2011 - Volume #35, Issue #4, Page #39
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He Tightens Flywheels On Deere 2-Cyl. Tractor
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"I cast new ones for the popular 720 and 730 diesels," he says. "For others, if there are no cracks, I can rebuild them, replacing the OEM hub with my Steel Draw-In Taper-Loc Hub."
The new hub replaces the bolts originally used to tighten flywheels to the shaft. On older flywheels, the bolts have often been tightened so far and so hard that they crack the cast "ears" they extend through.
"Once the ears crack, there is no way to tighten the flywheel, and once the splines wear, the flywheel won't stay tight," explains Darr. "Two slots in my Taper-Loc Hub allow it to tighten down on the shaft as the tapered flywheel is pushed onto it."
Rebuilding the flywheel consists of tapering the center that fits over the hub. Before tapering an old flywheel, Darr checks it carefully for cracks. One customer took his flywheel to a machine shop and had it Magnafluxed, which Darr says is a good idea.
"It's cheaper to pay $125 for Magnafluxing than shipping it to me with cracks," he says. "I will just reject it, and you are out shipping and a flywheel. If there are fine cracks and I put it in a lathe at high speed, it can be very dangerous."
If the flywheel doesn't have to be replaced, Darr removes the old splines from the flywheel center, fits it in a lathe, and cuts a taper into it. This matches the taper in the Taper-Loc Hub.
To install the flywheel, you slide the Taper-Loc Hub onto the shaft and then slide the flywheel into place up and onto the taper. As the flywheel is bumped into place, the hub tightens down on the shaft. A lock nut holds the pressure against the flywheel.
Darr explains that the process requires precisely following instructions. He includes two pages of directions with his product.
"The Taper-Loc Hub fits even a fairly worn crankshaft," says Darr. "If a crankshaft is new or extremely worn, a specially fabricated hub may be needed."
New flywheels carry a suggested retail price of $800 to $1,000. Rebuilds usually cost around $360. With shipping both ways, a rebuild can cost $500 to $600.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Allen Machine Works, 100 Fairview Circle, Jonesborough, Tenn. 37659 (allenmachineworks@hotmail.com).
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