04/29/2011
Howdy, long time no update. This month we are "springing" into action. We are introducing to our web site several new valve springs and components. We have been selling valve springs for the 283 thru 605 engines for a year. We just never got around to putting them on the web site. Right now we can provide valve springs for every Moline engine built, with the exception of the 800 engines.
All of our valve springs will test to the maximum pressure, at rated height, without exceeding the original engineering limits. All of our KE280A, 10A94, and similar springs are all wound to the original variable pitch design used in the early Moline engines. In later years cost cutting measures stopped this practice. We don't believe in cutting corners so we use the original variable pitch design.
No matter what valve spring you buy from us, they are all made by an original MM supplier exclusively for Moline Parts. The variable pitch design means no harmonic disturbance, with smooth even pressure at all RPMs and spring heights. No matter what cam you use; the cam only opens a valve, the engine performance and RPMs are determined by how fast the valve can close. Weak or shimmed valve springs can wreak havoc on cams, lifters and the rest of the valve train. Chrome silicon best steel means a virtually unlimited life expectancy for these valve springs. Remember carbon steel springs should be replaced every time you replace a valve and chrome vanadium should be replaced at every second valve change.
In honor of spring we are also reintroducing the 10A9219 hand lever tension spring for the hydraulics of the modern Moline tractors. Now there is no excuse for hydraulics floating all over the place and your right hand will no longer have to hold the lever in the neutral position. At $19.97 each they would be a bargain at twice the price. This is another one of those parts we have been producing for dealers but we have not gotten around to putting on our web site.
Right now we are testing a prototype adapter to use spin on oil filters in place of the canister filters on the early 335, 445, and similar series engines. We hope to have this adapter ready for market very soon. As you all know felt seals are becoming difficult to find. The major manufactures have dropped most of their felt engine and oil seals due to worn-out tooling and poor quality. We are sourcing new tooling to manufacture felt wipers and seals from virgin F1 machinery felt. We are also stocking Teflon rear crank shaft seals for those that prefer this method of sealing. Give us a call for application assistance.
Once again we are also working on water pump issues. We now have available die cut RE520 water pump gaskets for those of you tired of cutting your fingers with razor blades and utility knives. We have also setoff the prints to have new water pump bearings produced for the letter series Moline tractors. Someone here is also entertaining the crazy idea of producing modern corrosion resistant water pump shafts for those Z and R tractors.
That is all for now, someone has to get some rest as they now work night shift. Sleep warm...
10/11/2010
Can you feel the seasons changing? We do. Right now it feels like piston season! We finally have the rings to fit those "Big Honkin' Pistons", in our hot little hands. The first blueprints for this project were sent off on 27 November 2009. As of Friday 8 October, 2010, the plan finally came together! I love it when a plan comes together.
For a few weeks we are celebrating Piston Season with a BIG SALE. Right now you can true up, expand, and improve the cylinders on your 336, 403, 504, 605, etc engines for $149.80 a hole. This price includes a piston, pin, locks and a full set of nickel gas nitride rings. These pistons are a Moline Parts exclusive product. These hypereutectic pistons are fully cam ground, tapered, and use the same 1.25 inch floating pin as the originals. They have been designed to withstand turbo and supercharger use, but they will work perfectly in a farm tractor earning it's keep in the field. The nickel gas nitride rings will be easy on your bore and break in as quickly as old fashion cast rings. Right now we have these pistons in 60, 90 and eighth inch over sizes, Yes, eighth inch over is a full 4.75 inch piston. These sizes duplicate the ones used in the Minneapolis-Moline 'Big Power' series, in a much improved version piston.
Just so nobody is left out, we are also offering a similar deal for the RE, 165, 186, and 206 engines for $99.72 a hole. Once again this offer is for a piston, pin, locks and ring set. These pistons are also a full cam ground, tapered, hypereutectic piston; with a 1 inch full floating pin. They are available in twenty, forty, and sixty thousandths oversize.
Currently we are working on solving the engine main bearings shortage that is plaguing many rebuilds. We have just ordered a full run of main bearings from America's oldest bearing manufacturer. We must buy a full run of bearings to get them to dust off the tooling for each ordered size. For now; they have promised to continue supplying us with obsolete part number bearings, as long as we agree to purchase the full production runs. Drop us a line if you do not see the bearings you need on our website.
As you can see the new web site is not up. We had a choice. We could either work on the new web site or put lots of new parts in the pipeline. We choose to work on getting new parts made. By Halloween, our new website will be up, or that facial pierced and tattooed freak will be missing a few accessories.
The new website will feature our greatly expanded line of of brake and clutch offerings; including those impossible to find clutch brakes. Time to get back to work. Those pretty fall leaves are a sign that snow will soon be here.
6/13/10
And now for something totally different... No, that is not a flow through ventilation hat for garden gnomes, that is the #JT218 shifter boot for the JT and early Z tractors. This boot slides down the sifter handle and covers the greasy mess that is the shifter base. We do include the iron wire to hold the base to the lock grove. These are made from double thickness heavy cotton canvas and whip stitched on all edges with UV resistant thread. They should last longer than the originals, which disappeared long before we were all born.
We have had many enquiries about the #10A9219 hand lever tension springs. The final engineering details have been put to bed and the production process has begun. Now no one with a 3 point hitch will have to worry about the lever being left in the wrong position. We should begin shipping these springs in a week or two.
For those of you have have been asking about valve springs for the 283 thru 605 engines; we have heard you. We have also finished the engineering specs on the #10A9034 and #KE280A valve springs. These springs sport the same variable pitch design as the originals. Unlike the originals, that were wound from carbon steel, these springs are made of chrome silicon best spring steel. The original carbon steel had a 5000 hour life expectancy, while chrome silicon best has an almost unlimited life expectancy. The old fears of dropping a valve due to a fatigued spring vanish and valves last many times longer with the proper seat pressure. Tractor pullers no longer need worry about valve train float while going down the track. Free horsepower also sounds good too.
Testing continues with the many other projects and we will get them to market just as soon we can provide you quality parts. As always we want to stay ahead of your needs for quality Minneapolis Moline tractor parts. Drop us a note with your wish list, this is not the North Pole, but we do try.
03/08/10
Well the warm thoughts worked, 2 weeks after the first day of spring we finally can see the dirt. By May all the snow should be gone, but right now things are getting hot around here.
We just got hosed! As you can see we now have those 10A10923 and 10A4967 throwout bearing grease hose for all the Minneapolis Moline tractors with foot clutches. These will drastically extend the service life of your throwout bearing and make the clutch much smoother to push. These hoses are the correct non-metallic material with the original style brass ends. We also include a brass swivel end, just like the originals. Now you can stop using those inferior 1 piece setups that grease the inside of the bell housing, as the leak.
We are finally down the our final piston design changes before we go into mass production. Last night we put the prints to bed with the die shop. We are still planning on shipping our new design pistons by May 2010, as soon as testing is complete.
Recently a few fellows have been asking about the early KE type mufflers for the Z, U, G and other tractors. We have the original factory blueprints for these mufflers but shelved the project due to lack of interest some time ago. Please let us know your thoughts on this subject. If we make these mufflers, they will be exact duplicates of the original Minneapolis Moline mufflers right down to the original steel.
Today I dusted out the boiler for the last time this heating season. It sure feels good to sleep with the windows open. Happy motoring...
1-21-10:
All together now, "Think Warm Thoughts". Right now when you walk across the 'snow', you leave no tracks. You are either Chuck Norris or it is really that cold.
This month, aside from a few bearings, seals and electrical things; there is not much new to look at. Next month we will finally be stocking those 10A4967 and 10A10923 grease hoses for the food clutch throwout bearings. Unlike the other hoses out there, ours do not have the steel braid that causes the hose to kink and crimp shut. They will also have the correct original style ends and will include the proper brass swivel. No more dry throwout bearings.
A few months ago we finally got serious about the piston situation. For some time the usual piston sources have had nothing but bare shelves and slim pickings for Minneapolis Moline tractors. Starting this spring that all changes! We will have "Big Honkin Pistons" on the shelf and ready to ship.
We now have our own custom tooling to replace the classic 10P2962 aluminum 'Big Power' 4.75" gas piston. Now you can rebore any 4.625" bore Moline engine one eighth of an inch over to make those old cylinder blocks roar again. We will also be offering this same type piston in a 4.625" bore with sixty and ninety thousandths overbore. Right now the shop is making custom rings to fit these pistons, which will be a stock item for us.
We have not forgotten the folks that run 206 engines. The tooling is here to make new aluminum pistons in twenty, forty, and sixty thousandths overbore. Again; the rings to fit these pistons will be a stock item.
We are now compiling the engineering data for the EE engine pistons that are in the R series tractors. We plan on duplicating the top 'compression mound' that was found on the majority of these pistons. We are not sure if there are enough people out there that need these pistons, to justify the insane tooling costs. If you are interested in pistons for the R tractor engines; please drop us a line and let us know what size overbore piston you would like us to make.
That's' all for now. Spring is rapidly approaching and we have to get back to work. Soon it will be time to plant the fields and drag those sleds......................................
10-15-09:Greetings, tomorrow we travel to the Grease, Steam & Rust festival to see old friends and their Minneapolis-Molines at the Prarrie Gold Rush 'Summer' Convention. We have had quite a few e-mails today, from those that have decided they cannot make the show. There is a good chance that it will snow, and rain, this year, at the show. At least I won't have holes burned in my clothes again this year at the spark show. No matter what the weather we will be there. This is the highly anticipated annual nervous breakdown. We have worked hard for it. We deserve it. No one is going to deny it to us.
As you can see, we have the oil filter adapters for the U&G tractors available. Right now we are working on an oil filter adapter for the 335, 445, and similar tractors. This next adapter promises to be a challenge as it will require several parts to do the deed. But never fear, we are working on it. Our supply of oil filters for our own 335 and 445 tractors is dwindling. Before Thanksgiving we should begin testing our prototype.
We recently imported a CNC machining center from the exotic port St. Louis. I will spare you the details of that less than pleasurable trip. Last Saturday we greased up the new to us machining center and stuffed it into it's new home. Talk about a tight fit, after we stripped it down we still had less that 2" to spare, getting it into the shop. Needless to say; I don't plan on moving it again. As soon as the electrician sobers up, and gets the 3-phase hooked up, we are turning carburetor parts out because we need them just as bad as you do!
If you are coming to the Prairie Gold Rush convention, stop by the hospitality tent and say 'Hi'. Make sure you carry lots of warm and dry clothes. If you plan on staying the evening and watching the tractor and steam engine pulls, bring lots of warm blankets too!
Sleep warm...
9/17/09 Quick Update: Charlie is now shipping the oil filter adapters for the U & G series tractors, and related engines. At $29.95 they are a bargain, considering what the price of an oil filter is today. Charlie tells me that NAPA is selling an appropriate spin on oil filter for his adapter for only $8.25! The replacement spin on oil filter is the same size as the canister it replaces. With a little touch of spray paint almost no one will notice the difference.
Right now I hear Charlie has begun testing on the adapter for the 335, 445, and similar tractors.
And now the news.....
We will be attending the Grease Steam & Rust Convention in McConnellsburg, PA on the 3rd weekend in October 2009. The feature tractor this year is Minneaplois-Molne and it is the Prairie Gold Rush Summer Show. Stop by our table and say 'Hi'. If you wish to pickup anything at the show and save on shipping, just let us know.
We have given up in our attempts to have oil filters manufactured for the U & G tractors and similar engines. Apparently the American oil filter manufacturers have too much money and not enough time to keep their people working. We are now testing a spin on oil filter adapter to replace the canister filter for the 283 cubic inch and larger classic Minneapolis-Moline engines. In two weeks we will begin selling these adapters after testing has been competed. No, the oil filter adapters for the U & G engines will not be made from Acetron GP. We just needed to test the final shape of our adapter and this is the only photo we have. Just like our other adapters, they will be machined from one solid billet of tool steel.
There has been a lot of talk about possible side effects of using oil filter adapters. A modern full flow oil filter should not change the indicated oil pressure of an engine if the engine oil pressure adjustments have been properly set. All Minneapolis-Moline oil filtration systems have an engine mounted pressure regulating bypass valve for the filter assembly. Minneapolis-Moline engines also have a separate externally adjustable pressure regulator to control engine oil pressure. Engine oil pressure is not dependant on the flow characteristics of the engine oil filter.
As some have noticed, the engine bearing manufacturers are dropping Minneapolis-Moline engine bearings from production. We have already contacted a major engine bearing manufacturer and started the technical negotiations to have custom engine bearings manufactured. Fear not, there is still a decent supply of engine bearings available on our shelves. Please contact us before you start grinding a crank to make sure the proper size bearings are available. We plan on filling in a lot of the sizes that have not been available for many years. Let us know what you might need so we can Get'er Done!
We are finally going forward with the reintroduction of Minneapolis-Moline "Big Power" series pistons. They will be available in both 4.750 inch and 4.8125 inch original bore sizes. They will have the original piston pin specifications. Instead of using a cast piston; we have decided to invest in the tooling to offer forged pistons. Just as the originals; these are designed to function in standard cylinder blocks. They will be available as soon as the factory can provide the forging blanks and testing is complete. Our plans are to offer gapless rings with these pistons. What are your thoughts?
Right now we have many irons in the fire, and some of the handles are getting hot. So it is time to go back to work. Keep those suggestions coming in!
See you in McConnellsburg and don't forget to wear flame retardant clothing for the spark show. We speak from experance!
Click here for the latest Moline Parts news!
06-02-09:
A brave new world has come forth. Today is the first day of my 'retirement'. Now my real work begins. No more rest for me as my new boss allows no slacking.
This month we have finally started that carburetor parts section to go along with the carburetor information page. The information page now includes the proper part numbers for many of your carburetors. By next month we hope to have all the blanks filled in. Right now we are working on those small and easily damaged items that everybody is asking about, but first I gotta get that planting thing finished... between rain drops.
The oil filter adapters for the R and Z tractor engines have been a smashing success. At $19.95 for the adapter, the cost of the easy no permanent modification conversion can be recovered in two filter changes.
A few new and hard to find oil seals have been added to the seals page. Those of you with UTS rear axles that suffer from a dripping problem now have two solutions for your problems. The new number KT458B-S seal, gives you an extra edge with ringed axels and nasty dirt inclusion. That Huge FT650 axle seal is now on the shelf for shipment.
The TY442 cap is manufactured on the original dies and is a perfect match to what came on your Twin City and Minneapolis-Moline tractors. Definitely worth the wait.
We are looking into making larger pistons for the 4 & 5/8" bore engines. Some have been asking for 4 & 3/4 bore pistons, while others are asking for even larger fare. Please drop us a line and let us know what your thoughts are. Currently we can only afford to produce two new pistons. What would you like to see grace our web page in the coming weeks? We will even spring for the e-mail stamp, made from 100% recyclable electrons!
2-28-09:
03/29/09: This is the Webmaster. Charlie has another new product. This is an adapter to replace the impossible to find oil filter on your R and Z tractors. With this simple adapter you can now use the spin on oil filter from a Chevy pickup. The original design was created by John Kinsey; all around good guy and lover of all things Moline. At $19.95 each, they will pay for themselves in no time. Apparently they were a hit at the Shipshewana winter show. Click on the thumbnail for a larger photo.
And away we go... Yes we promised carburetor and magneto parts this month. No, we don't have them up yet. We have them but we do not have a finite list to put up. In lieu of the of aforementioned carburetor parts, we offer up a carburetor information page. This is an outline to help us determine what carburetors go to what tractors. It is also a neato reference to carry, in your pocket, as you search through that pile of unknown carburetors at your favorite salvage yard.
Please take a look at the carburetor information page. If you see and errors, omissions, or something you think should be there, please let us know. We hope to keep this page up as a permanent reference.
In order to gage our progress; we have put up a new page, of gages. These gages are new production and marked with the Minneapolis-Moline MM logo. Currently the gage suppliers ears are burning, as we attempt to expand our meager offerings. They promised us such things as fuel tank sensors, chrome gages, modern dash gages, and etc. Never fear, our hounds are chasing them, as we speak.
A few more bearings and seals have appeared on their respective pages, to make things roll along easier and stop those pesky drips. Speaking of easier; I will have family attending the PGR Winter Convention in Shipshewana Indiana. If you order items you can pick them up free of shipping charges at the show. Yours truly cannot attend this show. I will be busy demolishing my former place of employment. Chopsaw Charlie is acquiring a new taste for two-cycle fumes and the aroma of the buffet of burning metals and plastic.
I'm expecting samples of new electrical switches from the factory next month. If all goes well they will be added to this sites next update and maybe we'll get around to sorting out those carb parts too.
2-23-09: Hi, this is the Webmaster. Charlie has a bad case of the Winter Blues and just told me to mark down the RE45256C-AL and 10B10542 piston sets from $419.86 to $380.98. This is a 'while supplies last' type event. So if you have a 186, 206, 165, 206H, K, L or M engine, your in luck!
02/14/09: Hi Guys! This month we have added two new pages. The first new page is steering wheels. Generally the classic Minneapolis-Moline tractors had a steering wheel attachment point with a 7/8"-14 nut and a keyed taper socket. Most any size Minneapolis-Moline steering wheel will fit on any Minneapolis-Moline tractor. The early 'R' tractors used a tiny 15" diameter wheel. Later on a 16" steering wheel was used, unless you had a 'R' industrial. The 'R' industrials used an 18" wheel. This same 18" wheel was used on all the 'Z', 'U', 'JT', 'G' and just about anything else Minneapolis-Moline made.
There were many manufactures that supplied steering wheels to Minneapolis-Moline. No accurate records were ever kept to determine what what wheel went with what tractor. Basically; what ever wheel was pulled from the bin, was placed on the tractor. Different diameter steering wheels were swapped through the years to give better leverage or added "belly room". The choice is yours. Soon we will have all 3 available and in stock.
This month we have also added ignition parts. As everyone knows Minneapolis-Moline only ever used two types of distributors. If your 'Z', 'R', 'U', 'G', etc has two spring clips holding down the cap; you buy parts for the "clip cap" distributor. If your U302, M670, etc has two screws holding the cap on; you need parts for the "screw cap" distributors. Next month we will add magneto parts to this section.
Under the valve train parts we have added the RE102B intake valves. Due top the difficulty locating quality valves we are working with the OEM manufacturer to have valves custom made for us, using the original Minneapolis-Moline specifications and materials. We hope to continue this process in the coming months.
We have added a number of new small parts this month. Take a look under the seals, gaskets, bearings and of course valve train parts for those little necessities you just can't function without. We have carburetor parts and kits currently on the shelf. We are working hard to have them up next month for your enjoyment.
Don't you just love it when a plan comes together... ;)
01/03/09: Greetings, hopefully the new year will bring a better year for us all. Just to let you know, Tony Turner (the owner of http://minneapolis-moline.com); his favorite daughter is about to get married off. Things are coming up aces for Tony, his new son in law to be is reputed to drive a prairie gold Chevy pickup truck. Apparently Mary Beth has good taste. Best wishes on the upcoming nuptuals.
This month we start things off with a shiny new item. The JT103(AL) belt pulley cover plate is one of those pretty little items you put on your tractor when it needs to go on a diet. At less than 18 ounces it will make things much lighter. Our version of this plate is milled, not drilled, from 6063 rolled aluminum plate. It has been peened finished so it will readily accept any paint you would apply. It would also look snazzy if left bare.
Under our engine bearing section we have been very busy. We have been cleaning out all known engine bearing warehouses in the Western hemisphere. Right now we have a good supply of main and rod bearings for the 165 thru 220 series engines. We aim to be the supplier of engine bearings for Minneapolis-Moline engines. To this end we have been in contact with a quality engine bearing manufacturer to produce the engine bearings that have not been available for many years. Please drop us a note if there is an engine bearing you need, that is not listed on our site. We have many bearings on our shelves that are not cataloged.
You will notice some of our ball and specialty bearings have gone down in price. We are attempting to buck the inflationary trend of these times. We are now getting many of our bearings factory direct from the far reaches of Indiana. These bearings are being manufactured to our specifications from original Minneapolis-Moline prints. We are constantly searching for quality North American components that can live up to your high expectations.
We have also been busy adding those little parts that are always in need. Some examples are the 10A19825 shifter boot, the 10A9465 manifold, 10A19803 output shaft oil seal, and a few more bearings. Next month we will be offering new steering wheels and several other hard to find items, including distributor caps and ignition parts. We will also start supplying the long promised carburetor parts and kits. We are sincerely attempting to purchase the necessary machinery to manufacture our own line of carburetor parts. The economic chicanery of the last few months has seriously eroded our mad money fund, to say the least. If there is a specific carburetor part you need, please let us know.
We do not publish our phone numbers on the web site due to the many hacking attempts we have had in the past. Our business cards and correspondence have always included our phone number. We are more than happy to talk to you on the phone and will happily call you, at our expense, if you send us an e-mail with your name, telephone number, time zone and a good time for us to call you.
As always, we look forward to any suggestions and criticisms you may have. Just remember; spring plowing is just around the corner. That means tractor tune-up time is now! Happy wrenching...
11/14/08:
Let's forget all about the weather now, hopefully your crops are in the bin and the outside work is slowing down.
Due to popular demand, we have been searching far and wide for engine bearings. What was forgotten in several old and out of the way warehouses now sits on our shelves. For those of you doing lower end overhauls on 'R' engines we now have a limited stock of rear main crankshaft bearings. While supplies last we can offer complete rod and main bearing sets for 'EE' engines as found on 'R' tractors.
For those of you that were having difficulty locating main bearings for your 'ZA' and 'ZB' engines we have also located a few standard bearings. Unfortunately we do not have a decent supply of undersized main bearings. We have also stocked up on a wide verity of rod bearings in the more common sizes. We have even found enough of those hard to find 0.030" undersized rod bearings to keep them on the web site. There are a few main bearings in other than standard, but the low quantity does not justify us in listing them on the web site. Please contact us for availability.
We have found a few sets of main bearings for the 220A-4 engines, in standard size only. These are the gas engines used in the 'U302' and similar tractors. Fortunately; we do have a decent supply of rod bearings in various sizes for these engines.
In recent months we have contacted all remaining North American manufacturers of engine bearings, that we know of, in an attempt to obtain a new supply of engine bearings. Even though they complain they have no work; none of them will even quote a run of bearings for us, in any quantity. If anyone knows of a reputable manufacturer of engine bearing please drop us a line. We like keep the supply lines open and those Moline engines turning.
We have hard an enquiry about the front crankshaft oil seal in the '283', '403' and similar engines. The current seal we sell, number KE406, is a modern spring loaded rubber oil seal. The original seal was simply a felt pad with a cone 'drip catcher' in front of it. This insured a slow but steady oil leak. We are working on a thin modern seal that can be placed behind the original seal. This will give museum grade tractors the best of both worlds.
For all those outside North America that are making parts inquiries; we have had to block connections from several regions due to excessive hacking attempts. While we keep no customer information on our web accessible computers, we take site security very seriously. Western European connections are still active; however, many e-mails are still not getting though. If you do not receive a reply to your e-mail in a timely manner please check your SPAM blocker settings. As a last resort, a letter sent to our mailing address with your contact information that includes a phone number and contact time always will work. We do not use SPAM blockers on our public sales accounts.
Hopefully we can all give thanks for what we have this year. For all our American friends, Happy Thanksgiving!
09/07/2008:
Happy harvest. Around here the fruits of our labor is coming forth. Everybody is picking, freezing, canning and putting whatever in the root cellar; for the long winter ahead. Hopefully your toil is being rewarded as well.
This week we are offering precious metal. We are now stocking a quantity of wrist pin bushings, in the original hardness bearing bronze per Minneapolis-Moline specifications. Unlike some others that use inexpensive 360 leaded brass alloy, we are using true cast bearing bronze; imported at great cost from Mars........................................Pennsylvania. Bargain shoppers show be warned that 360 leaded brass begins to cold flow at normal engine operating speeds.
Our wrist pin bushings are manufactured using a very early method. The bearing bronze is cast in long sections and machined to specifications. The only difference is today we use modern CNC lathes instead of the old turret lathes. Lather on, manufacturers found that bearing bronze could be married to steel sheets then cut and rolled to size. After insertion, the bushings were finished in a wet hone using 280 grit. This is probably the bushing running in your Minneapolis-Moline engine. Our solid bearing bronze bushings offer several advantages. First, they are easy to insert, and have the proper interference fit. We do not apply an oil hole to our bearings so there are no alignment issues. A simple hole applied with a hand drill guarantees perfect alignment with the connecting rod oil hole. Second, we leave a little extra metal on the inside diameter to make your life easier. You don't have to worry about the bushing collapsing due to thin walls. The heavier solid bronze walls make it simple to bore the proper diameter and rod distance. This takes care of any twisted or stretched rods. Proper rod reconditioning always includes checking the rod bearing bore and finishing the wrist pins while the rod is held in a mandrel. No amount of honing will ever fix a twisted or stretched rod!
To cap it all off, we have found the original manufacturer that has been making Minneapolis-Moline and Twin City caps, since 1909. Our new JT9031 radiator caps are a true OEM offering. You will love the original look and function. Please note these radiator caps are not for pressurized radiators! They fit all the old Moline, Twin City and Minneapolis-Moline tractors that do not use pressurized cooling systems.
We are also offering the original RE180A oil filler caps for the EE, RE and similar engines. These are the correct original caps that do not have a vent hole. While these resemble the caps on auxiliary fuel tanks, they are not to be used on fuel systems as there is no vent hole. Be careful there are great number of caps on the market that are being sold as oil caps. They are mostly fuel caps and oil caps for small single cylinder engines. Many of these knock off caps even have dip sticks welded to them!
While on the subject of oil, we have been offering the 10P733 oil filter draw bolt for many years. Some one just got around to taking a photo of one, for your viewing pleasure. Unlike the originals that were brazed together from tubing and a nut, ours is machined from the solid using 150,000 psi steel. The though flow rate has also been optimized and increased in our product.
To go with our caps we are also stocking the original matching filler necks. These are manufactured by the same company that made them for Minneapolis-Moline and Twin City. Our part number RE179B is the same item that was pressed into the castings so that oil filler caps could attach and was soldered to the tops of many old non pressure radiators. The RE179A filler neck is the same part that Minneapolis-Moline and Twin City soldered to their fuel tanks. How many tanks have been scrapped because the filler neck is twisted off or rusted away?
We have been attempting to supply FE414A oil filler caps. Unfortunately the results have not been good. From what we have gathered; the original tooling was scrapped long ago. This cap fits on the original filler neck properly but the locking ears are a bit heavy; making it hard to turn on. We are talking with the original manufacturer about rectifying this problem. We will keep you posted.
The subject of fuel caps is a very touchy issue. We have, in our possession, original TY442 fuel caps. Unfortunately we can not sell them. They do not have the required pressure holding device or vacuum breaker as is required by law. We are negotiating with an American manufacturer to make us fuel caps with pressure holding devices, vacuum breakers, and rollover shutoff valve. Currently no company manufactures a cap of this type to fit Minneapolis-Moline tractors. The TY442-S is the correct cap for the filler neck on Minneapolis-Moline tractors that incorporates both pressure holding and a vacuum breaker. Unfortunately it does not look line an original cap and we may have to stop selling it even though it meets current regulations. You can thank lawyers for this!
For the time being we are holding the line on the price of our various valve springs, such as the RE104B. We are not willing to sacrifice quality for price. We will continue to make all our valve springs in the USA from chrome silicone best steel. Be assured, our valve springs give maximum performance without exceeding original Minneapolis-Moline spring specifications.
That's all for now, I hear the crack of the whip. Time to go snap some more beans!
08/24/08: Groaning, this month I did something totally different, I rode a 5 Star off the side of a trailer, backwards. I would not recommend this trip to your travel agent! Fortunately I'm still around to feel the pain of my stupidity. In order to make the hurt go away we now have those KE534A water pump seals that have long been promised. These seals are made by the same manufacturer that made them for Minneapolis-Moline in the 60's. The only update in all these years has been in material improvements. Both the spring and ferules are now made of corrosion resistant stainless steel. The sealing diaphragm has also been made of a new, tougher, and more resilient material. Now there are no excuses for a leaky water pump on any Minneapolis-Moline tractors. We now stock every water pump seal that Minneapolis-Moline used on their tractors.
Speaking of water pumps; we now stock that little 10A5956 seal that is used behind the water pump on the 335, 445, JetStar, and similar tractors. This is the same seal ring that is used between the heads and cylinder blocks. You will like the price at just $0.89 each. If you buy the full set of 8, you only pay for 7 which will replace all the water tube seals in the engine.
For those of you that don't want to tear a pump seal bellows or destroy a wear face. We are working to find proper water pump seal installation lubricant, in a convent package. Currently all we have here are pint bottles. It takes just a few drops to make a water pump seal seat properly, and grip the shaft and case. Quit a few water pump seals have been ruined by people using silicon, PTFE, and petroleum based lubricants for this purpose. Petroleum and PTFE lubricants attack both the bellows and wear faces. Silicon base lubricants attack the wear faces with a great zeal. There is only one pump assembly lubricant available and it is not available to the general public. In the next few days we hope to have water pump seal lubricant available in small packages. Regrettably the packaging costs are pushing the price to over a dollar for a small pillow pack. We also will have available a 14ml (about half an oz) tube for those using it quite often. For those that want the full pint bottle, you are in luck. You can be slicker than a Philadelphia lawyer with that much!
For those people asking about exhaust manifolds for U tractors; we are stocking a KE821G equivalent and KE823 turn top. We are buying them from a USA supplier, but we are not sure of the country of origin. The fit up very nicely, but due to the price we suspect they are imports from the far east. At the current price of castings I cannot afford to pour the iron alone for the retail price.
Just to let you know, due to popular demand, for you early U solid block fans; we are stocking your engine gaskets. We can supply you with full sets on request. Please call for pricing as this is a Moline Parts exclusive set.
Keep those suggestions coming. For those of you that have asked for top link holder clips, we hear you, they are in the pipeline. It is a nice safe thing to have. No more searching the field for lost top link ends and banged up PTO shafts.
A lot of people have been calling for technical information. Due to popular demand we will soon have a technical section on this website. Please look for it in the next few weeks. If there is any subject you think should be discussed please let us know.
Back to work..................................................................................
07/12/08: This is the Webmaster, I regret to say that Charlie got himself hurt the other day so the orders & e-mail replies are going to be a bit slow. As it often happens it was the fault of a "hurry up" type, but Charlie is the one that will pay the price in pain pills & muscle relaxants for some time. If there is a matter of great urgency send the mail to webmaster and I'll do what I can.
Finally got the garden looking like a garden and not a swimming pool or weed patch. I hope everybody is drying out too.
We have many new parts on the shelf and the web site has to play catch up. After the shows you can expect some big changes. In the mean time drop us a line if you need magneto parts, carburetor kits ignition parts or clutches not already shown. Please be patient with orders until after the 2 big Moline Tractor shows are done. If you want to pickup parts at the shows, please let me know, I'll be happy to help you save on shipping by meeting you at the show.
If you are attending the Prairie Gold Rush or Minneapolis-Moline Collectors shows, look for this bag. This is our first merchandise offering. This heavy duty 10-ounce 100% cotton duck bag was dyed, cut, printed and sewn in the USA. The bag is a generous 18"W x 12"H with a wide 6" bottom gusset for extra capacity. Two thick, comfortable webbing handles are long enough for shoulder carrying. There is also an inside Velcro® closure 4" x 4" pocket - great for those little parts you don't want to lose. At $14.99 each they could double as a tool bag for you or a tote for your Misses. Maybe you should order two so there won't be any fights!
Magneto parts have been a sticky issue for some time. We are currently building up stock so we can offer quick service on all the magnetos used on Twin City and Minneapolis-Moline tractors. If you have a non-standard magneto or need parts for something else, we will be more than glad to special order parts for you. The same goes for carburetor kits and ignition parts too.
We are still searching for quality clothing and accessories to offer. If you know of any companies please drop us a line. See you at the shows!
06/20/08: Summer is finally here, hopefully soon everybody's fields will be dry.
Take a look at our 10A26466 and 10A3046 water pump seal kits. These are made in the USA to the original specifications, because they are made by the original manufacturer that made them for Minneapolis-Moline, back in the day. We have them to fit virtually all the unitized seal water pumps. We are holding the line on price. Who knows, maybe those 'WIN' buttons President Ford was handing out in 74' may come back into vogue!
We also ordered a large supply of water pump shaft, bearing, and oil seal assemblies, to fit these same pumps. Prices were going up drastically, so we stocked up and will pass the savings on to you. Our pump bearing kits are made in USA and Canada. We did not scrimp on quality to get a slightly better price. Water pump rebuilding is something I only want to do every 30 years. I bet you feel the same!
The KE534A water pump seal kits are in production as we speak. Once we have these 3/4" seal kits in hand, no one will be left out with a leaky water pump. We will finally be stocking all the water pump seals, for all Minneapolis-Moline tractors ever made! We have been promised the KE534A seal kits by the 4th of July.
I am planning on attending the PGR Summer Convention in Minooka, IL come unemployment or high water. I will have samples of all the water pump seal kits, in case anyone wishes to view or buy. I will also be attending the Minneapolis-Moline Collectors Summer Show in Burnett, WI. Things are going really slow at the day job so for once I can attend the summer shows, instead of working 12 hour days. I'll be packing my samples around in those snazzy new American made MM Tote Bags. Those tote bags will be on the web site just before the PGR Summer Convention.
Gotta go now, the webmaster's caffeine level has dropped to a dangerously low level and he is about to doze off at 4 in the afternoon. Shhuuuushh.... Let us not wake the webmaster.
05/29/08: Planting season is underway around here. We got most of the root crops in the ground. As soon as stops frosting we will have to get the above dirt crops. Hopefully this season will soon be over. And you know what comes after planting season, Tractor Pullin' Season!
With the higher cost of motor oil, you can't afford to burn oil with those old goose egged cylinders. As you can see we are starting to stock pistons so you can true up those old cylinders. Let us know what you need, we have different sizes of pistons available, but not in great enough quantity to list on the web site.
For those of you that want to true up those old cylinders, or add a little room in there... Make that a lot of room. We have what you need. We are now stocking Big Fat Honkin' Pistons for all the 165 thru 206 engines. You won't need a micrometer to tell the increased bore of these babies, a yard stick will suffice! These pistons are made for a true 3.8 inch bore, balanced at fly weight 700 grams each, and machined from aluminum alloy forgings. They come to you with new ground wrist pins and locks made to original Minneapolis-Moline dimensional specifications. To put the cherry on top, we are stocking gapless rings to fit these pullin' pistons.
Speaking of oil, we are burning the midnight oil. We are working hard to get oversized pistons for the 4 5/8 inch bore engines. We are currently pursuing two sizes, one size will be 4 3/4 inch bore and the second will take the bore out to 4.8 inches. That is as far as we dare go without bustin' into the water jackets. Drop us a note and vote for your favorite size!
Our pulling pistons will still allow you to work the fields with your tractor. You will just be making the dirt look good faster. As we all know, making dirt look good is what we do best. Now kick up some dust!
As always, we have a number of irons in the fire and the handles are starting to get hot; so we gotta' go, don't forget to write. Bye now.
05/09/08: Happy Spring Planting!!! How is that fuel bill? Do you debate on whether the kids need to eat so much? At least we are not paying heating bills too.
Back to that tractor thing. This month we have the RE521 water pump baffles for the 'Z' & 'R' tractors. We have imported these from the far off land of Colorado for your enjoyment. Except for the lack of a logo, they are a beautiful fit and work perfectly. While we are on the subject of water pumps, take a look at the photo of the RE522 pump seal. We are still tweaking a few details but it is progressing well.
The 10R554 front crankshaft seal is once again available. I am pleased to say we are the exclusive supplier cause' we had to pay for that there new tooling! We have held the line on the price because we hate oil drips even more than you do.
You will notice the 'Clutches' section has expanded quite a bit. As we find cores we will keep expanding. We would like to offer pressure plates, but a lack of rebuildable cores has made progress very slow. Never fear, we are searching every barn, fence row and salvage yard. It is a dirty job and I'm going to keep that task just for me. Gotta have some fun.
On the subject of pistons, the Big Fat Honkin' Pistons type. Pistons for the Z tractors are just about here. First I have to stuff a set in my formerly 206 engine. From now on I'm going to call that engine a 227! I dare not make the cylinder walls any thinner. In a few weeks we will let you know how she runs with fly weight pistons and a 3.8 inch bore. Yummy!
For those of you interested in Moline [Parts] logo wear, I have found one manufacture that does Made in USA goods. I should have them up in the coming days.
Honest Injin, I got carb parts! I just don't have the time to put the web page together this month. I promise the page will be up before the summer show.
If there is anything you think we should start making, drop us a note we just love ideas ;)
03/23/08: Hallelujah!!! A three year journey has just come to an end. The first photo shows our very first batch of RE522A water pump seals on the press fixture, sittin' on mom's kitchen table, as always, you may click on the photo to enlarge. These are the water pump seals used in the R and Z tractors and all the other EE and RE side valve engines.
You may think a water pump seal is a simple thing. This next photo shows the components of this simple seal. Once again, click on the photo to enlarge.
Notice the heavy Buna N bellows, the two stainless steel ferrules, the parallel ground stainless steel spring and the linen phenolic wear plate. Our competition does not use stainless seal springs and they skip the ferrules.
At $15.97 each there is no longer an excuse for a leaky water pump. If you wish, the phenolic wear plate can be shipped loose and not bonded to the bellows. Minneapolis-Moline never bonded the wear plate to the bellows, but White Farm Equipment began bonding the assembly and the tradition carries on with Whites successor. Unless specifically requested we will ship only bonded seal assembles.
We are still working on the earlier RE522 water pump seals.
Our KE534A water pump seals for your U, G and similar engines are still in process. If all goes as planed, we will begin shipping in June 2008.
If there is anything you think we should start making, drop us a note...
03/01/08: One more note from the Webmaster. Charlie got the fuel pumps in so I just posted the prices and a picture of the 10A16838 pumps on the 'General Parts' page!
Greetings from Ice Station Fayette. Last week I screwed up big time. The RE522A water pump seal package was not available until mid 1940. The RE522 water pump seal package was produced from 1937 until mid 1940 when it was replaced by the RE522A seal package. Minneapolis Moline supplied the RE522A water pump seal package for all repairs. Sorry about the bad information last week.
We are still waiting for the die shop to finish grinding the dies for the RE522A seal face. The good news about this is I get free dinner & drinks every two weeks until they fulfill the work order! Everything is ready in all other respects. We will start shipping product the day the dies arrive. Screaming and beating me does not make it go any faster as me screaming and beating them has done me no good.
I have found the company that produced the KE534 water pump seals since 1960. The company has changed names four times since then but they still have the original dies. They have agreed to start production for me. I have reviewed their specifications and I am satisfied that they are of highest quality. They have even updated their material quality. You will be happy to know, since we are cutting many layers of middle men, the savings will be passed on to you.
Good news for all you tractor pullers! We have found the last lot of the original 10A16838 and KE1075C mechanical fuel pumps for Minneapolis Moline tractors. They have been waiting patiently since 1960 to be put to work. We will also be offering new factory fresh fuel pump rebuild kits. The materials in our kits will be compatible for the new alcohol blended fuel of today so you have no need to worry. Guess it is now time to dig out those old fuel pump cores and get them cleaned up and pumping again. We are now accepting pre-orders on rebuild kits so we may adjust production to fill your needs.
For those of you that want to make pulling tractors out of a Minneapolis Moline Z; we are going to offer forged aluminum racing pistons in "Big Honkin" sizes. We hope to be able to deliver them in early April. Drop us a note & let us know what you need.
02/28/08: Bad News: Once again my phone & dialup service has quit. No, I pay my bills, this is Verizon not spending any money out here in the sticks. The service guys quietly admit that the wires are from the 1950's and the switch gear not much newer. The trouble is there are more people than there are good phone lines, so every two weeks they kill a different household. Don't worry, they have this area slated for upgrades in 2017! I'll tell you, I lie awake at nights thinking what body parts I'd trade for high speed, and would those Verizon managers notice I took them....
If you would like to contact me please e-mail webmaster@molineparts.com, he will relay mail to me.
02/15/08 : Howdy... and Doodie! This month we are pumping along. In addition to our water pump seals 10A26466, 10A3046, and others; we will soon offer the water pump seals for all Minneapolis Moline water pumps ever made! The RE522A pump seal that was used in the Z, R, and all similar tractors should have been available last week. The 304 stainless steel ferrules are stamped, the 17-7 stainless steel springs are wound and the buna bellows are cast. The face seals will be done as soon as the boob that promised to grind the punch die last month gets it to me. The assembly fixtures are patiently waiting on the parts to be assembled. If the suspense is killing you, just imagine what it is doing to me. The pump seals will be well worth the wait, they look identical to the Minneapolis Moline pump seals of 1938. The materials we are using are far superior to what was available then. The availability will be easy and the price will be half of what you are paying now.
Currently we are offering the KE534A pump seals under the 'General Parts' page. We cannot post a price because we are at the mercy of our supplier (you know who). We are selling these seals at our cost, but in a few weeks we will be the ones supplying seals at a new and lower price.
There are about 15 parts additions to the 'General Parts' page coming up, but I haven't gotten that far yet. All you tractor pullers will be more than happy with our original old stock fuel pumps and new rebuild kits to fit your U and G pulling tractors. Now you can get rid of that ugly block plate and put the mechanical fuel pump that belongs there, no more hiding electric fuel pumps under the hood! Cross my heart, it will be done next week. Next week we will also have a new page filled with carburetor parts.
12/17/07: Hi Guys! This month we have sprung into action! The 10A7725 clutch throwout spring is available again. Made in America and with the same finish as the original Minneapolis-Moline spring. How many times have you had to split your tractor to replace a throwout bearing or pressure plate fingers damaged due to a missing, damaged, or weak spring? This spring is an absolute replacement necessity when splitting a tractor and you are going to love the price.
Due to popular demand we have started stocking decal sets, and logos, for the Minneapolis-Moline line.
We have the 10A7075-S shifter springs in! This spring has been unavailable for many a year. All of them are broken and rusted to mere twigs. The shifter spring we will be offering will be made from highly corrosion resistant stainless steel. The original Minneapolis-Moline springs were made from carbon steel with a lacquer finish. After a few months, sitting in the elements, the lacquer finish was gone and its last journey to iron oxide had begun. Doing better than original Minneapolis-Moline specs is hard to do, but we try. The regular price is just $12.39 each,
We are still working diligently on brake and clutch linings. Rock hard Chinese clutch linings will not be sold here! We are traveling to the far flung Ohio country frontier to get quality soft brake lining. While Santa has not deliver the lining, we hope to get it before Baby New Year needs the first diaper changed.
12/01/07: Hi Guys! This month we have sprung into action! The 10A7725 clutch throwout spring is available again. Made in America and with the same finish as the original Minneapolis-Moline spring. How many times have you had to split your tractor to replace a throwout bearing or pressure plate fingers damaged due to a missing, damaged, or weak spring? This spring is an absolute replacement necessity when splitting a tractor and you are going to love the price.
Due to popular demand we have started stocking decal sets, and logos, for the Minneapolis-Moline line.
Before Christmas Santa has promised we will have the 10A7075 shifter spring. This spring has been unavailable for many a year. All of them are broken and rusted to mere twigs. The shifter spring we will be offering will be made from highly corrosion resistant stainless steel. The original Minneapolis-Moline springs were made from carbon steel with a lacquer finish. After a few months, sitting in the elements, the lacquer finish was gone and its last journey to iron oxide had begun. Doing better than original Minneapolis-Moline specs is hard to do, but we try. The 10A7075 springs are at the heat treat shop as we speak, but we have the final cost now, just $12.39 each! We said you were going to like it; photos to follow.
We are still working diligently on brake and clutch linings. Rock hard Chinese clutch linings will not be sold here! We are traveling to the far flung Ohio country frontier to get quality soft brake lining. While Santa will not deliver the lining, we hope to get it before Baby New Year needs the first diaper changed.
Now, back to work. Santa's subcontractor is working a double tonight!
07/04/2007: As you can see the CE505 accessory drive shaft, for the U & G engines is finally in stock! I had planned to have them zinc chromated but the plating engineer advised me that the zinc chromating would not hold up as well as the copper plating called for in the original Minneapolis-Moline specifications. The copper plate specification went back to the days of Twin City Tractors with gland water pump shafts. This meant we had to go back and find a plater that still had the ability to selectively copper plate to original material specifications. Here is a beautiful photo of the result.
We have finally got the 10A6006 water pump impeller project under way! A journey of 1,000 miles, one way, was rewarded with the retrieval of the original Minneapolis-Moline 10A6006 foundry patterns. Currently the patterns are being cleaned and restored for use. Within two months we hope to have 10A6006 water pump impellers available to you.
Within two weeks we will have new RT604 rear wheel studs for the 9 bolt, 9.5" circle, pressed steel wheels. The original specification called for a grade 5 fastener. What we stock will be American Made grade 8 certified with clear zinc chromate finish for corrosion protection.
We have been getting requests for quality exhaust studs and nuts. The original studs were carbon steel with brass nuts. We are going to stock stainless steel studs and brass nuts. This combination should stop the thinning of the studs due to corrosion and reduce the chance of seizing.
I am currently testing urethane enamel paint in Prairie Gold and other Moline colors. My source is Americas largest paint manufacturer and they wanna' just cover the world. Specific clear coats and hardener, as well as temperature sensitive thinner promise quality finish and deep luster. I personally am getting tired of my latest paint job fading out and corrosion taking over after I get done painting my tractors. Spoiled long weeks of preparation and sanding are getting on my nerves. This will be the best paint or I am not using it, let alone selling it to you. I regret to report that all attempts at finding a suitable spray can paint have failed. They all suck! Even the pricey custom canned products have started to fade after only a few months. I am going to attempt to get this urethane paint packed in spray cans to see if the results are any better.
This month we added a small page for clutches. We are currently in the process of replicating the auxiliary brake lining. This brake is engaged when you pull back on the clutch handle. Most Moline tractor owners do not even know there is a brake on the clutch lever! Next month you will be able to make it work again!
With all this activity; the ignition parts, carburetor data and spark plug information pages have been pushed back until next month. This and many more exciting parts in the pipeline are coming soon. Take care.
07/04/2007: This month we are working hard on a new project many of you have been asking for! The CE505 drive accessory drive shaft for the U & G engines is almost here. The tool steel has been blanked out, turned, threaded & ground. We searched nationwide to find a shop capable of cutting the gear portion as modern CNC machines are incapable of producing this gear form. As soon as the last of the gear teeth are generated, we will clock the shafts, cut the key seats, and get them to the heat treat furnace. The last step will be zinc chromating the shafts for corrosion resistance, this will be easy compared to the previous steps. This has been long in coming but I think you will be happy with the Made in America quality.
The new stainless steel water pump shafts, made from the original blue prints, will soon be available for the R and Z engines. We have been testing various grades of stainless steel for corrosion resistance while keeping the original wear ability and toughness.
We now have front crankshaft seal EE5363 for the RE engines on the ZTU tractors. We are also working very hard to produce the rear crankshaft seal, RE365, for the same RE engines. Sorry guys, it is still going to leak from one end for a little while longer!
Take a look at the new pages we have added. We have added new pages for bearings, seals, gaskets and engine bearings. Next month we will be adding ignition parts, carburetor kits, carburetor parts and spark plugs for your Minneapolis-Moline Tractor engines.
01/04/2007:New for December is the RE45256C-AL aluminum piston set, to replace the pistons used in the 186 and 206 cubic inch engines. The RE45256C-AL aluminum piston set includes four RE256-AL pistons with a diameter of 3 & 5/8" + .040", four RE252 piston pins, and eight RE253 retainers. These pistons are virtually the same piston as optionally used in the 206H-4A engine and as standard equipment in the upgraded 206H-4B engines. These pistons are a perfect upgrade for 186 and 206 cubic inch tractor engines.
Minneapolis-Moline rated the 206H engines with the old cast iron pistons for 51 HP at 1500 RPM. With the new aluminum pistons Minneapolis-Moline rated engines to 1800 RPM . This is a 20% increase in RPMs; in addition, aluminum pistons reduce the stress on the engine bottom end.
These pistons are New Old Stock. Due to drastic increases in manufacturing costs we do not foresee them being made again. Coming in January both original and gapless rings will be available for this piston. Also in late January gaskets and engine bearings will be available for most tractor and power plant models.
10/14/06: New this month are oil seals for water pumps, hood latches, stainless roll pins and best of all the water pump pulleys. The original RE505A pulleys were cast iron and tended to break when you try to remove them from the water pump shafts. Between wear and breakage the price on a good used pulley was up to $150 from some dealers. Enough of that, our new water pump pulleys are CNC machined from solid alloy billets and a steal at just $48!
