Top rollers were flopping around pretty good so they got taken apart.
Shafts are worn on the inside where the seals failed along with the bushings.
I took them to my welder friends shop to press out the shafts. One came out pretty easy, the other one made the big press grunt a little.
He pressed off one of the rings where the seal rides, it came right off. Looks like more shaft fabrication.

The shaft for the front idler axel showed up and we got the new axles finished.

Cylinder mounts bolted to the track frames. I had to take them off my little wooden stand, I think I was real close to the load limit.

I will have to say putting paint on is a lot more fun than taking it off.  Bryon got all the bushings done for the front idler and they turned out awesome. I have everything to put the front idlers together  now. Waiting on stock for bushings and axle shaft for top rollers. That should be it for the track frames 
Really cool to see yellow parts around my shop instead of rust or bare metal. 

 

More assembled on the track frames. 
All the stock for the upper rollers came in today. 
 Bushings pressed into front idlers and the axle shafts slide through like butter. A couple of shims on each side should bring them back in to spec.

Looks real nice Gary!

BP

Gary just wondered if you greased the shafts and bushings before assembly so they are completely lubed before use? sometimes I have found that the grease does not get to all surfaces by just greasing through the fitting. Maybe you already knew this but was just mentioning it.

Rome wrote:

Gary just wondered if you greased the shafts and bushings before assembly so they are completely lubed before use? sometimes I have found that the grease does not get to all surfaces by just greasing through the fitting. Maybe you already knew this but was just mentioning it.
Yes everything was greased on assembly and I also read in the servicemen manual to pre oil the leather seals. I didn’t heat them in oil as suggested but let the oil soak in cause I had plenty of time! 
Thanks for the tip though and appreciate any other suggestions from someone with your experience .
 

Bruce wrote:

Looks real nice Gary!

BP
Thanks 
 

Pivot bushings in at Cat spec.
I recovered these bushings from my 5j and are very close to new Cat spec.
Actually pretty crazy to be working on a 1941 tractor and be putting stuff back  to original Caterpillar specifications. Although everything I do is not  new Cat spec it's all been well within those specs. The war time bulletins have been extremely helpful and I've used many of the procedures to bring my little tractor back to life