Frozen Oliver 880 (Gas) - Need Suggestions

[jander3]

Yes.  Tractor was not quite level and low on oil.

Beenthere, I was really wondering how I was going to pull the head on that tractor and get it to a shop.  Glad it is not needed now as that project would not be quick.

I'm thinking maybe two things save me.

1. I may have had touch of anti-freeze in the engine.
2. Coolant was low when things froze up.

[shinnlinger]

I saw a guy on farmshow that found a tractor with a badly cracked block that had spread because someone just kept welding as the stress cracks formed.  Since the portion of the block was flat, he welded a steel plate over the damaged area.  He may have j-B d or welded before he coverd the cracks with the steel as it was just to reinforce the repair.  He said it worked great. 

His logic was "I had a junk block to begin with, so worst case scenario is I still have a junk block"

[shinnlinger]

Actually, the guy might have tapped the block and put studs in to secure the plate.  Maybe over an old innertube to seal the leaks?

[Al_Smith]

There have been a number of methods used over the years .One is tapping one side of the block then using all thread with a nut and washers with a gasket on the far side .Get it close,fill it full of salt water and let it rust shut .Works but rather crude .

At any rate evidently old Ollie didn't get hurt or so it looks .An Oliver 6 cylinder gasser has to be the smoothest running tractor power ever built .I have an OC-6 crawler that purrs like a kitten .For only 34 HP you'd think it was a hundred the way it spins the tracks .BTW the Oliver crawlers were one of the very few ever tested at the Nebraska tests that could out pull their weight  unless the data is inaccurate .

[jander3]

This oliver was some the best money I ever spent. Can't even imagine how I would have gotten things done at the Stump Ranch without her.  I would probably still be toting in the logs and putting them on the walls.

[jackpine]

Jander3   Not to hyjack your thread  ;D but I noticed your Koyker super k loader. I had one on an Allis Chalmers wd45 that I sold last year but had never seen one anywhere before. Good strong loader but too big for the wd45. Took me forever to find out what it was because it had been repainted and could not read the decal.
Bill

[jander3]

I really like the loader, after welding in some chain hooks into the bucket, she lifted the 28 foot, 900# wall logs no problem when building the cabin.  Just have to be very careful with that tricycle front end.

[shinnlinger]

yeah, tricycles and loaders are bad news.  lots of good folks are dead because of them.  You should really consider a roll bar or cage and seat belt.  Lots of states will pay 50% up to $1000 to put bars on older tractors.

[beenthere]

I don't buy into that hype. No offense shinlinger, but they deserve respect but don't have to be associated with the fear that you sling towards them (IMO).
With a loader, if the load was too high and the trike tractor tipped, it would only go on its side. Not roll over. Now, if one would get on a sidehill, or drop a wheel off the edge of a road or ditch, then most tractors (trike and standard) would/could go over.

As a kid, that is what we had to load manure and move dirt. All the neighbors had them too. Farmall, MM, Oliver, Case, Deere, Allis Chalmers. All trikes, and never heard of deaths associated with them in particular. Maybe because they didn't go so fast.  :  Couldn't even get a wide front (called Standard) tractor with a FEL until in the 60's or so.

So just give them respect, as one should do for any piece of machinery.

[isawlogs]

We never had that many around , might of been an old farmall or McCormick trike but all where wide front axles.
Why would there be so many around you guys place ???  We do have hilly ground and the flat spots got built on 

[shinnlinger]

Fair point been there,

What I really wanted to draw attention to is that many states will financially assist anyone who wants to put a ROPS on an older tractor, tricycle or not, and if you have old iron I hope you seriously consider it.   Even if it just a parade piece, it may inspire others to add a bit of safety to there machines.

Google tractor deaths and it will sober you up.  For some reason, I looked at one a few years ago where a seasoned farmer rolled his tricyled M in his own yard moving manure.  I guy used to that machine, in that setting, doing that task for years.

It can happen to anyone.  We all know that, but we all think it won't happen to us because we are a little bit smarter, safer, luckier, whatever and I am sure just about every dead tractor operator thought the exact same thing before he or she got on their tractor the day they died.

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, I am just trying to have people seriously consider putting ROPS on their older tractors and putting their seatbelt on if they have one.  Someone will probably miss you.

[Al_Smith]

The tricycle or commonly called "row crop " tractors were made for an entirely different method of farming than used today .Most that had a loader were simpley equipted that way to literally clean out the barn . The material type bucket was just an added feature for  some .

They work but you have to use some common sense .In soft ground the danged things with a load on them could bury that front end in the mud .More than several have snapped the pedistool clean off them doing that stuff .

I suppose some may have equipted them with a ROPS system but if so I've never seen any ,nor seat belts for that matter .

[Magicman]

I added ROPS to my old early 70's 1530 JD.  Yes, there is assistance.