AC 200. Torsion bar question

I was wondering if it was normal to be able to pull the torsion bar away from the preload bolt with your hand or is that supposed to be tight up against the preload bolt at all times and not be able to move that away with your hand. I'm able to move it pretty easily with my hand. Any advice would be appreciated thank you.

Edited by 72AC200 - 28 Nov 2023 at 10:54am

I can move it all the way back to the stop bolt and I can move it all the way forward till it hits another piece of metal to stop it, it's like it has no tension, it moves very freely. I would like to use this tractor for moldboard plowing or chisel plowing that's why I'm asking about this

It does have the hex side of it, the serial number on the tractor is 2036 so it's early. it's a 72. What would you suggest I can do to fix it. Then that explains why I can never seem to get the traction booster set so it actually works properly because every time I lift the 3-point up completely. The adjuster plate that the control rod is hooked to, that the sensing rod feeds off of falls backwards completely and binds up

Edited by 72AC200 - 28 Nov 2023 at 1:12pm

I repaired my One-Seventy a couple of years ago and thought I've got a pretty good fix for no more than I'll ever plow with it. The area where the torsion bar pull arm smacks that framework, you can grind away some material on both pieces to gain some more stroke and I would highly suggest doing that. New bushings on each end will help and help keep it good if they get greased enough. Lastly, I removed the torsion bar shaft itself (from the tube) and ran a bead of weld across the hex on the left side of each peak (peaks pointing up and looking at the shaft end). Then, I placed the hex shaft in a mill and shaved the welds down to +.010" above the flat area on each of the six peaks. I only did the right side and had to drive it gently into the worn tube hex socket, but it fit and fit tight. The left side then you could weld I suppose but if doing it again I'd probably weld and mill same as I did the right side. The .010" was a GUESS and it was perfect for the wear on my hex shaft end and hex sockets. It rotated things back to about 80% of new and combine that with extra material removed on the interference point, I was very pleased.   EDIT: Another thing I thought about doing for the left side was (do the weld/mill thing on the right side) rotate the assembled assembly fully forward, drill a 3/16" hole at the left side of each peak into the framework and pound in a six solid hard pins, or maybe even use a 3/16" drill bit shank. You won't be able to drill into the hex end of the shaft, but you will be able to drill into that cast iron framework. Pound in the pins and tack weld each one so they cannot ever work back out.

Edited by DrAllis - 28 Nov 2023 at 3:47pm

Dr Allis is 100% correct on a fix for this problem. If you are handy with a welder and a 4 1/2 inch  grinder with good flap discs, a repair for all the years of wear and tear can be achieved. And yes quite a few hours of time and it will be repaired to last for a long while and no $$$ parts to invest in. I have repaired three 190 XT hitches and all traction boosters work as they should. The adjustment bolt was replaced on all three as they were hammered away.

That would be good, Yes, Alvin. Get all the throw you can cause there's only sooo much.  I was fortunate to have access to a mill. which made my repair consistent on all six points of building up. I'm real sure if you go too big, the right hand side of the tube could be split open, and that wouldn't be good.  That's why I was thinking about "pinning" and welding the left side, so it can slide thru the tube and not damage it.

Edited by DrAllis - 28 Nov 2023 at 5:03pm