repowered 1978 IH 4586 4-WD Tractor
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Gary Harrell, Harrell Farms, Wayne City, III.: "Last winter, I found myself facing a big problem with my 1978 International 4586 4-WD tractor. I had put new tires on and overhauled the transmission and rear end several years earlier, so that much of the tractor was in good operating condition. However, its 300 hp V-8 engine was going downhill fast. I've been a big fan of Caterpillar engines since my trucking days, and happened across a 400 hp Cat 3406A 6-cyl. semi engine for the right price. The engine needed some work so a couple of my employees, Kevin Schroeder and Dennis Smith, helped me overhaul it. Then we repowered the tractor with it.
"The biggest part of the job was extending the frame 16 in. to accommodate the bigger Cat engine. Because of the lengthened frame, we had to fashion a new hood out of sheet metal. Rather than the original three-piece bolt-on design, which took about an hour to take off and put on, we designed a one-piece hood that flips forward in a minute for fast, easy engine servicing. The hood hinges on front ofthe tractor frame at the base of the grille. We also installed a different throw-out bearing in the clutch to match tractor transmission's input shaft. Finally, we blocked off one of the radiator's coolant inlets and outlets because the tractor's original engine had two lines; the semi has only one.
"The project required only a few other minor modifications. For example, we moved the exhaust pipe to the right fender from the middle of the hood because of our flip-top design. Likewise, we moved the air intake from above the radiator to the left side of the tractor. We made a new hydraulic system by copying that of a Steiger. To our surprise, the rear of the Cat engine matched up perfectly with the tractor transmission's bell housing so we didn't even have to fabricate an adapter plate.
"We used the tractor for planting last season, and the Cat engine really gives it new life. It's got 100 more hp than before. All solid, dependable power instead of the hit-or-miss proposition with the worn out engine. Altogether, the project cost about $5,000."
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repowered 1978 IH 4586 4-WD Tractor FARM SHOP Handy Hints 19-6-31 Gary Harrell, Harrell Farms, Wayne City, III.: "Last winter, I found myself facing a big problem with my 1978 International 4586 4-WD tractor. I had put new tires on and overhauled the transmission and rear end several years earlier, so that much of the tractor was in good operating condition. However, its 300 hp V-8 engine was going downhill fast. I've been a big fan of Caterpillar engines since my trucking days, and happened across a 400 hp Cat 3406A 6-cyl. semi engine for the right price. The engine needed some work so a couple of my employees, Kevin Schroeder and Dennis Smith, helped me overhaul it. Then we repowered the tractor with it.
"The biggest part of the job was extending the frame 16 in. to accommodate the bigger Cat engine. Because of the lengthened frame, we had to fashion a new hood out of sheet metal. Rather than the original three-piece bolt-on design, which took about an hour to take off and put on, we designed a one-piece hood that flips forward in a minute for fast, easy engine servicing. The hood hinges on front ofthe tractor frame at the base of the grille. We also installed a different throw-out bearing in the clutch to match tractor transmission's input shaft. Finally, we blocked off one of the radiator's coolant inlets and outlets because the tractor's original engine had two lines; the semi has only one.
"The project required only a few other minor modifications. For example, we moved the exhaust pipe to the right fender from the middle of the hood because of our flip-top design. Likewise, we moved the air intake from above the radiator to the left side of the tractor. We made a new hydraulic system by copying that of a Steiger. To our surprise, the rear of the Cat engine matched up perfectly with the tractor transmission's bell housing so we didn't even have to fabricate an adapter plate.
"We used the tractor for planting last season, and the Cat engine really gives it new life. It's got 100 more hp than before. All solid, dependable power instead of the hit-or-miss proposition with the worn out engine. Altogether, the project cost about $5,000."
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