</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Ok, lets say I buy this little 8n.
How hard is it and at what cost (do the work myself) to
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Here are procedures / parts prices I've either done/paid or seen.. etc. Also.. keep in mind.. for a limited use tractor.. some issues just don't have to be corrected. In other owrds.. with a 50 year old tractor.. some minor problems can just be left.. Like a steering box with a little play.. that's not a huge issue mowing 3 ac once a month.. etc.
Here we go:
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( . change the rear axle seals.
2. change the brakes
3. change the clutch
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To do the axle seals, ya gotta of course pull the rims, hubs and axles. the axle nut needs 450ft# to torque.. Might as well do bearings.. you'll need to split the old races off and have new ones heated and pressed on. Early 8n has 1 outter seal.. and is prone to leakage. Later 8ns have an inner and an outter.. and almost never leak.. unless your bearings or hub dies, killing the seals. If the axle is goo, you'll need seals, and will have to pull the axle trumpets. You'll need new oil and trumpet gaskets. ( dip them in hot water to make them fit the trumpets ) Might as well check 3pt lift pins to be sure they are tight. Saels and bearings will be cheapy items.. probably under 50 bucks a side.
This is a good time to do brakes. Brakes are functionally similare to rear truck drum brakes. You'll sware that you will never get the springs off or back on.. otherwise.. no rocket science involved. figure about 80-90$ on brakes depending on springs.. etc.. or other worn parts.
Clutch job requires a tractor split. That means you will be pulling the front sheetmteal, and gas tank. dash, wireing and lines.. battery.. etc. may or may not need to be removed.
Some use a dolly under the rear, and push it back, and leave the front blocked on timber. The oil pan is a cast frame member.. so you can use timber unde rthe oil pan to hold the front half up. For reassembly.. look at the old stuff to make sure you get the stuff back inthe right direction.. also.. pul lthe tranny input shaft and use it as a clutch allign tool.. then replace the 3$ input shaft seal.. that'l help keep the new clutch non-lubricated. Local shops charge about 325 for a clutch job.. so figure a couple hundred of that is parts.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 4. rebuild/replace the steering box
5. rebuild/replace the hydraulic pump.
6. cost to replace a water pump
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Steering boxes are swapable from late to early 8ns.. And many people do just that if they have an early box that needs rebuilding, as the designe is such that it is not as easy to rebuild or adjust.
Assuming no broken 'big parts', sector seals, orings, top and bottom bearings , races and top tube bearing and bushings will probably run you 90$.. less if you only need bearings and seals... which is the usual need for the late boxes if you get to them in time. Gotta pull the hood, dash, battery box.
Hydro pump is heavy and dirty job.. but to rocket science.
Assuming just bad consumables, and a salvageable lift cyl, you can get the parts for 100$. ( I did mine a few months ago ).. If you need a new lift cyl.. figure another 100$. The regular consumables include a new check/relief valve, and a new style lift piston that uses a rubber and leather ring rather than 3 steel reings. if you like the steel rings you can save about 25$ and just get a new ring set.. how good it works will depend on the hyd cyl bore. Drain oil. remove pto shaft, 4 bolts, slide out, drop pump.. lotsa bolts on the bottom. remove right side inspection cover, remove right running board and radious arm, remove seat, remove pins from toplink draft plunger, and fromthe 2 upper lift arms ( these pins are usually rusted. A good drift, patience, penetrating oil and a prayer will help... don't beat anything up too much. If you bust the draft plunger or an upper lift arm, you will be into about 4bills, and a WHOLE lotta work getting the rock shaft outta the top cover.. generally pulling the rockshaft BUSTS the top cover.. etc. .. so be gentle ). Pull bolts from top cover. Top cover weights 80#.. bottom cover and pump weighs 80#
Bottom has about 4 gaskets, and a valve.. asuming you completely tear it down, and nothing else is wrong.. usually ony the pump plate gasket and valve is needed and the pu,p isn't even disassembled.
Top is a bit more tricky.. Ya gotta pull the lift cyl 4 bolts/studs.. remove a few draft controlls, pop the old piston out with air pressure use a brake hone on the bore, and then either re-ring the piston, or use a new piston. the new piston uses a big rubber oring.. easy to install.. and a leather backup washer... difficult to install ( ya got to boil it.. ). I'd consider getting a neophrene backup washer instead. Seems only NH carries the neophrene ones.. all other tractor places use the leater ones. There are 4 gaskets in the top section.. 3 of them are small. Use no gasket sealer.. just dry paper gaskets. Clean the gasket surfaces shiny-eat-off-them.. with a razor blade and brake cleaner.. etc. Most of us also rinse out the hyd sump with diesel to get rid of 50 years of grime before the pump goes back in. Reassemble bolt pump up.. set top cover on. Have a wife or child guide the control lever from the top cover into the small port inthe control valve in the pump base as you lower the top cover.. this is a 3 arm job. Re0install pto with new flange gasket, and reinstall side inspection cover with a new gasket.. add oil, and go.
Water pump is easier.. you can do it without removing radiator.. or you can pull sheet metal and tank and radiator for more elbow room. If you leave the rad in.. put a piece of cardboard over it to protect it... sama as a truck water pump.. remove fan.. remove pump. I'd replace over rebuilding.. though parts are available.. less than 100$ either way.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 7. cost to replace a distributer
8. cost to replace a radiator
9. cost for any carberator work
10. cost for any front end/ steering linkage work
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Distribuitor varies.. depends on front or side mount. Both are in the 200+ range. front mount is cheaper than side mount.. side mount can be inthe 300 range. Side mount is a bear as you have to realign and re-time it. Front mount is super simple.. it is offset tang driven fromt he cam.. 2 bolts hold it to the front of the engine, and cannot be installed out of time unless you use a hammer. Don't even have to remov ethe hood.. just the 2 bolts. Of course.. the wear items inthe distribuitors, like bushings are available if you wish to renew it instead of repalve it.. Do points as well... easy job there. As expensive as a new distrib is.. I think in the long run.. it's easier / faster than trying to rebuild one if you have no previous exp.
Radiator is 150 to 250$ for new.. or whatever a recore costs.
Remove hood/tank 2 hoses and some bolts... replace your hoses and thermostat while you are at it. thermostat sets in the top radiator hose.. DON"T PUT IT IN BACKWARDS.
Carb.. anywahere from 139 to 179 for new/rebuilds /refurbs. Or 25 to 35 for kits. Depends on how squimish you are about carb rebuilds... No rocket science.. but do have your glasses on and make notes.. there are about a bazillion parts in the carb... 2 bolts, a gas line.. throttle linkage choke linkage and an air hose.
Steering members. Lets see.. wheel bearings are standard and easy.. 15$.. spindle bushings are tedious as you have to pull the pittman arms.. drop the spindle.. drive the old bushings out.. install the new ones.. hone them to fit the spindles.. or have a machine shop do it.
Tie rod ends are standard.. .. parts and cost will vary depending on what you need. 150% would get you tubes and ends, and bearings and bushings.. Usually only the bushings are bad.. and even then.. very rarely.. pretty much just add new rubber dust boots.. say 18$.. most of the steering play comes from the box..
Here's one you didn't include.. headgasket. It's cheap.. say 20$.. and I've even seen people froggy enough to do it without pulling the gas tank.. though I would pull the tank.. especially since you will have to when you break a bolt/stud off.
OEM they had stud/nuts.. replacement hardware is bolts.. many change out to new bolts for another 20$.. many don't.. your call.
still considering an antique?! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Soundguy
Soundguy
