400 cracked rear end

[36b A]

My son is looking at a 400 there saying the rear end is cracked water freezing . Anybody ever seen this happen ?

 

[caterpillar guy]

Happens more than you think.Some weld them up some change the whole casting. I would just drain it split it then turn it over and warm it up some with a torch or with a fire under it and right side up then when warm flip it and weld. Cast needs preheat or careful work to weld it best results is warmed then welded or brazed. Also depends on where the crack is but probably on the bottom.

 

[wore out]

My son is looking at a 400 there saying the rear end is cracked water freezing . Anybody ever seen this happen ?

If you OWNED the tractor and that happened (and it had sentimental value) I can see trying to repair it.

As to buying one like that, NO WAY, it's not the only one in existence, even if you found a good one half way across the country and had to pay freight you'd still be ahead.

IF it's true that enough water got in there to crack the case during the CCCOLD season, what else is damaged/rusted, and how many years did it sit with that much water in it all the while rusting internal parts?

 

[ss55]

My son is looking at a 400 there saying the rear end is cracked water freezing . Anybody ever seen this happen ?

If it has already been successfully repaired with no leaks, I would not be afraid to buy it at a slightly discounted price. If it has not been repaired yet price it as a parts tractor or worse. If you cannot repair it yourself (braze it?) it could be very expensive to pay a professional to repair it.

Search the YT archives, if it is cracked underneath a bull gear, an axle bearing might have failed and a loose ball bearing got caught between the bull gear and the bottom of the case, busting out the bottom of the case.

 

[Ellis Kinney]

What ss55 said is what happened. I bought an M in 1973 and still have it. Had a crack at the bottom of the casting. This happened quite a bit. Someone did an excellent job of brazing the crack. My advice is-- if you are good at fixing things and want the tractor it is a time consuming fix but not really difficult. Break in half and turn upside down. Ellis

 

[teddy52food]

What ss55 said is what happened. I bought an M in 1973 and still have it. Had a crack at the bottom of the casting. This happened quite a bit. Someone did an excellent job of brazing the crack. My advice is-- if you are good at fixing things and want the tractor it is a time consuming fix but not really difficult. Break in half and turn upside down. Ellis

I used to braze them overhead in my younger days!

 

[36b A]

I'll have to see this crack before making any decisions . The old boy that owned it told me it had a M&W crank in it . When I was a little kid he was buddies with my dad and was dairy farmer . That tractor and a f20 were always at the co fair pulling . He passed away and the kids left it outside and are selling things .
.

 

[rustred]

I'll have to see this crack before making any decisions . The old boy that owned it told me it had a M&W crank in it . When I was a little kid he was buddies with my dad and was dairy farmer . That tractor and a f20 were always at the co fair pulling . He passed away and the kids left it outside and are selling things .
.

Most definitely need to look at it. Just saying it has a crack don’t mean much. I have even seen the inner axle brg go and the bull gear wire a hole right through the diff. Housing. And it was brazed up. Get back with a pic of this crack.

 

[m16ty]

If it has already been successfully repaired with no leaks, I would not be afraid to buy it at a slightly discounted price. If it has not been repaired yet price it as a parts tractor or worse. If you cannot repair it yourself (braze it?) it could be very expensive to pay a professional to repair it.

Search the YT archives, if it is cracked underneath a bull gear, an axle bearing might have failed and a loose ball bearing got caught between the bull gear and the bottom of the case, busting out the bottom of the case.

I’ve seen that happen, but that’s also where water tends to settle and I’ve also seen them freeze and bust in that area.

 

[m16ty]

Best case it actually did freeze and bust, worst case is something came loose inside and wanted out. Either way, you are buying a parts tractor or at least one that’s going to require quite a bit of work. It’s up to you if you think it’s worth the risk.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Dad's Super M had a cracked differential housing from water freezing. It was brazed or welded before he bought it 50 years ago, and never leaked a drop. We did just about everything with that tractor that you shouldn't. Pulled way too large manure spreaders, etc.. Again, never leaked a drop.

 

[36b A]

best I could get for a picture . Hope the bull gear isn't broke too .

 

[rustred]

You could pull the pto out and have a look in there.

 

[mike1972chev]

Yea, I vote for actually getting a look inside that rear end. You might have a bearing coming apart causing that.

 

[Janicholson]

The offset of that crack is dramatic. It really needs a replacement housing, or professional welding. Jim

 

[MM-TX]

You haven’t indicated the condition of everything else. Stuck, loose, runs, sheet metal condition, tires. Seems like a parts tractor that might have an interesting engine.

 

[36b A]

You haven’t indicated the condition of everything else. Stuck, loose, runs, sheet metal condition, tires. Seems like a parts tractor that might have an interesting engine.

Ran 2 years ago . Haven't gotten it loaded up yet .

 

[used red MN]

The old boy that owned it told me it had a M&W crank in it

I heard a possible ID of an M&W crank is a split roll pin in the nose for the crank mechanism to engage on. The stock pins were solid.

 

[36b A]

Once we get it home we'll pull the PTO and get a better look . Straight sheet metal , ran 2 years ago , power steering , live PTO and hydraulic 5 sets of wheel weights . And a loader . The tractor hasn't done much for 15 years as the guy that owned it wasn't in the best of health .

 

[used red MN]

He passed away and the kids left it outside and are selling things .

Set outside on a Farmall usually means engine locked tight as a drum.