B602

[CTXmiller]

While moving a B602 gearbox from one spot to another, I got to thinking while it was hanging from the tractor bucket, what condition was this old gearbox in? I’ve moved it a half dozen times over the last few years with the tractor, often to a spot that it would be less in the way. The hub is trash, but the gears, snoot ring and tail pin hole are perfect. It has an oil flipper and 3 18 stamped on the end of the shaft.

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Yesterday, I started tearing it down to see the condition of the bearings, etc.

What is the preferred method of removing the pinion gear pins on a 602 that lack the latter side access ports? I ask this a little late as I got all four pins out, even reading on the forum beforehand about not using a tapered punch etc. On one pinion, I used a Dremel and a small cutting wheel…tapping the pin out, rotating the pinion and then cutting the pin down and then repeating. While it worked, it was slow. Then on the other pinion, I remembered “I have a die grinder” and opted to used it. While it slung steel shards everywhere, it was much quicker at the steps: tap the pin out, rotate the pinion and grind that steel pin excess away…then repeat the whole process.

After the pins for the pinions were removed, I could rotate the pinions on the shaft by hand and then hand pulled the hub remnants and shaft out with little effort. But for the end of the shaft, where water was likely sat, the shaft was in perfect shape.

All the Babbitt for the main shaft was in very good shape as well as the Babbitt for the bull gear saddle.

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This one was painted black at some point and long since faded mostly away. Were oil baths ever painted black by Aermotor or is the black from a prior owner?

[windybob]

In my world, the pin removal is, either the way you did it, or drill. Without the access plugs, it's a slow pain. Kinda like heartburn. 602's that I've done have a variation on how many washers are used to take the thrust on the snout. Brass is good. The washer count need to be where the hole in the hub lines up with scraper hole. If it's too far off, you cant get the scraper in later. Usually if the scraper hole lines up with the hub hole, the pinion pin holes are about right for the pinions. During assembly, you need to check all the clearances before putting together the last time. I usually wind up pre-building one about 4 times before assembling the whole thing.

[CTXmiller]

Windy thank you. This will be a slow project like most of them I do.

I don’t see an oil weep hole for the oil to seep through to lube the mast cup. What timeframe was that introduced?

Ron S had posted photos previously of the different Aermotor mast turntable cups and the differences between the cupped one and the flat one with the flat one being for the older 602s and older models. This one looks more flat-ish.

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For the bull gears, I can see a small channel type line that is visible in the saddle area of the bull gears, but can only be faintly felt. Maybe something like 1/64th inch deep that channels the oil flow while it is indexed in the saddle. I was wondering if this was designed this way or an individual post-factory improvement?

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[windybob]

That's probably factory is my guess. I don't know when they introduced the mastpipe weep. I have seen them in different places on the case web, thinking they were always a work in progress. I have seen them with none also. Sometimes they weep so much that we plug / partially plug them with grease to keep dry the underside. Not sure if there is a seperate turntable cup for the older ones, or if you can use the everyday ones. You are aware that washers go in there to maintain the right spec inside the head? The web weep when working right lubes the turntable and inside the case bore. Your pedastal bearing cap may have babbitt in it also. They left that out later with a cap with no babbitt, but small oil grooves. Thats because they realized all the force is down on the bullgear shaft. Or that's my guess anyway. As far as the yoke goes, I would replave it with one that take an oiling ring. If you have the old flippers, once the mill turns backwards, they get bent, and are no good. The 602 was always a work in progress untill the 702.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Michael that is awesome!! Usually those early 602s were pretty well trashed. Are your intentions putting it up on a tower and letting it spin daily or just displaying it on a stub tower.If it's the latter I would keep the old oil flipper yoke there's not a lot of those survivers around. Very cool !!

[CTXmiller]

Windy,

The pedestal bearing cap does have Babbitt in it. I accidentally dropped that pedestal bearing cap between the two big gears while in the gearbox and had a time getting it all out. It seemed to get worse (stuck) until I figured out how the bull gears separate, then it was easy.

I was reading Ron S in a few prior posts that the oldest 602s are flat bottoms and one could take a regular mast pipe cup and flip it over on a Chicago produced mast pipe, then add a shim washer.

Dan,
I have 33’ tower and was pondering putting it up with the flipper. It will be for looks like my other mills. I’d turn it on a few times a month on the weekends.

Thanks

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Michael that washer with the oil grooves on the main shaft looks like it's brass and is the same as used on Bell Hubs.

[Ron Stauffer]

Late in the post but here goes:

Earliest 602 case with flat bottom and bottom drain plug (couldnt pick it up in a pic to be sure tho). The mast pipe was 661 with the flat heavy washer turntable. The cupped turntable pipe was 661 1/2. Aermotor never sold either turntable as a separate part but after marketers have. Cupped turntable is 577. Yes, put a cupped one upside down if you dont have a 661. Shim as needed with only thick shims and not split ones.

You are correct there was no oil port in the case for the mast on flat bottom cases. The oil port started with the cupped bottom cases. Makes sense, if you direct oil there you will want it to stay.

Likely this case was apart and rebuilt long time ago: black paint, wrong hub plug, spiral oil feed on main gear boss, babbett in too good condition are the reasons

Since you will be doing hub & shaft setup, you should be able to adjust the hub position on the shaft to not need shim washers. Steel shims especially were not good as they tended to lathe the undersized shaft of the 602. The bigger main shaft of the 702 and the ability to more easily adjust main shaft end play made the 702 less prone to dempsteritis (wheel falling off)

Ron Stauffer
Montrose CO

[CTXmiller]

Ron,

Thank you. It has the bottom center drain plug.

[windybob]

Dempsteritis is the perfect word.