Batteries and Steering Box

On or around Tue, 24 Feb 2004 17:15:28 -0000, "Tim" enlightened us thusly:

650 amp is almost as big as the "small commercial" one which I fitted to ours - I think it might be rated 700A.

type 643 or 644, I forget which - whichever one has the terminals the right way round - the wires will *just* reach, you have to relocate the wiring loom that runs around the end of the battery by putting it over the top of the battery, and then it goes in with about 5mm to spare between the battery and the radiator. slight mod to the battery hold-down strap with a big hammer to make it fit; you could equally cut off the bits that go downwards to fit the normal battery.

"Tim" wrote >

They ran out of knowledge. There is an Allen stud in the top centre held by a lock nut. This thing should be tightened gently until there is no steering play then backed off maybe a quarter turn so that there is some decent play. Recheck that there is some play at the box input shaft and that there are no tight spots. Tighten lock nut. Too little or no play will cause excessive wear and some dodgy handling.

Huw

On or around Wed, 25 Feb 2004 17:22:25 -0000, "Huw" enlightened us thusly:

sounds good. IME there's always more play at extreme lock than dead-centre, too, but maybe that's just that all my steering boxes are knackered.

helps if you lift the front wheels off the deck and put the axle on stands, you can then spin the steering from side to side easily to check for any stiffness. Also a good chance to check yer steering lock stops. And to pre-empt the next question - if the wheels hit anything, the stops are too far in. The book figure is 20mm clearance between the tyre and the radius arm, although in fact, if it don't touch then it don't touch, I've seen 'em set with about -20mm clearance there, and it doesn't seem to hurt anything much - although if you went around on full lock all the time you'd wear the edge off the tyre, and possibly eventually wear a notch in the arm.

Just been to Halfords, don't say it? and apparently they can get the 644 with the 735 amp cold cranking. Thats the one I think I will be getting as its commercially rated so it must be better.

Thanks for your advice

Tim

I had a feeling that it was possible to adjust it but the Haynes book seems to be dimishing in usefulness every time I get one.

Cheers

tim

On or around Wed, 25 Feb 2004 20:20:58 -0000, "Tim" enlightened us thusly:

not all 643/44 are alike - depends on make; mine ar cheap ones from the local agricultural merchants, but they do only cost about 38 quid plus vat.

ISTR lucas ones being rated more than 700A too.

Just been to check and it is 644 you want, not 643.

On or around Wed, 25 Feb 2004 20:23:54 -0000, "Tim" enlightened us thusly:

only too true. they used to give instructions for stripping and rebuilding gearboxes...

Those where the good ol' days. I remember stripping a series 2a gearbox some 17 years back, to replace the mainshaft. Step by step descriptions, (almost) and pictures in the manual.

They seem more content these days with servicing times. Glad to see they still keep the spakplug indicator guide! That has got me out of many a jam..........................

Tim

I was quoted £85 for one from Halfords. So went to a Tractor dealer who sold me one for £38. If only my profit margin was that big.

Works a lot better now.

Cheers

Tim

If only the tractor dealers margin were that big :-) The prices are that low because farmers are being squeezed so all their suppliers are squeezed and everyone catches a cold apart from those in the know that shop at these places, which are treasure troves.

Huw

The dealers are worried, with good reason, but they shift a lot of that size of battery; they do have economies of scale on that sort of stuff.

On or around Thu, 26 Feb 2004 22:11:49 +0000 (GMT), snipped-for-privacy@zhochaka.demon.co.uk ("David G. Bell") enlightened us thusly:

fits 'most all the tractors, and half the lorries as well, both 12 and 24V.

BIG tractors and lorries have the bigger versions, there's a 664 which is more powerfuller and I believe and 8-summat which is about 3" higher and a lot more powerfuller...