I recently acquired two '59 David Bradley Suburban's. One is complete, the other is a parts tractor, less engine. My plan is to build one good Suburban using the best parts from each. Since the parts tractor has the best frame, and the complete tractor has the best steering wheel, I must remove both steering wheels. I'm starting with the parts tractor. Since the steering wheel is welded to the shaft, I have no choice but to remove the steering pinion gear under the frame. It's much easier said than done. After removing the roll pin, I tried everything I could think of, including heat and a drift punch, trying to catch the one side of the top edge that protrudes slightly more than the rest of the gear and also utilizing the roll pin hole as a place to place the drift punch at an angle. PB blaster was also used. Has anyone tried to remove this pinion gear with success? If so, I'd sure like to know how it was done. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I have the tractor leaning up against the garage wall so I can get at it.
I think I would grind the welds on steering wheel and pull it, I redid my wheel in place on mine. you will learn to hate roll pins after one of these
here's pics of steering wheel
Bearing puller if you can get it to catch at back. That is the two-piece type with taper center and two big bolts. You will need another puller to use bolts into it for pulling. I would crank it up tight, maybe hit just a little with a impact wrench to tension, then add PB Blaster and let it soak under pressure. Come back next day, hit impact a little again, more soaking solvent. Sometimes they just pop-off during one of these tries. Heat on it also while tightened up may work. Don't pull alot on red hot gear, can bend teeth or damage shape of gear if not careful.
Thanks for all your suggestions guys! I'll continue trying with your ideas. The thought crossed my mind to grind off the weld that holds the wheel on too Jabelman, but I'll only do that as a last resort, and yes, I am beginning to hate roll pins. I never saw so many in a garden tractor. Your tractor turned out beautiful, so that give's me some additional incentive. The consensus seems to be heat and pull, so I'll have to look into a bearing puller as described by glgrumpy as well. I tried a pipe wrench Don, but no luck so far. I have a bigger one around here somewhere, so I will try again. The problem is that there is no where to get a good grip on the gear since it's flush at the top. Will let you guys know what happens. My whole purpose of restoring this machine goes back to when I was a kid going to Sears with my parents. I always saw this tractor in the lawn and garden shop and remember it well during the infancy of garden tractors back then.
keep us posted on your progress and feel free to contact me if you have any questions. just curious you have 2 of these, is it worth redoing both. you don't see to many of these anymore
My initial thought was to try to restore both too, but there are pros and cons on each that you discover when getting into it. I'll just be happy to get one really nice machine using good parts from both. I'll probably have many good spares when I'm finished, so maybe I can help someone else out in need of whatever. Unfortunately, someone butchered the front end of the complete tractor with the engine and good steering wheel. It looks like they were trying to modify it for a non DB attachment.
Funny you asked. Yesterday I took one off of a shaft after I cut the shaft in half. I heated it cherry red and hit it out with a hammer and drift i. some of them pull off easy some can be a real Bitch. The reason I cut the shaft in half was the steering wheel was shot and froze tight. But the gear was perfect. I save two gears now in two days. Usually the gears are wore out from no grease. I have extras if you ruin it.
Thanks oldmanmopar, but I just got it off this morning. The shoulder of that little pinion gear is so small that you can't get a good grip with a puller. My solution was to use a C clamp to keep the puller in tight and prevent it from slipping off. That and a little heat and PB Blaster did the trick.
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