4000 Front Axle

[Check Break]

When I acquired this '68 4000, the front axle and bolster were thrashed. I welded the bolster and replaced the pivot pin, but the right & left spindle arms remained as they had been re-configured. I don't like this style power steering and although I've thought about a dozen different ways to redesign it, never did. Does anyone recognize what model these tall axle housings originated on.

The previous owner broke up the front bolster and axle pretty good. I don't know how someone could destroy a spindle (axle) housing, but he had talent. I hate to cut the spindle housings down if they're an oddity. One of these days they're going to end up on a short list and the 4000 is going to be sporting some new form of hydraulic steering.

 

[Sean in PA]

Looks to me like someone cut the original welds holding the original spindle tubes to the axle and welded them back on at a different height, like they thought they were making their own version of an LCG. Then they welded an extension onto the spindle arm to lower the bottom end down to the original linkage height. Are the spindle and spindle arm on the right side similarly modified?

 

[Destroked 450]

Those look like spindle drops from a Long brand tractor
My Farmtrac uses that design
I have two 4000 front axles with bolsters, bolsters and pins need building up

 

[SkipperII]

That looks to me like the front axle from a 5000 series, that someone has severely modified. If you go to Messicks online catalog, you can
see what axles and steering are available. All states Ag parts has a wide salvage network, and may have what you need.

 

[Check Break]

(quoted from post at 20:00:07 02/20/23) Looks to me like someone cut the original welds holding the original spindle tubes to the axle and welded them back on at a different height, like they thought they were making their own version of an LCG. Then they welded an extension onto the spindle arm to lower the bottom end down to the original linkage height. Are the spindle and spindle arm on the right side similarly modified?

I wondered about that. The dealers around here used to cut down standard tractors and make orchards out of them. Both sides are the same and I don't believe the tractor sits any lower than it would with standard tubes. My impression of the previous owner is a modification was outside his scope. This tractor had 1500 hrs on it when taken out by the classic battery fire. I bought it for salvage because the owner couldn't envision the repair.

 

[Check Break]

(quoted from post at 22:04:52 02/20/23) That looks to me like the front axle from a 5000 series, that someone has severely modified. If you go to Messicks online catalog, you can
see what axles and steering are available. All states Ag parts has a wide salvage network, and may have what you need.

I don't have any 5000-s around here to compare it to. I once thought maybe a 7000, but the pictures in the parts books don't support this, as best I can tell. A 7000 appears near me once in a while from the same era. I don't get along with the owner so I never checked it out.

 

[Check Break]

(quoted from post at 21:03:14 02/20/23)
Those look like spindle drops from a Long brand tractor
My Farmtrac uses that design
I have two 4000 front axles with bolsters, bolsters and pins need building up

That's as close as I've come to seeing something similar. Kind of makes sense too. Given the way the PO treated this machine, he didn't grease the spindles, ran flat out over every pothole, hit the furrows and ridges perpendicular, and never dreamed of a check break. He only went to the dealer because the battery fire was an insurance job. More likely, given the area the tractor came from, the PO would have got complete salvage spindles and housings and had one of the locals cut and weld his spindle arms to make them work.

I baked, gas welded, and slow cooled my bolster. A buddy of mine machined it on his bridgeport. The axle pin we turned from a piece of round stock ( I don't remember the material grade) and heat treated it with a big rosebud and bucket of oil. The pin halves leave a tight hole behind when you torch them out. After welding in the new pin, we cut the middle out of it to clear the tie rod pocket. Most of the new pin was sacrificed, but I've used that trick a few times to keep two pins in alignment.

 

[Bob N.Y.]

Are the front tires larger than normal?

 

[Check Break]

No. They're 7.50-16-s. The spindle arrangement makes them look odd. I temporarily turned the wheels around when I installed new tires to see what kind of clearance I'd gain. Still need to reinstall the weights and turn them around.

 

[Leroy]

I had both a 65 and a 68 4000 (4100) with the 38 inch rear
wheels and a 68 5000 (5100) and those spindals are nothing
like was on my tractors. And a 7:50x16 tire is perfect size
for the 4000. One had 6:00x16 on when I got it and changed
them out as soon as possible. I helped a friend scrap out a
John Deere 30 combine and the wheels and 7:50x16 tires fit
perfectally. Rims that came on tractor was a narrow rim for a
6:00x15 tire. The 5000 had 7:50x18 tires on it.