He Converted The Narrow Front End On Oliver 1650 To A Wide Front Using Steering Axle Off An Old Massey Ferguson 205 Combine

He Converted The Narrow Front End On Oliver 1650 To A Wide Front Using Steering Axle Off An Old massey Ferguson 205 Combine FARM SHOP Handy Hints 21-5-34 Eugene M. Banning, Columbia City, Ind.: "I converted the narrow front end on my Oliver 1650 to a wide front by fitting it with the steering axle off an old Massey Ferguson 205 combine. It worked well and cost very little since the combine was junked. The tractor's front pedestal bolts onto the tractor frame and was equipped with a power steering cylinder that was connected to the front wheels by a steel shaft. I cut off the part of the pedestal containing the shaft and bolted and welded an 8-in. sq., 1 1/4-in. thick steel plate onto the bottom side. To this plate I bolted and welded a pair of 8-in. wide, 9 1/2-in. long, 1-in. thick steel plates and drilled a 1 1/4-in. dia. hole to make room for the front axle bolt. "I disconnected the hydraulic hoses that were originally hooked up to the power steering cylinder and hooked them up to the combine's power steering cylinder, adding 14 in. of 3/8-in. dia. hose. I used the axle from a Massey-Ferguson 205 but I think any combine model would work. I reinforced the combine axle, but it probably wasn't necessary. "I use the tractor's front wheels instead of the combine's steering wheels because the tractor tires were wider and provided more flotation. The Oliver tractor is powered by a turbocharged diesel engine which makes the front end heavy."

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