Frick axle tank..........

[Rev JJ]

Anybody know the best way to get the right wheel off a Frick to remove the axle tank? Have a buddy with one that need the tank fixed, and it looks like taking that wheel off is a booger bear.

[David H]

I'd bet you are right about it being a bear to get off. I've never looked real close at the axle tank, but I kinda figgered those things really took an artist to construct, in the first place.

[Brian D]

WELL she IF SJ has any idea about getting that tank off,,her family has Frick's

[SusanJane]

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE RIGHT WHEEL OFF!! If it doesn't come off right away it isnt going to. You have to take the left wheel off and all the gearing, then slide the axle through to the right. Mom has some pictures of when we took the water tank off of our club's engine, we're not home right now but when we get back i'll post some pics. The right wheel must have been heat shrunk on there because only like one out of 100 will come off right. Our friend busted the hub and had to get a new one cast trying to get it off the right side. So it sounds like alot of work but it's much better to take the left side off.

I'll find the pics when I get home!

~SJ~

[Rev JJ]

Thanks, SJ...seeing how the thing is put on, I can see how taking the right wheel off with the axle could be the way to go....still a bugger though.

[David in NC]

Anybody know the best way to get the right wheel off a Frick to remove the axle tank? Have a buddy with one that need the tank fixed, and it looks like taking that wheel off is a booger bear.

The easiest thing to do is to fix the tank in place if you have a welder who is good working over his head.

This is how we fixed the tank on the Frick I used to own. We put in a solid piece from just below the rivet line on the front of the tank to the same place on the back side. It was a work of art, and when it was done, you couldn't tell it had been repaired.

There is a 6 3/4 X 9 DC Frick at Denton that has broken and re-welded spokes where they chained the spokes and tried to move the wheel with a hydraulic jack. They never did fix the tank, and the last time I saw it, it had green tree branches driven into the holes in the tank.

David

David

[Rev JJ]

This tank is a little beyond patching...trust me, if there was any other way....................we'd sure take it. It has not only rusted out but has split at a seam about halfway to the axle hole.

[Reeves1665]

Get the key out of the right wheel and drive it around, even put a slight load on it. That is how we got one lose up here at the museum.... Doesn't always work, BUT... might be worth a try....

Josh

[SusanJane]

Get the key out of the right wheel and drive it around, even put a slight load on it. That is how we got one lose up here at the museum.... Doesn't always work, BUT... might be worth a try....

Josh

Yes Josh, and then you have engines like our's, the key has been out of it for 50 years to loosen it up. Hasn't worked yet........

~SJ~

[Rev JJ]

Get the key out of the right wheel and drive it around, even put a slight load on it. That is how we got one lose up here at the museum.... Doesn't always work, BUT... might be worth a try....

Josh

we'd love to drive it around and put a load on it.........but we gotta get it running first!

[SusanJane]

Okay here's some pics for ya'll.

The first picture is the "very elaborate patented gear puller" (according to mom ) it's 3/4 inch ready rod (inch would be better) and 4 ford drawbars.

The second picture is getting ready to take the gear off. This one was stuck so they heated it and it slid off.

The third picture is of them sliding the axle out with the water tank on it.

The fourth picture is taking the axle bearing off, it might stay where it belongs, it might not.

The fifth picture is of putting it all back together. The wheel is chained to the loader on the top and bottom so it wont turn over.

The sixth is putting the gears back on.

The front of the engine had blocks under it too to keep the whole thing from pivoting. We didn't have any pics of taking the left wheel off cuz everybody was too busy.

Hope they help!!
~SJ~

[Mike McKnight]

That looks like a LOT of work!

JJ, you sure you couldn't talk Lou into making a false tank, cutting the top of the old one off, slipping it in, and welding the top back on? Gotta be easier than that.....

You see what kind of level of difficulty that is with the modern equipment in the picture, now imagine that out in the field 100 yrs ago with nothing but jacks, prybars, mules, and some hired hands?????

Mike

[Rev JJ]

Mike,
I imagine back in the old days, if a tank crapped out on them (which on a Frick shouldn't have been to often as it has cast ends and pretty heavy guage sheet), they would just use barrells or say "Tellwiddit" and bought a tractor!

One other probem is it seems the tank has frozed at some point and has swollen into the right wheel.

Our brains are trying to figure an alternative (and don't say Buy a Case, either).

Thanks SJ, your are good people...............y'all wanna come help us??????????????/

[Mike McKnight]

JJ,
Trust me, my advice AIN'T gonna be buy a Case....but at least Case didn't run their axle thru the water tank!

Good and bad to 'em all, I guess....
Mike

[David H]

Mike, JJ, I think you both love Case-- just to contrary to admit it,---- In publis anyway.