Reply To: Trusty dog clutch shaft removal

[sidevalve5]

Hi all,

An update on the Trusty. Struggled to get the clip off and did not want to grind it out unless absolutely necessary. So decided to firstly try to do a (agricultural) repair in-situ. The shaft was twisted, so jacked up one wheel, put another jack under a spade lug and another jack on the other wheel’s spade lug, which would turn the wheel in the opposite direction. Put some firebricks around the shaft and heated it until it was a dull red. Then raised the jack on the raised wheel. Tried to ‘bone’ the twist on the gearbox top. Let it cool and it was a lot better. The steering dogs do still get stuck if you move them too far along the shaft, but had already put a bar with hooks between the original steering lever hooks so I did not have to move the levers out to the maximum.

It was worked well whilst scuffling and then threw a chain again when starting off on the left hand steering lever first. The cause of all the trouble is the wheel and pinion shafts on the left hand gearbox having bearings that are both shot. Everything wobbles around, including the chain plate wheel. So took out the steering lever stop bolt, fitted 3off 3/8” thick, 3” diameter nylon discs to it to keep the plate wheel straight. Now have got the machine working again. Realize it is only a temporary fix, but am hoping it will do for this season. Have a couple of later Douglas engine sliding axle types that I intend to use in the future after rebuilding the clutches and engines. Will retire this 1945 JAP engine 4 stud wheel one, although have rebuilt the engine last year, so am going to put it onto a Clifford Model A Mk1 rotovator.

The above entailed ‘a whole lotta bodging’ and would not recommend it unless you are like me completely stuck with no spares. It took an age working in the field and is still only a ‘get you going repair’.