Hugo you should open a g1900 parts store for the rest of us
The craftmanship and work you are doing is amazing. I am still so bummed that my combo box got lost on the way to you. Keep posting buddy the updates are inspiring.22R
Reviving a G1900
- Thread starter Hugo Habicht
- Start date
The craftmanship and work you are doing is amazing. I am still so bummed that my combo box got lost on the way to you. Keep posting buddy the updates are inspiring.22R
Maybe an automotive clear for top coating on base/clear coat paints
Oh, thank you very much!Hugo you should open a g1900 parts store for the rest of us
Yes, the G1900 repair saga will continue, just took the whole front axle apart. A tiny bit of play in it, about 5mm on the outside. This is a major contributor to the steering wheel play. 0.025-0.089mm play is the factory spec at the swivel joint.
Wrt the combination box: there must be a way getting that back, particularly if it was the clerk that made the mistake with the address. Even the Irish Post could track it down in the US.
I would love to offer the upgraded combination box with the diagnostics and the emergency start mode but I would need faulty ones for the enclosure and the connector. Was not able to find that anywhere and I really spent ages on the internet.
Pretty sure this is the one I bought Concentric International Black Universal Fold-Down Seat - 355000BK | Blain's Farm & Fleet
Could try that. I have an adhesion promoter for spraying on stainless steel where paint or primer would normally not stick either. Maybe that works on brass.
Likely will not be out back there until spring
But, it mounted up just like the stock seat IIRC. Though IIRC only 2 bolts lined up. It's never come loose and it's on securely. If/when I find time I plan on modding it a little to use all 4 bolts. But it basically screwed to the stock Kubota "slider" assembly. Really quite comfortable and I like that with the armrests down I'm not constantly fighting to not slide off the seat when doing my culverts.
Front axle (disassembly)
Thanks to longer neglect from previous owners the front axle pivot bearing was so worn out that the axle outside could be moved 5mm back and forward. The wheel bearings were pretty wobbly too. Together with a leaking tyre I thought it is time to tackle the front axle.
First we jack up the front and support the frame. Then we take the small (or big) hubcaps off. Pull out the split pin, take the washer off and pull off the wheel. This can be difficult if the bearings seized and the inner ring worked itself into the axle or if corrosion started on the axle stub.
Next we remove the steering bar. Remove the split pin from the crown nut on the ball joint of the steering bar. Remove the nut while holding the ball joint with a spanner.
Now remove the tracking rod the same way.
Next we remove the bolt holding the steering lever on the left hand side and pull the steering lever off. Take out the key and take the left king pin out.
The right side is secured by a clip ring at the top. Take that off and pull the right king pin out.
Remove the long bolt under the middle of the axle.
Remove the lower PTO pulley and remove the large clip ring. The PTO shaft can now be pulled out.
Thanks to longer neglect from previous owners the front axle pivot bearing was so worn out that the axle outside could be moved 5mm back and forward. The wheel bearings were pretty wobbly too. Together with a leaking tyre I thought it is time to tackle the front axle.
First we jack up the front and support the frame. Then we take the small (or big) hubcaps off. Pull out the split pin, take the washer off and pull off the wheel. This can be difficult if the bearings seized and the inner ring worked itself into the axle or if corrosion started on the axle stub.
Next we remove the steering bar. Remove the split pin from the crown nut on the ball joint of the steering bar. Remove the nut while holding the ball joint with a spanner.
Now remove the tracking rod the same way.
Next we remove the bolt holding the steering lever on the left hand side and pull the steering lever off. Take out the key and take the left king pin out.
The right side is secured by a clip ring at the top. Take that off and pull the right king pin out.
Remove the long bolt under the middle of the axle.
Remove the lower PTO pulley and remove the large clip ring. The PTO shaft can now be pulled out.
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Front axle (disassembly) continued...
Take the four bolts holding the axle centre pivot and pull it out while supporting the axle. The axle can now be taken out. There is a shim washer at the back, take that out too if it is stuck on the frame.
Now we have all parts separated.
Take the four bolts holding the axle centre pivot and pull it out while supporting the axle. The axle can now be taken out. There is a shim washer at the back, take that out too if it is stuck on the frame.
Now we have all parts separated.
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Front axle repair
The grease nipple (20¢) in the middle of the axle had broken off, so somebody thought it was only for decoration and hence the axle pivot bearing was worn out. Center part plus axle middle bit is $1700. So buying new parts is not an option.
I carefully bored out the axle centre first until there were no voids in the surface any more.
The front axle pivot was also badly worn.
I made a centre first to be able to machine it on the lathe.
Then I carefully took off material until I had a smooth surface again.
The grease groove had disappeared by now, so I had to cut that again
I also machined the surface that sits in the frame. Ready for painting.
Of course there is a fairly big gap between the two parts now. Hence I machined a bronze bushing.
And pressed it into the axle centre. Now I have a nice snug fit again (0.05mm)
The old king pin bearings were pressed out and the grease nipples removed.
The grease nipple (20¢) in the middle of the axle had broken off, so somebody thought it was only for decoration and hence the axle pivot bearing was worn out. Center part plus axle middle bit is $1700. So buying new parts is not an option.
I carefully bored out the axle centre first until there were no voids in the surface any more.
The front axle pivot was also badly worn.
I made a centre first to be able to machine it on the lathe.
Then I carefully took off material until I had a smooth surface again.
The grease groove had disappeared by now, so I had to cut that again
I also machined the surface that sits in the frame. Ready for painting.
Of course there is a fairly big gap between the two parts now. Hence I machined a bronze bushing.
And pressed it into the axle centre. Now I have a nice snug fit again (0.05mm)
The old king pin bearings were pressed out and the grease nipples removed.
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Wheel repairs
The rims were corroded and the left tyre was losing air despite being in better condition than the right wheel. When I took the tyres off I knew why: somebody had put a tube into the right tyre.
The edges of the rims were badly dented and the outer edge bent inwards. Looks as if somebody had been driving with a flat or without any tyre at all for a few miles.
So I removed the dents and straightened all edges.
The small hubcaps were also in poor condition, rusted and the top hammered in. I made a press tool from aluminium and straightened them.
Then I removed most of the rust and the paint with a CSD disk.
Ready for sand blasting and chemical rust removal in phosphoric acid.
The rims were corroded and the left tyre was losing air despite being in better condition than the right wheel. When I took the tyres off I knew why: somebody had put a tube into the right tyre.
The edges of the rims were badly dented and the outer edge bent inwards. Looks as if somebody had been driving with a flat or without any tyre at all for a few miles.
So I removed the dents and straightened all edges.
The small hubcaps were also in poor condition, rusted and the top hammered in. I made a press tool from aluminium and straightened them.
Then I removed most of the rust and the paint with a CSD disk.
Ready for sand blasting and chemical rust removal in phosphoric acid.
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Wheel modifications
One rim had notches in the centre pipe for an inner end stop for the ball bearings.
The other rim had grooves in the bearings and clip rings in them. I did not like that and I wanted to use standard bearings (6205 2RS 25x52x15mm). I bent a slieve from 2mm sheet metal and machined the ends flat. Two holes drilled into it allowed welding into the rim in three points. Ready is the bearing seat.
The edges where the tyre seals were badly pitted so I used filler after the sand blasting and phosphoric acid treatment and sanded it smooth.
One rim had two holes in it that I did not like. I put a piece of Teflon behind it and filled them with JB-Weld and milled off the excess at the top and sanded it.
One rim had notches in the centre pipe for an inner end stop for the ball bearings.
The other rim had grooves in the bearings and clip rings in them. I did not like that and I wanted to use standard bearings (6205 2RS 25x52x15mm). I bent a slieve from 2mm sheet metal and machined the ends flat. Two holes drilled into it allowed welding into the rim in three points. Ready is the bearing seat.
The edges where the tyre seals were badly pitted so I used filler after the sand blasting and phosphoric acid treatment and sanded it smooth.
One rim had two holes in it that I did not like. I put a piece of Teflon behind it and filled them with JB-Weld and milled off the excess at the top and sanded it.
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Wheels painting
For painting the wheels I made a little rotating table and mounted the rims in a little holder made from aluminium plate and threaded bar. The table speed can be adjusted from 0.125 to 180 rpm. With the correct speed setting spray painting of circular objects is really easy.
For painting the wheels I made a little rotating table and mounted the rims in a little holder made from aluminium plate and threaded bar. The table speed can be adjusted from 0.125 to 180 rpm. With the correct speed setting spray painting of circular objects is really easy.
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Front axle modifications
There were a few things in the original design that lead to long term problems, so I took the freedom to do some modifications.
The way the pivot holds the axle means quite a bit of leaverage of the pivot bearing. Also the steering forces are coming from behind which means that play in the pivot bearing is directly steering play. The frame has a 6mm u-shaped piece around the axle which I think is ideal for extra support. So I machined 4 Delrin blocks for a snug fit and bolted them to the front axle. This way the forces on the pivot bearing are greatly reduced and the steering play caused by pivot bearing play practically reduced to zero.
The king pins were worn on the inside where the wheel bearings sit. One by 0.1mm and the other by 0.6mm. The only explanation I have for that is that water got past the bearing seal disk and damaged the bearing leading to the inner ring to rotate. So I wanted an additional seal ring on the inside.
I machined and hardened, polished and annealed inner rings that I glued over the axle stubs. There are only pressing forces here, so a glue joint is acceptable.
The seal ring is seated in small cylindrical parts that I made by metal spinning on the lathe from a flat sheet metal disk on an aluminium tool. Those two short pipes are then pushed over the rim centre pipe and sealed.
I did not like the crude fixing of the wheels with a washer and a split pin through a hole with the wheels going all over the place. So I cut an M8 thread into the axle stubs, made a flat large washer and can now remove axial movement with shim washers.
There were a few things in the original design that lead to long term problems, so I took the freedom to do some modifications.
The way the pivot holds the axle means quite a bit of leaverage of the pivot bearing. Also the steering forces are coming from behind which means that play in the pivot bearing is directly steering play. The frame has a 6mm u-shaped piece around the axle which I think is ideal for extra support. So I machined 4 Delrin blocks for a snug fit and bolted them to the front axle. This way the forces on the pivot bearing are greatly reduced and the steering play caused by pivot bearing play practically reduced to zero.
The king pins were worn on the inside where the wheel bearings sit. One by 0.1mm and the other by 0.6mm. The only explanation I have for that is that water got past the bearing seal disk and damaged the bearing leading to the inner ring to rotate. So I wanted an additional seal ring on the inside.
I machined and hardened, polished and annealed inner rings that I glued over the axle stubs. There are only pressing forces here, so a glue joint is acceptable.
The seal ring is seated in small cylindrical parts that I made by metal spinning on the lathe from a flat sheet metal disk on an aluminium tool. Those two short pipes are then pushed over the rim centre pipe and sealed.
I did not like the crude fixing of the wheels with a washer and a split pin through a hole with the wheels going all over the place. So I cut an M8 thread into the axle stubs, made a flat large washer and can now remove axial movement with shim washers.
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King pin repair
The inner wheel bearing seats were worn by 0.6mm on one side and 0.1mm on the other side. I welded material on to fill the 0.6mm. Thanks to the shape of the king pins with three arms sticking out I found it impossible to clamp it on the lathe. So I used a rotary table on the milling machine to take off most excess material. The last bit I did by hand with a file until I had a good fit for the bearing again.
For the other side with only 0.1mm missing I did not want to do the welding exercise, so I made a slieve from Teflon with 0.1mm bigger inside diameter and filled the worn part with JB-Weld and pushed the slieve over the glue and waited until the glue had hardened. Then I pulled off the Teflon slieve and filed the excess 0.1mm down until I had a nice snug fit for the bearing.
The inner wheel bearing seats were worn by 0.6mm on one side and 0.1mm on the other side. I welded material on to fill the 0.6mm. Thanks to the shape of the king pins with three arms sticking out I found it impossible to clamp it on the lathe. So I used a rotary table on the milling machine to take off most excess material. The last bit I did by hand with a file until I had a good fit for the bearing again.
For the other side with only 0.1mm missing I did not want to do the welding exercise, so I made a slieve from Teflon with 0.1mm bigger inside diameter and filled the worn part with JB-Weld and pushed the slieve over the glue and waited until the glue had hardened. Then I pulled off the Teflon slieve and filed the excess 0.1mm down until I had a nice snug fit for the bearing.
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Painting
Sharp edges lead to lower paint thickness and that is where typically the corrosion starts. Therefore I rounded off all sharp corners on all parts before spray painting with epoxy primer and top coat afterwards.
Everything was left for a week in the living room in a sunny spot by the window for faster curing of the two pack paint due to higher temperature.
Sharp edges lead to lower paint thickness and that is where typically the corrosion starts. Therefore I rounded off all sharp corners on all parts before spray painting with epoxy primer and top coat afterwards.
Everything was left for a week in the living room in a sunny spot by the window for faster curing of the two pack paint due to higher temperature.
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Front PTO assembly
My front PTO shaft splines were damaged. I found a guy in Austria that can repair the splines but he wanted 270 quid for that. Yeah, sure. Interesting video though, very skilled the guy, and I may give it a go myself at some stage, nothing to loose with the old PTO shaft.
This is a picture of the parts after disassembly.
I was lucky to find a second hand PTO shaft that looks like new in the US and ordered it. The bearing at the pulley is a standard 6205 but with only one seal disk. I used a 6205 2RS and removed one of the seal disks.
For the needle bearing I used an NTN HK2520. It has 25mm inside diameter, 32mm outside diameter and is 20mm wide.
The seal ring is 25mm on the inside and 32mm outside diameter.
First we feed the large clip ring over the PTO shaft and then press in the main bearing with the seal facing the pulley flange using a suitable pipe pressing only onto the inner ring. No hammering here! Secure the bearing with the small clip ring.
Press the needle bearing into the pivot and press the seal in as well.
Apply grease generously onto the bearing, needle bearing, PTO shaft and feed it into the pivot. Secure the outer large clip ring.
Check that it is running smoothely (it is now ) and it is ready to go into the tractor.
My front PTO shaft splines were damaged. I found a guy in Austria that can repair the splines but he wanted 270 quid for that. Yeah, sure. Interesting video though, very skilled the guy, and I may give it a go myself at some stage, nothing to loose with the old PTO shaft.
This is a picture of the parts after disassembly.
I was lucky to find a second hand PTO shaft that looks like new in the US and ordered it. The bearing at the pulley is a standard 6205 but with only one seal disk. I used a 6205 2RS and removed one of the seal disks.
For the needle bearing I used an NTN HK2520. It has 25mm inside diameter, 32mm outside diameter and is 20mm wide.
The seal ring is 25mm on the inside and 32mm outside diameter.
First we feed the large clip ring over the PTO shaft and then press in the main bearing with the seal facing the pulley flange using a suitable pipe pressing only onto the inner ring. No hammering here! Secure the bearing with the small clip ring.
Press the needle bearing into the pivot and press the seal in as well.
Apply grease generously onto the bearing, needle bearing, PTO shaft and feed it into the pivot. Secure the outer large clip ring.
Check that it is running smoothely (it is now
) and it is ready to go into the tractor.
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Front axle assembly
First the king pin bushings have to be pressed in. I used SF-2 bushings I bought on the internet (left) that look like the original ones to me (right), possibly coming from the same basement in Shenzen. Dimensions are 25mm inside diameter, 28mm outside diameter and 25mm wide.
New grease nipples with M6x0.75 thread on both kingpin sides and one in the centre bottom. Due to wear on the kingpin side I could not press the bushings in fully. The little edge is handy though for guiding the bronze shims I machined to make both king pins play free in axial direction and I did not like the idea of steel grinding on steel anyway. I also have a thin bronze shim between axle and steering knuckle at the top.
Due to the reduced pivot diameter in my case I made a bushing for the pivot that sits in the frame. It also doubles up as a shim.
Together with the delrin blocks attached the front axle and the pivot / PTO shaft assembly everything is ready to go into the tractor.
Press in the wheel bearings (6205 2RS), new short valve and mount tyres.
Lift the front axle into the frame and push the pivot about half the way in. Then insert the shim washer behind the axle and push in the pivot fully. Attach it with the four bolts at the front.
Insert the long bolt under the axle in the frame and tighten with 7.8Nm (5.8ft-lbs) and secure with a second lock nut.
Insert left king pin, insert key, slide steering knuckle over shaft and secure with bolt. Attach steering bar. Insert right king pin and secure with clip ring. Attach tracking bar (I replaced the worn out ball joints) and adjust it so that the wheels are parallel. I used a straight edge against the axle stubs before attaching the wheels. Tighten the nuts on both ball joints.
Apply grease on the axle stubs (so that they don't rust) and slide the wheels over the stubs. Washer over the stub and secure with split pin. I used shim washers and a bolt to attach the wheels so that they have no axial play any more.
Hub caps over the wheels.
My extra water seals on the inside look good and I believe will work well.
Apply grease to all three grease nippels until grease comes out and the tractor is ready to go.
My font axle is nice and play free now and the steering wheel play is down from 90 degrees to about 40mm at the wheel. It is within specification now but not nearly good enough for my taste. Steering box and steering wheel shaft and U-joints are the main contributing factors now and of course the damaged king pins on the rear axle allowing the rear wheels to move 2cm (!) at the top of the tyre. That is for another day, grass cutting next
First the king pin bushings have to be pressed in. I used SF-2 bushings I bought on the internet (left) that look like the original ones to me (right), possibly coming from the same basement in Shenzen. Dimensions are 25mm inside diameter, 28mm outside diameter and 25mm wide.
New grease nipples with M6x0.75 thread on both kingpin sides and one in the centre bottom. Due to wear on the kingpin side I could not press the bushings in fully. The little edge is handy though for guiding the bronze shims I machined to make both king pins play free in axial direction and I did not like the idea of steel grinding on steel anyway. I also have a thin bronze shim between axle and steering knuckle at the top.
Due to the reduced pivot diameter in my case I made a bushing for the pivot that sits in the frame. It also doubles up as a shim.
Together with the delrin blocks attached the front axle and the pivot / PTO shaft assembly everything is ready to go into the tractor.
Press in the wheel bearings (6205 2RS), new short valve and mount tyres.
Lift the front axle into the frame and push the pivot about half the way in. Then insert the shim washer behind the axle and push in the pivot fully. Attach it with the four bolts at the front.
Insert the long bolt under the axle in the frame and tighten with 7.8Nm (5.8ft-lbs) and secure with a second lock nut.
Insert left king pin, insert key, slide steering knuckle over shaft and secure with bolt. Attach steering bar. Insert right king pin and secure with clip ring. Attach tracking bar (I replaced the worn out ball joints) and adjust it so that the wheels are parallel. I used a straight edge against the axle stubs before attaching the wheels. Tighten the nuts on both ball joints.
Apply grease on the axle stubs (so that they don't rust) and slide the wheels over the stubs. Washer over the stub and secure with split pin. I used shim washers and a bolt to attach the wheels so that they have no axial play any more.
Hub caps over the wheels.
My extra water seals on the inside look good and I believe will work well.
Apply grease to all three grease nippels until grease comes out and the tractor is ready to go.
My font axle is nice and play free now and the steering wheel play is down from 90 degrees to about 40mm at the wheel. It is within specification now but not nearly good enough for my taste. Steering box and steering wheel shaft and U-joints are the main contributing factors now and of course the damaged king pins on the rear axle allowing the rear wheels to move 2cm (!) at the top of the tyre. That is for another day, grass cutting next
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Front PTO pulleys and belts
Made a new rubber strip for the engine mount limiter.
I attached the front pulley onto the PTO shaft, belts over the pulleys and then attach the tensioner / clutch idler wheel assembly. Attached the various belt guides and inserted my refurbished PTO clutch wire. Adjusted the wire to 90mm spring length when engaged and the brake play to 3mm. All new and shiny now and ready to go.
Made a new rubber strip for the engine mount limiter.
I attached the front pulley onto the PTO shaft, belts over the pulleys and then attach the tensioner / clutch idler wheel assembly. Attached the various belt guides and inserted my refurbished PTO clutch wire. Adjusted the wire to 90mm spring length when engaged and the brake play to 3mm. All new and shiny now and ready to go.
Now that is some amazing work. I'd really love to know how to tighten up my front axle. It suffers from the same malady every 2160 does to my understanding. Steering is all over the map, thanks to a tiny amount of play in that center pivot