Progress on the AW supper 300

[Dwan Hall]

I thought I had posted some pictures of the Austin Western that I have been cleaning up but I cant find the thread.
First pictures are as I got it, The second picture was getting it into the shop.

Then came finding out why the steering was so loose. Seems there were no bushings left on the tie rods and the bolts had wore the holes a little oblong. I mannaged to find new bolts and new bushings. I may have to boor out the holes and insert a reducer sleave to make the bushings fit tight . Se sill see later this week.

 

[Dwan Hall]

next was removing some of the 3 layers of paint. I did some of it with organic paint remover and a 3000 lb preasure washer and a turbo nozel. then tuched it up with a wire brush. The fun part was under all the piping.
Next step was to acid etch the steel then apply a 2 part epoxi self etching primer, toped with a sealer by Dupont.
I think the origional red color will be last. Red is also what most of my other equipment is painted.

 

[Dwan Hall]

As you can see the preasure washer did a good amount of the work. But I have spent months wire brushing with a 4" mekita and an air die grinder cleaning the rest.

This shot is of the cab before any hand work.

 

[Ford LT-9000]

Lots of work stripping the old paint off by hand. We have done quite a few equipment repaints at our shop the largest was sand blasting and repainting a off highway log truck. After 15 years it still looks good but sure was allot of work. What we used was regular Cat yellow right from cat.

Now that they have plastic media for sandblasting it doesn't do as much damage as sand does. All what we used was black sand its ground up lava rock really coarse but we used it on rusty barges. The only problem with sand blasting with sand is it gets into everything another option is using walnut shells ground up of course but its less abrasive.

I know you said you wanted to paint the machine red which is the hardest color to paint with. It also fades the fastest what about red and white or some combination with red that matches the rest of your operation.

Good Luck

 

[Dwan Hall]

Sand blasting was not an option as no one in town has one big enough. I will be doing some of the small parts in my small cabnet using glass beeds.

The color combination will be red for the main frame and sheet medal, black for the rams above eye line and around the center of the cab, and gray for the drive train.

front of frame in primer and a shot looking down the side.

 

[Grader4me]

The steel hydraulic lines look like they are still in good condition..good chance to look them over closely for sections that could be chafed. Looks like a tedious job, but I bet the old girl is going to look like a million bucks when you are done.:thumbsup
Keep us updated on your progress(more pictures)

 

[jazak]

Thats coming along nice!:thumbsup Keep us posted. On another slightly different note what happened to Steve Frazier's Ford that he was going to put the new dump body on? Did I miss something?

 

[Jeff D.]

Yes, it looks like your doing a very careful, complete job Dwan. It certainly has the potential to come out looking beautiful.

How are you going to bring yourself to drop the blade that first time, and wear the new paint off? :crying

 

[Dozerboy]

Looks really good:thumbsup

 

[Jeff D.]

Any idea what you're going to spray it with Dwan, paint wise. I was thinking Imron might be a good paint for a machine like this, but I don't know if they even sell it anymore. It sure is tough stuff though.

I'm usually too cheap to spring for anything better than implement paint for my equipment, but you may have more sophisticated tastes and actually choose something slightly higher end.

 

[Dwan Hall]

Thanks all for the coments,
Jeff They still sell Imron but @ over $600 a gal here. as it is I paid $488 for 1 gal of red polyurathine (sp) from Dupont and that did not include the 2 required aditives. I figure I will have between $1200 and $1500 in paint materials alone when finished.
Another $500 for this circle motor that the last owner tried to weld the broken ear back on which did not hold. Reason it broke, loose set screw that held the pivit pin from comming 1/2 way out causing things to bind. He didn't even tighten the set screw after he welded the cap back on. I don't think he could find it under all the dirt that was in the circle motor area.
Talk about fun timing the 2 motors was a ball. Directions said to apply 10 lb air to inlet port and put pin in circle to hold in dertin plase then adjust valve on 1 motor till you hear air comming out of the return port. Then reset circle to another location and do the same with the other motor. All would work fine if I could hear. LOL

Grader4me, the lines look great sofar. I wish someone would give a milion bucks for her when she is finished.
I am thinking about atching a line with an electric valve between the lift cilinders 2 ports so when activated it will give me a float position. any coments?

Here are the pictures of the circle motors before and after

 

[Jeff D.]

I've never painted with Imron, but I've heard it's real hard on the body if you breath it in.

I wore a respirator this last time when I painted my ROPS, and I still ended up with black paint inside my nostrils, and a big fat hangover style headache from the fumes.

I need to invest in something alittle better.

 

[Dwan Hall]

I have painted with it and you are right it can kill you.
as far as hard, 1 year after I painted a Datson 240Z a cat and dog had a fight on the hood and never left a mark.

 

[Dwan Hall]

Yere is the blade suport area, Hoses checked, fittings tightened, motor replaced, 1 bushing replaced and ball mount on left side welded back ware it belongs, then 3 coats of paint.

Second picture showes painted area masked and the removal of the front drive shafts for inspection and painting.
Still working my way back.

 

[Jeff D.]

Dwan, were you ever able to learn the history of this grader? Where it originally started it's life out, etc.? Local?

On that motor with the broken ear, is that piece cast? I broke an ear of a loader cylinder once, that was cast, and it was a big job to get it repaired correctly. They had to diassemble it, heat it up quite hot before welding, and cool it slowly. It wasn't something I would've attempted. You're probobly better off replacing it like you did, if it were.

I don't imagine they were easy to find though?

 

[Dwan Hall]

Ran into a guy last week that said his uncle bought it new or bext to new back in 65 and brought it to Juneau. he sold it and it has sence been through 4 or 5 other hands sence then. I plan on running down the old owners when it is finished and have kind of a reunion. See what kind of history it had.

Yes the ear was cast. I may try to repair it the right way but only when I have a lot of time. About 15 years ago I spun a bearing on one of my Bobcats in a cast houseing. Had to heat the hole thing up, build up the ares that needed repaired then cover it with hot sand and let it cool for 2 days. then turn the area ware the bearing race sets. Job worked out great infact the bobcat is still running on that repair job. it took 4 days total so I will wait till I have a lot of time on my hands. @ $500 I can buy 2 or 3 of them on a days wages.

I have found 2 old AW's in Alaska. 1 on the Alcan sitting at the end of an old runway and the other in Valdeze Both look like junk but getting hold of the owner is going to be the problem. I have found 2 wrecking yards with AW's so I can find some parts.

Here is a shot looking forward and 1 of the cab and motor area after outside cleaning.

 

[Ford LT-9000]

Got to be carefull with 2 part paints especially with the thinners some of that stuff is really bad for you. The thinners and paint reducers can go right through the pores of your skin right into your blood stream.

I know quite a few automotive painters and boat painters they all have problems with their nervous system from the affects of the paint. Bad stuff for sure. Back in the earlier days dad used to do body work but all they had was laquer based paints.

We also painted allot with International Paint 2 part epoxy coal tar paint that stuff has a horrible smell talk about head ache maker.

 

[Grader4me]

Grader4me, the lines look great sofar. I wish someone would give a milion bucks for her when she is finished.
I am thinking about atching a line with an electric valve between the lift cilinders 2 ports so when activated it will give me a float position. any coments?

If there is any way that you can rig it up with a float, I would say go for it. Be great for plowing snow. Also great for learning, as when you hit the switch both sides of the blade goes level onto the ground. Then take it off float, make your adjustments (depending on what you are doing) and away you go.

 

[Dwan Hall]

Here is a little red on her nose and a black ram.

 

[Dwan Hall]

Still working my way toard the back.

Found a seat out of an SUV just fits except for the color.

Looking at the old 471 I think to my self "What did I get myself into"

Didn't have much time for her today as I had to grade a church parking lot befor it froze. used one of the bobcats as I have done for the last 24 years. Wonder what it will be like to use the right tool for the job?