1948 8N rebuild progress

[JJay48]

Thanks for the info showcrop.

Parts came out pretty clean. Little bit of flash rust and lots of pits and imperfections in the cast iron. Going to coat them with some body filler most likely and sand that out. Getting a coat of epoxy primer first though and coating the inside with the glyptal. Will probably use some high build primer as well on the outside. She will be slick when finished.

 

[Btzj02]

JJay48
Curious as to how you intend to paint the main body of the tractor. Are you finishing and painting before assembly or after? Also, are you sand blasting the castings and if you are do the gasket surfaces need to be protected? I have never done such an in depth rebuild but I have located my Dad's old 4000 and if I get my hands on that tractor I will be headed in the direction you are going. Soaking up as much as I can from your thread!

 

[GChief]

Thanks for the info showcrop.

Parts came out pretty clean. Little bit of flash rust and lots of pits and imperfections in the cast iron. Going to coat them with some body filler most likely and sand that out. Getting a coat of epoxy primer first though and coating the inside with the glycol. Will probably use some high build primer as well on the outside. She will be slick when finished.

Hope you still use it

But it sounds like it might be on the way to trailer queen status

 

[Duner Wi]

I am not sure of the function of those tabs.

HPOK1 kit also fit some Ferguson's
Ferguson's use the tabs I believe, Ford does not.

 

[JJay48]

JJay48
Curious as to how you intend to paint the main body of the tractor. Are you finishing and painting before assembly or after? Also, are you sand blasting the castings and if you are do the gasket surfaces need to be protected? I have never done such an in depth rebuild but I have located my Dad's old 4000 and if I get my hands on that tractor I will be headed in the direction you are going. Soaking up as much as I can from your thread!

I am going to prime and do some of the body work to get them smooth before assembly. Still deciding on when I want to paint the red but the plan at this point is to assemble the main structure minus the engine and the hydraulics when painting the red. I dont want too much assembled because it would be a pain to get the paint even and in all the little hard to reach areas. I know some guys paint them with it all together and thats fine but not the way I want to do it. The only thing is if you paint them apart is do you keep your bolts bare and have them cadmium plated or try to touch them up once everything is together. I had seen a tractor with all cadmium painted bolts and it looked pretty good.

The main castings you see in the previous photos I took to a metal cleaning shop to have them chemically stripped. They use an alkaline based solution. Sand blasting is a good option as well and if I was doing that I would mask the gasket surfaces and try to avoid them. The gasket would probably be hard to remove from a blasted surface in the future.
I have a large sand blaster but its just a pain to put all the plastic down and have to clean up after it. I thought the chemical stripping would be better to get the inside clean as well. I think if I go this far with another tractor I will probably make my own hot tank with a 55 gallon drum and use a lye/water mixture to strip the cast parts myself. This way I save time and money and dont have to worry about someone else dropping the parts and damaging them. I just have to be careful with the toxic solution but I can do 1 part at a time and minimize the flash rust before priming.

I hope you get your dads old 4000 and get it rebuilt.

 

[JJay48]

Hope you still use it

But it sounds like it might be on the way to trailer queen status

It will be at least for some time. It was not the original plan but did turn into that. I want to take it to shows and maybe do some tractor rides with it for a few years at least. Eventually it might get some light work but I want to preserve it and pass it on to another family member eventually since it has been in our family since new.
I have another 1950 8N that I plan to use for work around the property.

 

[showcrop]

Hope you still use it

But it sounds like it might be on the way to trailer queen status

I think that you would be happier with Glyptol than glycol on the insides of the casings.

 

[JJay48]

I think that you would be happier with Glyptol than glycol on the insides of the casings.

Lol yes. Ill just say the red stuff. *Glyptal*

 

[GChief]

I think that you would be happier with Glyptol than glycol on the insides of the casings.

... I'm good, mine is still all in one piece and used daily.

 

[JJay48]

... I'm good, mine is still all in one piece and used daily.

They quoted the wrong post. I accidentally typed glycol earlier instead of glyptal.

 

[HFJ]

They quoted the wrong post. I accidentally typed glycol earlier instead of glyptal.

hey now! i was not told there would be a test

 

[GChief]

They quoted the wrong post. I accidentally typed glycol earlier instead of glyptal.

I know, just being a smarta$$

 

[zuhnc]

For stripping I use large plastic storage tubs. Works well, and not attacked by the lye mixture. Low enough to the ground I don't have to struggle to put large parts (engine, transmission housings, etc.) into it. Elbow-length chemical resistant gloves are a MUST, though.

Same with the Evapo-Rust I use after the stripping and pressure washing. Into the stripper for a couple of days -(NO aluminum in there though!), pressure washing, and then into the Evapo-Rust for a couple of days. More pressure washing and then the primer. zuhnc

 

[JJay48]

For stripping I use large plastic storage tubs. Works well, and not attacked by the lye mixture. Low enough to the ground I don't have to struggle to put large parts (engine, transmission housings, etc.) into it. Elbow-length chemical resistant gloves are a MUST, though.

Same with the Evapo-Rust I use after the stripping and pressure washing. Into the stripper for a couple of days -(NO aluminum in there though!), pressure washing, and then into the Evapo-Rust for a couple of days. More pressure washing and then the primer. zuhnc

You dont use any heat or agitation and it still does the job? Got any photos of the stripped parts?

 

[zuhnc]

I have my 48 8N block sitting in my shop. It has been stripped, but not put into the Evapo-Rust vat yet. No heat or agitation, pumps don't do well with the lye concentration, and the plastic doesn't like heat! I do some manual agitation of the part and liquid a couple times a day, though, just not motorized.

I will have to take some pictures of it, as well as the transmission housing from the same tractor. Transmission is not apart, just split from the engine and back end, so original greasy, painted condition. zuhnc

 

[JJay48]

I have my 48 8N block sitting in my shop. It has been stripped, but not put into the Evapo-Rust vat yet. No heat or agitation, pumps don't do well with the lye concentration, and the plastic doesn't like heat! I do some manual agitation of the part and liquid a couple times a day, though, just not motorized.

I will have to take some pictures of it, as well as the transmission housing from the same tractor. Transmission is not apart, just split from the engine and back end, so original greasy, painted condition. zuhnc

Thanks. I would like to see how that turns out. I was thinking of making one with a metal 55 gal drum and a water heater element. Copper line with holes in it and low pressure for agitation.

What is the Evaporust for though? I thought the lye solution should strip everything? Does the evaporust just wash off before painting. I thought it left a film behind.

 

[zuhnc]

The lye solution does strip everything, but sometimes takes a couple of cycles (dip/pressurewash) to get all the old paint off. If there is rust on the part, that doesn't get removed by the lye. Once out of the lye and washed, the part tends to rust quickly.

The Evapo-Rust removes any rusting that has taken place, as well as any rust that the lye didn't touch. Wash the part, let dry, and ready for primer. Once through the Evapo-Rust, the part won't rust for a good long while, but I prime after washing and drying. zuhnc

 

[JJay48]

Ended up just putting diesel in my parts washer. Works much better than the water based parts cleaner. Got the transmission gears and pto soaking in that.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Ended up just putting diesel in my parts washer. Works much better than the water based parts cleaner. Got the transmission gears and pto soaking in that.

No way I could ever use diesel as a parts cleaner in my shop I'm not that poor yet : 0... Its always been varsol and will always be... Life is good.

 

[JJay48]

No way I could ever use diesel as a parts cleaner in my shop I'm not that poor yet : 0... Its always been varsol and will always be... Life is good.

Well you’re a bit late now! Im poor anyway because I sent all my money to the 8N parts guy.

I dont mind the smell of diesel though. Better than gasoline.