JD 730 restoring in small steps at a time

[TheBartman47]

Replaced the load sensor shaft oil seal, new battery box to replace the rusted out bottom original, cleaned and painted all the parts involved in this step.

 

[38 Sears Roebuck]

It all takes time and patience.

 

[rrlund]

I wish I still had mine, but, I was young and needed the money. Collecting tractors was the farthest thing from my mind back then. Everything had to do a job around here or it was gone. I think everybody had a tractor like that. My cousin traded an Oliver Super 88 off on a new Deere 3020 and said he wished he had just parked it until he had the time to see what the knock was in reverse. My uncle said the same thing about the Shepard that he traded off on a new Oliver 88. He said that was the one tractor that he always wished he'd kept.

 

[Scott 730]

Looks like a gasser?? I was surprised at myself for actually not being overly sentimental when I sent my 730 Diesel down the road after over 20 years of ownership. I really do miss it, but it just was not handy to have around for odd jobs being it was a pony start. If it was electric start it likely would still be here. The console 4020 is soooo much nicer.

 

[Tgrasher]

It all takes time and patience.

You forgot to mention money.

 

[TheBartman47]

Looks like a gasser??

It is propane (LP). Here's a video of a cold start before I started making the recent repairs...

 

[matthies]

Replaced the load sensor shaft oil seal, new battery box to replace the rusted out bottom original, cleaned and painted all the parts involved in this step.

All looks good, do what you can when you have time. So you replaced the seals on the center link mount, how was that?? I need to do our 630 sometime and have been dragging my feet.

 

[showcrop]

Replaced the load sensor shaft oil seal, new battery box to replace the rusted out bottom original, cleaned and painted all the parts involved in this step.

Are you "killing" the rust after cleaning and before priming the parts?

 

[TheBartman47]

All looks good, do what you can when you have time. So you replaced the seals on the center link mount, how was that?? I need to do our 630 sometime and have been dragging my feet.

It was a bit difficult, but if I knew what I know now, it would have gone a lot faster and easier.
Figuring out how to remove the load sensor shaft was the hard part.
Drain oil first.
The roll pin in the centerlink/load sensor bracket is removed by just pushing it through all the way... you will be able to retrieve it after you remove the shaft.
Removing the battery box was difficult on mine due to rusted bolts not having a head left for a wrench or socket to get on... I tried welding a nut to the top, but it just broke the bolt off and so had to drill out a bit then use easy-outs.
Open up top cover.
Unbolt the hydraulic quick-disconnect mounting bracket and that opens up the side access hole.
The shaft has threads on the end to put a long screw into and use that to pull the shaft out.
Unscrew the bolt that holds the bracket on the end of the shaft. That bolt has a metal piece bent over one corner of the bolt to prevent it from backing out, so straighten that part and then remove the bolt.
There is a vertical connecting rod that you will need to disconnect just from the top in order to move it out of the way so the shaft can slide out.

This is the part I didn't realize until I started re-assembly... the shaft is under pressure from a hydraulic piston at the bottom. Use a long screwdriver or pry bar to push in a little on that piston to relive pressure on the shaft, and then it should come out fairly easily.
You will then need to move that shaft bracket out of the way. It pushes against that bottom piston, so use the screwdriver/pry bar to push in the piston then pull the bracket out from the piston.

Use hook/curved tip needle nose pliers or any tool that will work for you to pull the oil seal out, also probably have to use a long screwdriver and hammer to beat on it. I had to tear up the old one to get it out.
Use a large socket that is the same size as the new oil seal as a device to push the new seal into the housing. Check the bushings while you got the shaft out... mine were still good. It was regularly greased at the two grease certs. Reverse all steps for re-assembly.

 

[TheBartman47]

Are you "killing" the rust after cleaning and before priming the parts?

not really... using a wire brush for the worst parts, a little bit of sand paper for additional, no primer - then spraying with canned John Deere Classic Green paint. TY25644

 

[TheBartman47]

Had a couple warm days before this next cold wave comes through so got a little more painting done and had the starter re-built with new bushings and brushes and cleaned up a bit.

 

[560Dennis]

Nice , video of starting. Special , to me is the set cultivators

 

[TheBartman47]

Nice , video of starting. Special , to me is the set cultivators

Yep, 4-row cultivators. A couple depth-control tires on them need replacing, but otherwise works fine. I still use it on my garden.

 

[560Dennis]

Yep, 4-row cultivators. A couple depth-control tires on them need replacing, but otherwise works fine. I still use it on my garden.

Cool thanks v

 

[showcrop]

not really... using a wire brush for the worst parts, a little bit of sand paper for additional, no primer - then spraying with canned John Deere Classic Green paint. TY25644

A pro once refinished some tractor hood panels for me no charge as a favor. He sanded all the old paint off first, and used good quality paint, not the cheap stuff that you get at a tractor dealer. They looked very good when he was done, but there were a few pits. Within two years the paint was bubbled up at those pits, and then the rust came through.

 

[TheBartman47]

Got some more work done on the 730. Cleaning and painting, new bushings in the 3-point lift arms.

 

[TheBartman47]

A little more progress

 

[TheBartman47]

Since we had a few days over 70ºF recently, I did a bit more painting...

 

[TheBartman47]

I got a little more painting done before the snow came while it was warm enough, and then while it was snowing, worked on installing the new gauges and replaced some of the wiring that had mouse chew spots.

 

[TheBartman47]

It hadn't had a working tachometer in decades... new tach drive gear now installed inside the governor housing... installation was actually not that difficult.