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MF 7 Executive Resto

9K views 110 replies 30 participants last post by  Lovintractorin 
#1 ·
Today, I brought the MF7E into the shop, and started the resto.
Serial # 03779.
I hope to post and document as much of the progress, as I can, but
at times I get ahead of my posts.
I always take lots of pictures, as I go along. If there is any area
not covered in the pics I post, that you want to see, please ask. I probably have it
on the camera/disk.

Pics below, are of what I'm starting with, and of what got done today.
First off, it's supposed to be yellow, as can be seen in many spots.
Someone actually took the time to tear this machine completely
apart, and paint it in the red/grey Massey colours. In some places, (belt guards)
you can see that the yellow was painted over with grey, and then red.
On the bright side, lots of paint on it, and therefore, very little rust.

The plan is to tear it apart completely , etank everything that needs it, fix what needs
fixing, and get it back on her feet.

There is also, a picture of what it should look like.
 

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#6 ·
I'll follow along. I'm always ready to learn something, especially about tractors I don't have. Bring it on!
 
#7 ·
KennyP said:
I'll follow along. I'm always ready to learn something, especially about tractors I don't have. Bring it on!
:ditto:
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
Got it torn down this far now. All in all, it's anice little project. Biggest issue I have to deal with, is staightening the front axle.
Someone smacked it pretty hard to twist that front axle like that. I guess, lots of heat, and give it a twist, is the answer
to fix that.Hope I don't mess it up. Be hard to find a replacement. The axle post holes, have also been worn oblonged a bit. Brother can fix that in the lathe, and make up bushings
to suit.
Good news is that 75% of the parts, won't need to be e-tank'd. Very little rust to deal with.

Oops, posted the wrong picture.(pulley) How do I remove that pic?
 

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#11 ·
mac102004 said:
Wow it's really coming along. I don't know how that front axle would have gotten bent. Was anything else bent like that?
Yes, check out the steering wheel. It got broke, and then welded back together
crooked. It's almost like someone drove it hard into a hole, and then did a body slam,
or face plant on the steering wheel. Ouch.
 

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#13 ·
Oops, posted the wrong picture.(pulley) How do I remove that pic?

Will, go to edit, advanced. Select that pic, a ? should come up and let you delete it.

Have fun straightening that axle. I'd have to build a charcoal fire to get enough heat to bend something like that.
 
#16 ·
Got it completly apart this evening.
Fixed a few things on the main frame.
Drilled and tapped sector gear post for grease fitting.(was stripped)
Welded deck hanger cross tube back in to place.(to right of post)(can't find that pic:confuse:)
Ground off a bunch of old welding splatter. Straightened a couple of
slightly bent brackets.
Wire wheeled, sanded, degreased, and primed the frame.
 

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#17 ·
As I said, I get ahead of my posts, so it's time to update.
I haven't tackled that bent axle yet. Soon.
Got a bunch of parts cleaned up and primed. Wheels, cleaned up, primed
and painted. The rusty parts have been put through the bubble bath.

One thing that really stands out as different, about this MF7E, and all the others
that I've done, is the quality of the old paint. It just doesn't want to come off.
Lead based, right?
I've done grinding on some old steel covered with lead based paint, and that
same smell is there. In the bubble bath, that paint acts like a decal. It just hangs on.

So far, I've only been working on the small bits and pcs, but the big tin I'll sand blast.
Too much hand sanding there.

Here's some pics.
 

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#19 ·
Finally got around to trying to straighten that twisted front axle, and it was
successfull. I welded a pc of 3/4" threaded rod to the bench, and secured the axle.
Then I set up a torch, clamped to a post. The idea, being, just to help keep the heat
in the axle, as I heated up the twisted spots, with another torch.
Got the axle good and red hot, and gave it a twist, with a large bolt in the other post hole. I had made a gauge, so I could check the axle cant, after I twisted the "H"
beam axle. Got it right, first try.

Also cleaned up, and primed some other pcs. Also had to weld up a crack in the steering column, prior to painting.

Started to reassemble frame, tranny, and hubs. Not much there yet, but it's starting to go back together.
 

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#23 ·
Looks good, Will. I'm glad you got the front axle straightened. Neat way to do it.
 
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#25 ·
KennyP said:
Looks good, Will. I'm glad you got the front axle straightened. Neat way to do it.
The straightening went suprisingly easy. All along, I couldn't figure out, how it could have been bent, without doing major
damage elsewhere. That axle isn't that strong. It's nowhere near as beefy as the axle on say, a MF8. Comparing the 2, I'd say
it's 1/2 the axle. But that's ok, as I don't plan on taking this one ATV'g.
 
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