My father had replaced the left side steps on his Farmall 826 with a K&M step with a hand rail. When I inherited the tractor, I grabbed the original step out of the corner of the barn, thinking I was young enough to get up on the tractor with the factory steps and I would put it back on for old times sake. I imagine I will get to that point someday when I will have to put the easier access steps back on.
While renewing the tractor and putting parts back on, I came to find that the original step was badly bent out of shape. So I heated it and tried to bend it back as best I could. I couldn’t get it straightened completely but it probably isn’t going to be noticable.
Then I wondered; how did this get bent in the first place? Did someone run into something? Hmmmm….the front axle is lower than the step. Oh well.
I have a photo of the tractor from 2002 and the K&M step wasn’t on yet. My father was 73 that year. I don’t know what year he put them on, but they were on it by 2007.
in this whole process I learned what 12 point bolt heads were made for.
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It also led to purchasing a 12 point socket set that I may not use again until I’m too old to get up onto the tractor with the factory steps. All for the joy of having the 826 back to the way it was when I was on the farm.