MTFCA Forum

Hi all, started hearing a noisy rattling that comes and goes right where the hand crank slides under the radiator. What could this be and how do I fix it?

Is there a crank return spring? Could also be a loose crank pulley.

Loosen the fan belt then check to see if you can feel any looseness with the crankshaft pulley.
That would be the first thing to check if it wasn’t the hand crank rattling in the hand crank sleeve.

Might be a rattlesnake under the axle ???

speedytinc wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 06, 2023 8:29 am

Is there a crank return spring? Could also be a loose crank pulley.

After you've eliminated these 2 possibilities, you could try one of these... https://www.modeltford.com/item/3900.aspx

Just as a look see...the frame bush 'might' be worn to an hourglass and the crank then vibrates trying to find support. ( I know this from experience )

Changing the front pan frame bush is an absolute pain in the ***! Doable, but lots a cussin'

I took a large fender washer with the right sized center hole...ground the OD to a 'D' shape to fit under the radiator on the crank handle side and not make a wear mark ON the radiator bottom tank, put in on with a dab of JB...then sprayed it black. Used a NEW spring to hold all in place while to JB dried.

No one has ever commented...guess nobody never noticed...rattle gone...fender washer has never fell off!

Also check for something caught & bouncing in the pan support (nut, rock/pebble) too

Removing the steel crank handle bushing in the front of the pan is easier done with a die grinder and burr. I grind a slot in the front section that is in the pan and the drive an old screwdriver down the side to collapse it a bit and break the rust between it and the pan. I always replace the steel bush with an off-the-shelf bronze bush, BUT as often as not, the OD of the new bush needs to be turned down a bit to fit. Steve Jelf uses a piece of all thread to act as a tool to insert the bush, so it is not damaged by hammer blows.

Allan from down under.

Thanks for all the problem solving suggestions. I'll get back to this over the weekend and let ya'll know how it goes.

I think I got lucky on this one... the crank return spring was there but had slipped down the handle. I tightened it up and that seemed to do the trick. Appreciate all the input, even the possibility of a rattlesnake

Pat

your spring is broken...it should have a hard 90 degree bend at one end and that inserts into a small hole in the crank. Those rust off and make it hard to see where the hole is/was, and results in exactly what you experienced (or worse)

Pull the whole mess and buy yourself a new spring and clean out the hole (or bend a new end on the old spring if it is in OK shape and insert into the hole)

Thanks Scott. I will get this taken care of tomorrow. Need this rattle to go away so I can hear all the others