Here is the Ultimate “H” Book
(3-19-2010)
Seven years of Research & Experimentation
Without Doubt – Our Best Book Ever!
WHAT IS THIS BOOK? This 296‐page document detailing the Model “H” John Deere Tractor, loaded with history, guidance, and time-proven ways of doing some of the things needed to give new life to an old tractor. In short, this book is a cost-saver!
The 3rd Edition
Book Hi-Lights
1. The base chapters of Sheet Metal
(2) Engine (3) Transmission-PTO & Final Drive Chapter (4), Steering (5) and
Basic Tractor (6) have the many significant updates as a result of further
experiments conducted during the year 2006 and 2007.
2. Electrical Chapter (7) includes
TOTAL wiring diagram detail plus photographs showing the dressing of cables and
harnesses.
3. Carburetor Chapter (8) is the
Book’s Gemstone! Chapter 8 includes FULL OVERHAUL & INSPECTION routines.
4. Eighteen handy appendices
spanning 56 pages prepared to compliment the book text, and dealing with issues
many readers have had questions about in the past. The writing form varies from
tabular, to narrative and then some are in Manufacturing Process Plan (MPP)
format to guide build-up following extensive repair.
COMPANION SOURCE CD AVILABLE; For those seeking the
very handy “Office CD” version of the Restoration Guide 3rd Edition,
the very source CD of this new book is also for sale. Write me to ask about the book + CD
Combo. If purchased along with the book
as a COMBO, you save! What is CD’s
value? All of the illustrations that
have color are on the CD in full living color, providing greatest clarity in
many instances.
Detailed
Synopsis, Restoration Guide, 3rd Edition
The 3rd Edition! This book contains all of the technical
content of prior 1st & 2nd Editions, but without the
errors & omissions! As someone told
me, this edition is kind of like grandchildren. That man told me that if he’d known how enjoyable grandchildren would
be, he’d have had them first! That is
the way we here at JDHPUBS feel about this edition!
Other Credits; The Restoration Guide was featured in June 2006 Green Magazine, Product Review (http://www.jdhpubs.com/pdf/Green.pdf) and as a totally unsolicited Product Review in the January 2007 issue of Farm Show (http://www.jdhpubs.com/pdf/FarmShow.pdf).
Companion
Book; Here we
finally have a full-blown Restoration Manual for all variations of the
John Deere Model ʺHʺ tractor, and serves as a “Companion Book”
to the usual “Big Three” manual set (Owners Manual, Parts Catalog & a
Service Manual). This book is organized into nine chapters supported by
eighteen appendices and a 740 + entry Subject Index listing. I’ve not counted the number of illustrations,
but you may rest assured there are plenty pictures and drawings to help you
become eminently familiar with your JD ʺHʺ. It is highly recommended
that you have this Book to read BEFORE you buy your first John Deere “H” Tractor. It could save you a bundle!
Errors We Have
Made Along the Way; I
have maintained a keen eye for grief that we, individual restorers, tend to
bring upon ourselves. There are a number of ways this can happen; the list is
topped by failing to plan and hasty preparation, quickly followed by inadequate
tooling, poor techniques, being in a hurry; and then the biggie; tearing into a
tractor without benefit of the manuals that ARE available. In addition to
stressing planning, preparation and having the right manuals, this book
includes a boatload of cost-saving tips for you as you get into your new
tractor.
Technical Data; This book includes many
references to Field Service Bulletins and to earlier ʺDIRʺ series
technical books -- both issued by Deere & Co. over the years. Some are of
interesting historical value while others bear significant & needed
technical data not found in any of the three manuals you should also have:
Operators Manual (either OMR2011, or DIR276), Parts Catalog (Some form of
PC304) and a Service Manual (either this author’s Service Guide or JD-4 I&T
Shop Service Manual). These “Big Three” manuals are available from this seller
in one form or another.
The
Chapters
Chapter 1 - Basics, Tooling and Facility: Restoration
and its variations are discussed along with approaches to initial cleaning,
choices you should make up front with emphasis of writing your plan, and the
concept of a journal is introduced. Planning should include where you will look
for needed parts, services and supplies; and arranging for storage during tear down.
Emphasis is placed safety, protecting parts of high value, care and
identification of special fasteners, and on the method of restoring fasteners.
Serial tags (plates) are addressed plus what a Production Record is and how to
obtain one for your tractor. Tooling you
will need is defined along with two versions of a flywheel wrench, one of which
you can make. Near-complete listings of tooling are provided along with a
“virtual facility” outline to help you “see” what is needed. The chapter closes with a partial listing of
JD ʺHʺ parts that have become scarce and costly; to guide you in
working with them; to appreciating their value!
Chapter 2 - Sheet Metal: This
chapter was prepared apart from the ʺmain tractorʺ chapters in
response to so many questions fielded over the years, and includes guidance for
removing, reworking and reinstalling sheet metal and associated elements of the
tractor like fuel tanks, shutter controls and gauges. Three major parts into
the chapter deal with fuel systems and pitfalls to avoid, the right gauges for
your JD ʺHʺ tractor (yes, gauges are year-dependent), and decals.
Yes, as it turns out, both gauges & decals are production-year dependent.
Decals are easy to misplace, and this chapter provides the guidance you need in
decal placement.
Chapter 3 - The Engine: The
chapter opens with a wide range of basic information to help the reader get to
know the JD ʺHʺ power plant! Topics include but are not limited to
the lube system, crankcase ventilation, air filtering, carburetion, cooling,
anti-freeze issues, gasket data, torque values, compression testing,
replication, importance of thrust washers, and inspection criteria to apply.
Technical discussion is intense so far as the cylinder head, block, pistons,
rings & bearings are concerned. An in-depth study is presented of the
governor and its four distinct LH bearing housing configurations along with
methods of dealing with fan drive gear and pinion adjustments and measurements
for backlash and heel. Fan shaft disassembly and overhaul is also addressed
briefly. A late major section addresses the clutch as a system to include
general operation, disassembly and special inspection points. The chapter
closes with the essence of engine restoration; engine run up or an all systems
check.
Chapter 4 - Transmission,
Chapter 5 - Steering and Front Ends: This
chapter also differs in style from the others. It opens with basic techniques
for steering wheel restoration, defines basic steering criteria, explores the
usual causes of loose steering and suggests remedies available to the restorer.
Once past the general area of discussion, this text uses three sections to deal
with ʺHʺ, ʺHNʺ and ʺHNHʺ systems, again, swings
into process plan style, four sections to address ʺHWHʺ tractors,
followed by two sections applicable to all variations dealing with front wheel
and hubs, and finally steering mechanism adjustments. As usual, several tips
are provided to guide the reader along the way.
Chapter 6 - Basic Tractor: This
chapter comes in to address a series of subject areas not neatly collectable
into ʺsectionsʺ of a tractor to include rear wheel removal and
restoration, some notes on tires, a history of the pan seat used on JD
ʺHʺ tractors along with variations over the years. Discussion of the
seat also includes tips on making your old cracked and beat up seat serviceable
again. For drawbars, here is another history lesson along with encouragement to
be creative in making repairs, from lessons learned. Work-arounds are encouraged along with making a journal entry of the path chosen & why.
Full inspection of the main case includes examination of the PTO forward
bearing boss and drawbar mounting holes. Techniques of repair are discussed.
Full description and operation of the JD ʺHʺ hydraulic lift system
comes in this chapter along with basic guidance for overhaul. A collection of
ʺOperating Tipsʺ and ʺFrequently Asked Questionsʺ round out
the text portion of this chapter, and are followed by three summary pages which
list the JD ʺHʺ specs, various equipments for the ʺHʺ, and
a partial list of special fasteners; those with JD Part Numbers assigned. The
list of special fasteners includes a narrative description of each to assist
you during build-up.
Chapter 7 - The Electrical System: This
chapter opens with a listing of original equipment installed on your
ʺHʺ, and a major section
dealing with generators, starters and lighting systems; how they operate and
how to troubleshoot them. Also included are a wiring diagram and a wire run
list for the ʺHʺ; both super easy to read, and informative enough to
guide you in fabricating your own new harnesses. Troubleshooting of the John
Deere 6-volt generating system follows general discussion. Magneto discussion
has been expanded to provide insight into how one works & magneto timing, along
with how to troubleshoot a magneto-based ignition system. At the chapter’s end you will find over two
pages of photographs and a drawing to help guide you in building and routing of
the two wiring harnesses and battery cable.
Chapter 8 - Carburetors: This
is a brief chapter starting with a complete narration telling you how the
DLTX-26/46 carburetor works; defining the two separate ʺcircuitsʺ for
IDLE and LOAD fuel. Diagnosing tractor failures involving the carburetor are
explored to include some simple no-wrench tests you can perform. A series of
complaints by John Deere tractor owners is listed along with responses. This section ends with a tip from John Deere
Engineering that may help owners with a hard-starting tractor. The most significant addition over prior
editions is a 23-page section in Chapter 8 providing detailed, step-by-step
instructions for complete overhaul of your carburetor. This section is
equivalent to another book, “Carburetor Overhaul”. So, this is like receiving two books for the
price of one!
Chapter 9 - Paint and Painting: This
chapter combines the authorʹs experience along
with tales from others plus some theory and technology. A wide range of
coatings is discussed to include aerosol canned paint, primers, ʺrust
convertersʺ and filler primers. Paint hardeners and the profound health
issues they bring to bear are presented. Painting equipment includes safety
devices to be used when using two & three-part paint solutions. Automotive
type paints are compared to paints obtained from your John Deere Dealer, along
with what it takes to make the JD paint have the deep shine; that ʺwet
lookʺ. John Deere factory painting methods are briefly discussed, and
compared with those for ʺshow tractorʺ painting. The chapter winds
down with some neat additions for your tractor, in both narrative and pictorial
form. At the very end of the chapter you will find some interesting letters
between the author and others in quest of paint problem solutions over the
years.
The Appendices and Subject Index: There are eighteen appendices taking up 56 pages following the nine basic chapters, some of which are reference data and some more laden with instructional content. Their titles generally reveal both content and purpose. They are: performance criteria references, standard torque values, a short vendor listing, gasket data for the ʺHʺ, renew crankshaft and main bearings plus cam gear backlash, engine and clutch build up, inspection criteria in general, the 1939 ʺHʺ tractor, a sample journal page, how to paint a JD ʺHʺ, adding a PTO to a non-PTO tractor, rear wheel removal, polarizing a generator, the engine lubrication system, pan seats; a history, steel washer specifications (JD-H), hydraulic lift overhaul, and a hydraulic lift troubleshooting chart. Those dealing with the engine are in process plan format complete with torque values and quality control inspection points. The subject index contains just over 740 line items making this book very well cross-referenced. ++++