Case 411 - Starter/Ring Gear

[PA 411]

I have a 411 Gas and have some problems with the starter engaging the ring gear. Twice now, I have cracked the cast iron housing around the starter gear. My local Case dealer mechanic thinks I may have a worn ring gear (he hasn't seen it). He says a fix for this problem may be splitting the tractor, removing the ring gear and flipping it around to the side with better (unworn) teeth. Anyone have any experience, thoughts, or opinions out there ?

 

[Randy in NE]

These little gas engines have a tendency to stop in the same place, hence the teeth get worn down in one spot. I know on my Farmall Super C it did this. One option was to remove the ring gear and roatate it 180 degrees. My thought was since I had it split I would put a new one on. It wasn't that expensive. I guy over on the Farmall board tried this but he ended up breaking off some of the teeth. If you heat the ring gear up until it is almost cherry red, it will pop right off. Same thing putting the new one one. Try not to heat up the flywheel to much since this is going to expand along with the ring gear.

 

[Joe (Wa)]

I"ve done a couple of 300"s 300B"s, VAC and older vehicles. This is the procedure described in some service manuals and how I do it.

Take the flywheel off, lay it flat, mark the flywheel adjacent to the worn teeth, normally 1 to 4 places

Tap the ring gear off with a drift and hammer.

Put the ring gear in an oven @ 450°F - 500°F for about an hour.

Drop the ring gear back on the flywheel in the proper position, it will flop right back on very loose, with the worn teeth in a different alignment. The teeth generally wear the most on the starter gear engagement side so it is often beneficial to turn the ring gear over also. You will have 10 - 20 seconds or so to play with it before in shrinks and seizes.

Joe