Taper lock flywheel

[Anonymous-0]

Good morning, I read a lot and hear about taper lock flywheels. What are they and how do they work? A picture would be nice. The flywheel on my JD B is loose again. Can anyone help me.----Harold

 

[Mike M]

Try new grade 8 bolts and nuts and flat washers under the nuts and draw it up tight and if it doesn't crack it may stay tight.

Those taperloc fylwheels are designed like a collet. The inside of the fylwheel is machined at a taper,then a splined ID and tapered OD collet is put inside the fylwheel and it has a large nut on the outside you draw the collet up in the taper thus tightening it on the splines.
I think Allen machine works in Tenn. may of been the guy that thought this idea up. They are still in business and is the best place to buy them.

 

[P Browning]

Harold -- 'Done that, Been there! But not with a Model B tractor -- try an H with the problem!

Story -- A closer look at the codes stamped into the flywheel and cranshaft revealed two different ones. While not entirely conclusive, most H tractors I have observed will have a letter or a pair of numbers so stamped and they always seemed to be corresponding. And so I concluded the former owner changed the flywheel trying to make the "loose wheel" problem go away. I ended up replacing the crankshaft and was able to save the flywheel.

In your case -- I think you will find that when the price of a taperlock is known -- if there is one for your tractor, that you will think perhaps it is time for a full engine overhaul including another crankshaft! That is the route I found, and the cost wasn't too bad. You would be wise to also replace the flywheel. Oh -- you can draw up on a worn spline set, but you risk other issues such as vibration or wobble. And what would be really neat is to find a used crankshaft and its original mating flywheel from the same tractor! (PatB)
Restoration Site, JD H

 

[F-I-T]

In addition to what the others had to say, on a "B", which was the most popular model of the two-cylinder era, for the money one would spend on the tap-r-lok collet and the machining of your flywheel, it's probably just as easy to find a proper serviceable crank and/or flywheel as opposed to installing a tap-r-lok.

How it works is a collet with a mounting flange, is tightened down on the crankshaft, where the flywheel splines would have nested. Then the flywheel is mounted to the collet. The theory is that the collet, which in principle would resemble the axle/hub collet joint, would be able to grab onto the remains of the splines on the crank, and once wedged into position, lock and grip tight without jiggling loose. The machined parts (hub, collet, machining the flyheel) cost some money, and quite often, like on a "B", you can find non-modified parts to bring it back. The tap-r-lok is very useful when working with the diesel cranks and flywheels which had a great propensity to shake flywheels loose and batter crankshaft splines until nothing could be kept tight. I've only had two over the years, and while they work, I sure prefer to have the "original" set up if possible.

Frank

 

[stn.tn.]

I have used Allen's machine workes in Jonesboro Tn. many times for Taper-Loc Flywheels. Excellent replacements if (repeat) if you install correctly as directed. I have nothing but complete satisfaction from there product. There PH#423-753 5738.

 

[Machinery-Man]

there have been posts on this subject before and it seems like an overview was stretched bolts would not retain tension. My suggestion is to obtain some new bolts, maybe even fine threads and you should be able to lock the flywheel in place but I can assure if you over tighten you can break the flange.