550 Oliver question

[J. Mash]

Hello,I am putting a new front center axle pin and bushing in one of our 550's.does anybody know what degree angle these axle holes were bored at from the factory. Was also wondering if a brass bushing would last? Much Thanks !

 

[Don-Wi]

I redid the axle for my brother's 550 last year, and the best I could tell it was 4 degrees. A brass bushing wouldn't last long at all.

I had a friend make me a new bushing w/ a large weld chamfer that I pressed in and then welded in place. I also put a large chamfer on the axel on both sides for more penetration. I had to hone the bore out a little bit with some sand paper on a rod in my die grinder. If I remember right, the pin is 1 1/4", and I went with a bushing that was 1 3/4".

You'd be amazed at how much slop gets taken out of that thing once it's all back together. Hardest part was getting the old pin out- ended up cutting it with a torch and then blowing a hole through the middle of each of the peices left in the tub. Was enough to releive some of the pressure and then he could pound them out.

Was a lot of labor, but glad we did it.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[jeff550]

my 550 center pivot kept backing out into the lower pulley.

I ended up putting a fender washer under the zirk grease fitting, to keep if from backing out.

What would cause it to back out? was a retaining ring or bolt missing?

 

[Don-Wi]

There is a bolt that is supposed to screw in from the bottom of the casting. The pin has a hole in the middle for the bolt to engage in.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[J. Mash]

I bushed the axle on my other 550 last year. Used a steel bushing with a factory replacement pin i ordered, and had trouble with the pin and bushing galding each other.It would end up breaking the set pin that holds the axle pin. I finally ended up getting a real hard pin made by a machine shop that would not gald to the bushing.Thats why i thought i would try a brass bushing this time. I was told today by a old Oliver dealer that those axles are factory drilled at 10 degrees. another one thought it was 13 degrees. Does that sound close?

 

[Don-Wi]

Was the bushing a hardened tool steel one like a drill bushing? My brother got a new pin from AGCO and it was really hard(probably about 55 Rockwell C). I left the steel bushing soft so it would wear instead of the pin, and as long as my brother keeps it greased it should be fine for another 49 years.

When I welded the bushing in place in the axel it shrunk down, so I had to basically grind it out to fit. Made sure it was a loose sliding fit before installing.

I would have made the new pin myself but at the time I didn't have access to any manual lathes, or ovens to harden it. Now at the shop I'm at now I have access to all the tools/machines I would need.

Donovan from Wisconsin