always left it in the engaged position. He was lucky.

 

[WesKootenay]

When I purchased the 948, I commented to the the guy that I bought it from that he should store it with the clutch disengaged (it was in his shop with the clutch engaged) and he said he always left it in the engaged position. He was lucky.

.......or, he read the manual? I don't remember seeing this instruction.
Live and learn.

 

[jbradley]

Success! I finally got the PTO shaft out of its socket. I was giving it a few wacks with a hammer, per the instructions from EarthTools download, and not getting anywhere, so I looked at tools that I had purchased when working on the front end of my pickup. The pictured tool with the cut out washers did the trick.