The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Just started restoring my 1957 Diesel major. It has been in the family for around 25 years and after a hard life towing my grandfathers boat is now getting some much needed tlc away from the dreaded salt air. I would like some advice/ information on the following aspects if anybody could help

What thread is used on the banjo bolt for the fuel overflow where it attaches to the engine block as the thread is damaged and needs to be helicoiled

What is the thread used to attach the rear roll bar to the axle. My major is fitted with a folding roll bar but some of the bolts are missing

I have just removed the front axle as i had a spare which i had blasted and painted. The problem is the tombstone or axle bracket is elongated am i right in thinking the best option is to drill this out and bush it.

Sorry to go on but final question. Is there any reason for a fordson major to go a lot faster than a comparable model. My father has a super major and a friend has a power major and during a bit of summer fun we had a race across the field and there is a noticeable difference with the diesel major. Is this likely to be down to engine set up or gearing


many thanks in advance Andrew

andym wrote:Sorry to go on but final question. Is there any reason for a fordson major to go a lot faster than a comparable model. My father has a super major and a friend has a power major and during a bit of summer fun we had a race across the field and there is a noticeable difference with the diesel major. Is this likely to be down to engine set up or gearing


many thanks in advance Andrew

The New Performance Super Majors (Grey wheel) had a lower diff ratio as standard so they where slower than earlier tractors. Orange wheel Super Majors and Power Majors had the same diff ratio as early tractors and revved a few hundred revs higher so they would of been a bit faster than early Majors.

Hi check the fuel return pipe. Sometimes they are disconnected and they can give the fordson a bit more power due too the increase in fuel

Leak off pipe thread has been answered in an earlier post a couple of days ago.

Roll bars should not be bolted into the axle bolt holes as these could fail in case of a roll over.

Every roll bar I have seen has been clamped around the axle with a plate on the top and one underneath. They then use High Tensile bolts to clamp it down. These should be correct spec. as supplied by the roll bar manufacturer rather than any old bolt you can find. Remember, they may save your life or someone elses, one day.

Brian wrote:Leak off pipe thread has been answered in an earlier post a couple of days ago.

Roll bars should not be bolted into the axle bolt holes as these could fail in case of a roll over.

Every roll bar I have seen has been clamped around the axle with a plate on the top and one underneath. They then use High Tensile bolts to clamp it down. These should be correct spec. as supplied by the roll bar manufacturer rather than any old bolt you can find. Remember, they may save your life or someone elses, one day.

Hi Brian
Its been a while since I had anything to do with Rollbars (10 yrs) they are not a popular piece of saftey kit in Canada.
Only new tractors without cabs seem to have them to comply with laws. Yes there is always atleast one guy gets killed every year in a roll over or squashed by a bale coming down the loader booms. so I think they should be law like in the U.K.
Anyway im getting away from my point of reply.
I believe there was a rollbar that was made by sciroco that didn't have the clamp bolts and plates. It just went on the top of the axle with high grade bolts. It was a white bar made of something like 2x4 box iron with a hinge in the middle to fold the top down and a 2x4 box across the top that was clamped on with 4 bolts and a U clamp it then had fancy black plastic caps to go over those bolts so you didn't end up with the ends in your head in a roll over I guess.
I think it was a very light construction and not as big and heavy like the others.
I think the ones you mean where made by lawrence edwards and made from pipe or 4x4" box and to fit in low sheds you lifted the whole top off that was heavy and a pain to do as it never went back on easy when it all sprang on the mounts.
Regards Robert

I do not think the Sirroco roll bar complied with Health and Safety Law.

I cannot think of one cab or frame that uses existing bolts in the axle. They are only about 1" deep in a cast axle and would not survive the rear or front impact tests that the NIAE carried out. Roll bars had to comply with the same regs. as the cabs.

Brian wrote:
Roll bars should not be bolted into the axle bolt holes as these could fail in case of a roll over.

Every roll bar I have seen has been clamped around the axle with a plate on the top and one underneath. They then use High Tensile bolts to clamp it down. These should be correct spec. as supplied by the roll bar manufacturer rather than any old bolt you can find. Remember, they may save your life or someone elses, one day.

Brian. Do you have any photo's or drawings.
One of my jobs I need to do to my girl is make her (and me) a safety frame.
I was going to use the 4x holes on the top, and the 4x on the bottom, maybe now I will clamp her around the axle as you say. I had noticed those axle holes were not very deep
I've seen in a photo somewhere ( I think it was on crawler) of a safety frame mounted on the rear facing holes on the back of the rear transmission. Atleast these holes are deeper and were used for mounting things.
Kiwi Kev

Brian wrote:I do not think the Sirroco roll bar complied with Health and Safety Law.

I cannot think of one cab or frame that uses existing bolts in the axle. They are only about 1" deep in a cast axle and would not survive the rear or front impact tests that the NIAE carried out. Roll bars had to comply with the same regs. as the cabs.

I had one on a major once and would not be suprised if it didn't comply but I am sure it had a saftey and application sticker or plate on it. They where very popular on tractors in wales. I saw one on a fergie that went over once she leaned real good after.
I think the major one was the same sized steel and always thought it was a poor strength design. Maybe somebody has one and can confirm the fact of the testing to u.k standards for us.
I guess i'm hogging someone else's topic here so maybe i'll leave this alone now
Regards Robert

This is a Sirocco that was approved for an IHC model.



I rebuild the mounting plate to fit on the axle, but I know it s not the best way.
As Brian say the bolts are to short and it is cast steel.

Thanks for all the help so far, i have found out that the banjo bolt is 5/16 unf but still need to find out what thread the bolts for the roll bar are. After reading the posts i would agree the depth of thread and the fact that the axle is cast doesnt seem that great an idea and i will look at adding some extra supports/bracket. The main purpose of the bar for me is to mount a beacon for road runs and a work light for using a log splitter. I have checked the engine over and no numbers anywhere so maybe it has had a more powerful spec fitted as it certainly seems to go well for a diesel major.

many thanks Andrew

Andrew.
I'm at work at the moment, and off the top of my head, I think that the bolts into the axle casting are 3/4 UNC.
I will check them when I get home.Have checked them and they are 5/8 UNC

As for the beacon, how about mounting a single vertical pole from somewhere behind or beside the seat, with a beacon on top. You could then make the beacon removeable so you could mount your work light for wood spliting.
I presume you don't drive on the road, and split wood at the same time.
Kiwi Kev

No i havent managed to drive and split wood at the same time yet, Thanks for the info on the bolts. Must admit i quite like the look of the roll bar it is well made apart from the obvious design flaw with the mounting. My father has a super major with an incomplete roll bar (top section missing) so i might be able to use the mounts off this.

Andrew

I have checked the engine over and no numbers anywhere so maybe it has had a more powerful spec fitted as it certainly seems to go well for a diesel major.

The engine number should be under the front injector or on the flange by the starter. It's possible that your engine has been replaced with the truck version of the Major engine, which has a higher governed speed.
The engine in my dad's Major turns faster than any of mine and it will go almost 25 mph in 6th gear. I don't know why. It's the original engine. Maybe someone changed the governor spring before he bought it. Believe it or not, in the 40+ years that we've had the tractor, the governor has never been apart, so I don't know what's inside it.