8441 having problem with adjusting the swaybar on three point hitch.

[timothy]

I have a Zetor 8441, having a problem adjusting the three point hitch's sway bar on the left side. I have tried putting the arm in a shop vice spraying some pentitrating oil on the threads, put cheater pipe on the wrenches and it will not budge. Also broke one of the wrenches in the process. I contacted the dealer before I tried this and all he would tell me is to bring the tractor to the shop, which is 30 miles from here can not drive it that far on the road, and He wants $1,350 to hail it back and forth. I thought about taking the arm off and taking that to them but when I asked the dealer he said I would have to take the left tire off and some of the housing to take it off. Any suggestions. Thank you Timothy from Texas. This tractor is a muscle car with the four wheel drive. I have had a Case, John Deere, White and a International Harvister. The Zetor has out performed all of them. This is the only problem I have had with the Tractor.

 

[bigdoug]

If you have torches (or maybe even a Mapp torch), try heating it up and then turning it. That usually works when nothing else will. Be careful though and don't burn up the tractor!

Just a curiosity question: How could you put the arm in a shop vice without removing it?

 

[bobnz]

I had all threads in the three point side turnbuckles as well as the equalizer and link adjustment threads all frozen with crusted rust. No movement is any or them even with oxy torch applied and excessive leverage, The approx 22-24mm threaded shaft in the adjustable link was just starting to twist up with the torque applied.

After many days of electrolysis and then torque applied I started to get movement. With rocking back and forward followed by more time in the electrolysis tank and eventually they are all unscrewed, well cleaned cleaned and greased.

Now are working well with clean surfaces on the threads, and can be screwed easily by hand.

The equaliser parts were all salvaged but new thrust bearing were fitted. A copper shim in bearing for the top shaft out of the equaliser gearbox makes it less likely to let water in.

I added a lower grease nipple for the equaliser gearbox and put a heavy felt washer on the top shaft which will accumulate grease and help keep water out. The lower grease nipple fills the gearbox and the overflow comes out through the top shaft bearing where the felt washer collects a good amount.

Also a screw was added to allow thick oil to be squirted into the top of the equaliser hexagon down tube so that sliding action will be kept oiled/ greased.
.
Rust frozen parts can be left in an electrolysis tank for days, worked a little then put back in the tank for a time again. It takes time for the electrolysis to work well up inside a frozen thread and each time some movement is gained then it is easier for the solution to get up into the thread and do its work.

I don't know of another way to move really frozen threads encrusted in rust but good results with this method. Patience and persistence is needed.

If you are not familiar with the simple electrolysis process a search on the web will find many hits. Here is one.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

 

[timothy]

Thought about using the old torch as you suggested, heating up the outside part, I just got through washing the back part of the tractor to get any flamable grease or oils off. When it dries I'll try your suggestion. As to the shop vise, several yaers ago I mounted a shop vice on an adjustable pole welded in a wheel ream. Comes in handy out in the field as a support (third hand) to clamp down parts that I am working on. I can adjust the hight of the vice on the pipe and I welded a C clamp on the wheel ream. If I do not have anything close to the wheel ream in the location of where I am working I have been able to fasten the top of the pipe to something with a C clamp. I have a shop vice attached to th back of my farm truck and I come up with this when I needed a vice under the machinery I was working on and it just saves time.

 

[timothy]

Thanks BobNZ I did not think about electrolsis I wil try that. I know it might be rusted up from the powder of rust that comes out of the end, or the arm is rusted on the inside. Although the right arm is just fine I can adjust by hand. I thought the threads might be pulled. Won't know until I get it apart. Thanks for the web link, at this point I'm at witts end and I really don't won't to pay to hall in to the dealer if I can fix it here. Thanks abunch for the advice.

 

[timothy]

Well I got it apart using the torch. It has some threads pulled. The only thing I can think of is that I used last, with the three point hitch, was a three bottom moweboard plow,that might have caused it to pull the threads. Anyway, I got the swaybar apart. I do apprecieate your advice Bigdoug and BobNZ. I did download the page on Electrolysis that was the next step I was going to use. Anyway I hope I can help you sometime. Thanks.