Converting 5718 to 4WD with 5748 a front axle

[danmic]

Hi everyone, new to this forum and fairly new to Zetor so plesa have patience with me

Recently i became an owner Zetor 5718 from 74 with front loader and a lot of tools for it. The whole thing is in pretty good condition, considered the age and had just 2 careful owners before me. In my search for it I also came across a 5748 from the same year but in slightly neglected condition, without frontloader, homemade cabin and no paper. It wasnt hard for me to choose 5718 from those 2 and I am basically happy with my choice. Still, I was initially looking for 4wd with similar configuration, so I am only 90 % there. So, I am now considering to buy the 5748 as a doner of 4WD package and convert the better one of them to get all I want. Remaining tractor could be useful on the farm, remain as a part doner or could be resold to a better needing owner for restoration.

To the questions itself.

1. Are the gearboxes of 5718 and 5748 identical?
2. Have anyone done similar 4WD conversion on Zetor or any other make?
3. Shall I be aware of any problems in advance?

I imagine a couple of alternative scenarios and try to determine which one is simpliest, fastest and cheapest:

1. Simpliest - move front loader and cabin from 5718 to 5748, give it all a good service and start working. I am a bit reluctant to do that due to generally less known condition of 5748 - it would be changing a better tractor for a lesser one for the benefit of 4WD.

2. Middle - swap the engines from the better 5718 to 5748, potencially some other things, along with the loader and cabin. A major work in terms of time and unknown surprises, a lot of small considerations, higher cost on materials too.

3. Preferred but least known - swap front axle, drive shaft and transfer case between the two. Seamingly straight forward solution but I would like to understand the differences in the gearboxes fully, to be sure. Maybe the gearboxes have to be swappet too? Sombody, somewhere claimed that there might be one wheel in the gearbox that is different between the models.

Simple, is there anyone who could help in my decission process? Very greatful for all opinions and insites

Danmic, small farmer in Sweden

 

[bignikki]

I believe that your last and prefered option is easily do-able.
The transfer box from the gear box to the front wheels is basically bolted on to the bottom of the gear box. The engaging lever comes through the floor to the cab.
The 2 wheel drive tractor will have a plate bolted on instead. Take it off and bolt on the transfer box, change the front axle over and it should be done.
Sounds too easy doesn't it.
Someone else on here will have to confirm it but as far as I know --it is

 

[danmic]

Thanks,

Just like I perceived the task.

However, yesterday I came across a statement in the manual that says that there is no difflock on 5748 model and it is unclear to me whether they just mean a diff lock between the axles, on front axle or no diff lock at all, not even for the rear axle?

Mine 5718 is equipped with the diff lock for rear axle but I am not sure if it was a standard fiture back then? A small pedal on the right side of the floor engages the diff lock.

I know that 4WD on 5711 series is of a simple "all wheels on" type so not surprising that there is no diff on front or in between axles. Would this have any impact on the conversion?

Cheers

Dan

 

[forterra9641]

I believe that your last and prefered option is easily do-able.
The transfer box from the gear box to the front wheels is basically bolted on to the bottom of the gear box. The engaging lever comes through the floor to the cab.
The 2 wheel drive tractor will have a plate bolted on instead. Take it off and bolt on the transfer box, change the front axle over and it should be done.
Sounds too easy doesn't it.
Someone else on here will have to confirm it but as far as I know --it is

the 2wd 5718 may not have the gearwheel for output to transferbox mounted since its a feature for 4wd only. the only way to know is to take of drop box of the 48 and the plate on the 18 and compare.

 

[danmic]

Nikki - thanks,

This was exactly what I expected. It will take some inspection to determine but I am confident that some things should differ, unless all the diferences are contained to the transfer case itself. All things considered, perhaps a little more huste but still doable, I would say, especially when I have both tracktors side by side in the barn.

I will try to check and let you all know, maybe it will be usefull to some other chaps on the forum.

Cheers Dan

 

[Renze]

In fact, not just the idler gear isnt mounted in a 5718 gearbox: even the diff shaft is different.

The only quick swap is to swap entire rear ends, from the clutch rearwards.

 

[danmic]

Thanks,

The last post confirmed my suspicions. Since engine on 5748 is in lesser condintion - slight blue smoke at cold start - perhaps a shift of 5718 engine, cabin and frontloader is the way to go. Not so much work after all and much safer path to the goal.

I will keep digging, should you come up with anything else - don-t hasitate to post it

BR

Dan

 

[Renze]

unlike the 3045 and 3545 (which only had 4wd in high range) the 4wd idler gear is not driven off a gear on the layshaft of the high/low range, but off the pinion shaft. Therefor the pinion shaft is different, and you'd be in for a full diff rebuild (or actually a teeth clearance adjust, you can re-use all parts, but the work involved equals a full rebuild) when pulling the pinion shaft.

And you would need to make special tools to pull the layshaft of the range gearbox to swap the idler gear on this shaft.

All in all, you would have both tractors out of service for a whole winter. Its better to swap engines (and powersteering perhaps ? ) in a long weekend, so you can feed your cattle still. The tractors will run without cabs, and swapping the loader might take another saturday on which your tractor will be out of commission.

 

[bignikki]

Damn! Sorry bout that. Just as well there's people on here that know what they're talking about
I have a 35 45 , shouldn't assume that they are the same.
Ho Hum..