Ford 4630 "Frame" Bolts

[SOCOPowerMan]

I've got a major issue with my 4630. Luckily I avoided catastrophic damage.

Long story short - I was putting along and started hearing a noise. Didn't seem like much. Then it got worse, quickly. So I shut the tractor off. Went to investigate and realized that I had a 1/2" gap between the front on the engine block and the front clip (not sure what to really call it - the portion of the 'frame' that holds the radiator and front axle) and it was literally hanging on by a thread. The top two bolts had sheared off and one of the bottom bolts (threaded rod?) had backed all the way out, too. I had one in tact and holding the machine together. I was able to use two come alongs and the loader brackets to sandwich the machine together enough to get it back to my shop.

Current state - I've got it ready to pull apart. All of the tin and the items on the front clip are off the machine. I got the top two bolts out. It looks like they're just bolts that sandwich the block and front clip together. That's not too bad. But what about the bottom threaded rod? I can't quite see how it connects. I got one out (on it's own) and the other is the only thing holding the front clip in the correct place. Do the bottom ones just thread into front clip?

Replacement - Are these something special I need to order from Ford/NH? Or can I find the right size and just get them locally from a machine supply store? I'm assuming a 'bolt is a bolt' unless there is some special torque to yield one time use kinda thing for it.

 

[Destroked 450]

Nothing threads into the block, there should be 4 bolts holding the bolster to the engine, the two bottom ones are normally installed from the back side

Did the top bolts shear off or did the nuts back off allowing the bolts to slide out
In the photo you can see the bolt head for the bottom bolt, above that in the shadow under the ps pump is where the nut goes on the top bolt

Loaders put extra stress on the front end and sometimes the bolts work loose

The bolts are common grade 5 you can purchase at most hardware stores
Make sure they are not the cheap grade 3 junk but you don’t need grade 8 either

 

[SOCOPowerMan]

Nothing threads into the block, there should be 4 bolts holding the bolster to the engine, the two bottom ones are normally installed from the back side

View attachment 71429

Did the top bolts shear off or did the nuts back off allowing the bolts to slide out
In the photo you can see the bolt head for the bottom bolt, above that in the shadow under the ps pump is where the nut goes on the top bolt

Loaders put extra stress on the front end and sometimes the bolts work loose

The bolts are common grade 5 you can purchase at most hardware stores
Make sure they are not the cheap grade 3 junk but you don’t need grade 8 either

Ok, thanks for the photo.

My top two bolts sheared. I have them out and know that as fact.
But the bottom ones, for me, are not bolts. Not like the top anyway. Picture attached. You can see the sheared top bolt. But what I pulled out of the bottom hole is different. Maybe it was changed at some point before I inherited the tractor.

 

[Destroked 450]

Yours must be a 4x4 model, something about that bolster had Ford using a stud with nuts on each end rather than the bolts that are used on 2wd models

Part # 53 - bolt - 3/4” - 10 x 4.00” long
Part # 54 - hex nut - 3/4” - 10
Part # 68 - stud - 3/4” -10 - 10 x 5.35” long
Part # 69 - hex nut - 3/4” - 10
If the studs look ok reuse them with new nuts and pick up a couple new bolts
If you want to replace the studs you’ll probably have to use ones 5.5” long, not a issue

 

[SOCOPowerMan]

I have the 2wd. I kinda wonder if they’ve been replaced at some point before now.

 

[Destroked 450]

My parts book is for the first few years
Ford may have switched to the studs on the bottom for 4wd and 2wd to keep it a common build practice
For you either reuse the studs or get 4 new bolts, either one should work
My photo above is of a 96 model axle with bolts

 

[SOCOPowerMan]

Sorry for the delay - but I've got these replaced now. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it was close. Literally a hanging on by a few threads.

Just a note - the 5 1/2" suggestion for the bottom bolts was too long. I had to make up a little space with washers. A 4 1/2" would have been ideal. I also think a 4 1/2" would have worked better on the top, too, just to give a few more threads out of the lock nut. It was just long enough to thread the nut all the way on the bolt at 4".

Thank you all for the help!

 

[Destroked 450]

Glad you got it fixed
The 5 1/2” recommendation was for a stud threaded on both ends requiring 2 nuts, a bolt that length would be to long

 

[SOCOPowerMan]

Glad you got it fixed
The 5 1/2” recommendation was for a stud threaded on both ends requiring 2 nuts, a bolt that length would be to long

Ok. I see how you meant that now. I read it differently.

You meant replace studs with studs. I read it as replace studs with bolts.

No big deal. Getting it all buttoned up today. I’ve got hay to mow next week!

 

[Destroked 450]

Good luck
Hoping we may be able to get in the hay fields next week, we’ve had one 4 day stretch of good weather all month, and that was only forecast for 3 days so I didn’t cut any
3” of rain so far this week with more storms forecast for tomorrow, then clearing up