426 replies to this topic

[Clint]

With the front end assembled, I opted to go to the far rear and tinker with the seat assembly.  That's where I ran into the my next stumbling block.  When I was at Dandy Sales, I was able to procure both the battery plate and the tool box.  According to the diagram, the battery plate goes beneath the leaf spring and the tool box goes above it.  Unfortunately, the tool box, if it were bolted down according to the diagram, will end up mangled as it interferes with the curved portion of the leaf spring.  It seems like I'm going to need  a spacer to raise the box high enough not to contact the curved section of the spring.  Perhaps this box, which I'm fairly sure is a replica, is not exactly the correct dimensions. I'm considering my options...

 

As you can see from the photos, if I bolt the box down flush against the spring, it will get bent upward at the front.  That won't look nice.  However, if I put some sort of spacer under it, I run the risk of it looking like a cob job.

 

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I took a few photos of the guard, seat and tool box, but they won't load. In short, bolt the guard on first, then the battery tray, then the seat spring and then the tool box. All of the tool boxes on mine are not sitting flush. They all have a gap. The seat spring should not flex that much to alter the box. If it does, it'll probably break and you'll fall off the back and the tool box being bent will be the last thing on your mind. PM me your # or if you have Facebook, I can send you the photos. My tablet keeps telling me "no photo selected" when obviously a photo is selected.

[Hondarider]

Thanks Clint! That's valuable information. PM sent with contact info. I did by some 3" wide bar stock to make a spacer for the tool box. I've just got to prime it and paint it blue. That gap would drive me insane...kinda like not painting the walls behind your kitchen cabinets. Sure, nobody will ever see it...but I'll know...

[Hondarider]

Wow! You are doing a great job on the restoration! The outer axle seals are available for these rear ends from a few sources in case you wanted to replace them. The inner axle seals failing cause most of the problems with these rear ends. As long as the inner seals are good, you will be fine. I came across an old Desoto shop manual when I replaced the outer axle bearings in the rear on my Gard'n Mast'r tractor. There are tolerance settings for the axle end play, but that's not too critical as long as the rear end doesn't see highway speeds. As long as there's no drag or excessive slop in the axle, it will be fine. Again, nice job!

I did want to replace them and the shims, but after contacting a few old Plymouth parts houses with no luck, I gave up. I think mine are serviceable enough to keep the grease out of the drum assembly at sub-highway speeds. If I ever stuff a Hellcat motor in it and take it out to Bonneville for Speed Week, I'll probably want to replace them.

Edited by Hondarider, January 26, 2016 - 06:21 AM.

[Hondarider]

Just bought 10 feet of #40 roller chain for the main sprocket.  I only needed 38", but they don't sell it by the foot in my tiny little town.  I may need another Panzer or 2 just to use up the extra chain.

 

I also ordered some super sexy stainless, slotted, truss head machine screws for the fenders and the hood...with nylon flat washers to prevent the paint from being scratched.

 

 

They just look old school.

Edited by Hondarider, January 26, 2016 - 10:57 AM.

[classic]

Here is where I picked up some parts for my old Plymouth transmission and rear end in my Gard'n Mast'r tractor. I don't know if they sell shims for the rear.

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[Hondarider]

Here is where I picked up some parts for my old Plymouth transmission and rear end in my Gard'n Mast'r tractor. I don't know if they sell shims for the rear.

 

The 2 gaskets at 12:00 are exactly what the shims look like.  You just stack them to get the right spacing so that the backing plate won't crush the bearing when you tighten it to the flange.  You're the master of finding old obsolete parts.

[classic]

These old tractor restorations force me to have to search high and low for needed replacement parts. I had to reline my brake shoes on the Plymouth rear since mine were oil soaked. The part number for the linings is 1137D for the linings with 10" drums, and NOS ones are usually available on Ebay. Some of the Panzers utilize only one brake shoe like yours, which is more than sufficient. In this picture, the top brake shoe adjusters raise or lower the shoe to allow for full contact between the shoe and the drum. The adjusters at 3 and 9:00 allow you to adjust the shoes out closer to the drum to take out slack in the brake pedals. I had to readjust everything since I replaced the linings and back plates.

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[Hondarider]

Anxious to get the rear axle reassembled, I attempted to put on the backing plate last night.  I put on the shims, the outer seal, and the backing plate...then I attempted to insert the flange studs from the pumpkin side of the flange.  I didn't get very far before I realized that those studs are a tight fit and can't be pushed in by fingers.  There's also no room for knocking them in with a hammer and drift.  After 20 minutes of that, I gave up and regrouped.

 

Plan B

 

I removed the backing plate, the seals, and the shims.  Then a grabbed a stack of split washers (because the O.D. of flat washers was too big and hit the bearing race) and pulled the studs through the flange manually...starting with a washer or two to get things moving and then stacking up washers until I had pulled the stud all the way home.  This was a manual task that took me quite a while.

 

 

When I was all done, all the studs were in place and ready to receive the backing plate.  Unfortunately, the paint was marred in a few places as the heads of the studs rotated into the axle tube and then dragged as I pulled them in.  I'll need to touch that up (OCD)

 

 

At this point, I did run a die down the studs to clean the paint off the threads...in case Darryl or Bob are compelled to critique my work.

Edited by Hondarider, January 27, 2016 - 12:39 PM.

[Hondarider]

The backing plate went on without much drama...as did the drum. The wheel was a little problematic for me. Looking at the design of the drum...with the stepped circle in the center (see red arrow in photo)...and looking at the wheel with a corresponding hole in the center...I was sure that these wheels were hub-centric and the rim would fit to the drum tight and flush at the center. However, as I made multiple attempts to crank it down, it seems that the backside of the wheel has a raised rib that contacts the outer face of the drum long before the hole and the stepped hub ever meet. I tried cranking it down with a large breaker bar, but all I was doing was deforming the wheel. I guess I should have paid closer attention at disassembly. I've been scrutinizing early photos to see what the fit was. I thought for sure that the stepped hub fit right into the rim.



I also noticed that the wheel studs or lug bolts really aren't right for the application. They don't have a taper beneath the head to center up the wheel. They're just regular 9/16-18 bolts with a square shoulder. I think I need to buy some better bolts.

[Hondarider]

Aside from those small issues, I'm really excited to see the Panzer with a rear wheel on it. I'm also thrilled to report that the axle turns nice and smooth. The endplay is nonexistent so I suspect that the bearing is overly tight, but it turns and I don't expect it to be an issue at the slow speeds it'll be moving.



The side by side comparison when I'm done is going to be shocking.

[UncleWillie]

That thing is looking great.

[KennyP]

That thing is looking great.

Great job!

[Hondarider]

After a brutal week and lots of hours in the office, I was able to get out today and collect up a few parts that I had ordered from NAPA and Fastenal. I got 10 new 9/16-18 lug bolts from NAPA and these sweet pieces of stainless goodness from Fastenal. I'm ashamed of how happy new hardware makes me.

These are going to look awesome on my fenders...and the nylon washers will prevent the paint from getting buggered up when I torque them down.



More of the same for the hood...



If you want machine screws with a large, low profile, slotted head, you need "truss head" bolts. I dont think any hardware has stocked them in 40 years.

Edited by Hondarider, January 29, 2016 - 08:44 PM.

[Hondarider]

Unfortunately, there will be no garage time for me tonight. I'm chaperoning my 11 year old son on some sort of ice skating date at the local ice rink. Disco lights...LOUD pop music...and 600 middle and high school kids. At 43 years old, its NOT the most fun you can have on a Friday night...but someday he'll insist that I drop him off and drive away...so I'm making the most of it with a most excellent B&S publication from 1976. The Theory of Operation section might be the best written explanation of a 4 stroke engine that I've ever read. This book is seriously good reading.

Edited by Hondarider, January 29, 2016 - 09:49 PM.

[Tbrooks]

This panzer is coming along very nicely. I can't wait to see the finished product!