1980 Sportfire Project

[Charliev65]

Here is my 1980 Sportfire project I decided to start on. I bought last year for $150 and thought it only needed a track. I removed track, suspension, and driveshaft. Rebuilt suspension besides needing to find a shock. Driveshaft needs repair due to bad bearing opposite gearcase. I also removed gearcase and secondary shaft to replace bearings and found shaft damaged on clutch side. Cleaned up fuel system and got engine to run and was idling decent and I noticed a funny noise. Sprayed carb clean at clutch and engine picked up. Took engine out to put new seals in and turned over by hand with no plugs to find crank bearings are bad. What I thought was going to be a easy suspension clean up and install different track is turning into a resto project. I will try and post more pics, I now have inside engine comparment cleaned and painted along with all suspension pieces painted. I also made all pivots of suspension able to take grease.

[sledhead16]

EVERY Deere on my property has entered with tweaks by previous owners, most are more work than appear at first by this age. But what a nice piece of mind if you go all through it!

-Allan

[chaspeg]

keep up the good work if you need a good crank I have one I am in cherry valley charlie

[Charliev65]

That's great to know Charlie. I have bearings ordered from motion industries and going to try rebuilding the one I have first. I think it should be pretty easy and figured I would try since I bought three used cranks last year and they had bad bearings also. I figured everyone I get is going to have a good chance at this problem. I have to keep reminding myself they are over 30 years old now. Lol

[JDT]

Charlie by doing it right you will get another 30 years out of it.

Complete tear down bumper to bumper will reveal all the issues.
There is never only one.