Fixing a Loose/Worn-out Disk Harrow - Have some Questions???

Helping the neighbor take apart his disk harrow he uses for food plots at his hunting club. The disk has some wear/slack in it, and he wants to order new parts (bearings?) for it to tighten it up.

I helped him take it apart this weekend to inspect what needs to be ordered, but we are stumped as to what is worn and needs to be replaced. Here are some pictures.....

If the nuts are tight on the disk shafts then the only thing left that could be loose/worn are the iron brgs on the gangs.

Kinda looks like the grease mites have been in there eating it. I believe I'd grease it and use it, don't look like there's that much wear on it for what he's gonna use it for. It will probably last for several more years if he greases it once in awhild. Just my thoughts, Keith

(quoted from post at 15:12:38 04/18/13) Kinda looks like the grease mites have been in there eating it. I believe I'd grease it and use it, don't look like there's that much wear on it for what he's gonna use it for. It will probably last for several more years if he greases it once in awhild. Just my thoughts, Keith

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I totally agree grease it -use it

Those bearings depend upon being greased often and very much. There was a reason farmers used to buy grease in 5 gallon pails, not little tubes....

Basically it is metal on letal, with a big frequently replaced grease film on them.

They look good enough to me as is, bolt together, buy a pail of grease, and use up the grease on them over the next few years.

Perhaps you cleaned them up some, but they should be dripping full of grease, not dry like that!

--->Paul

Our disk isn't set up like this one, so I'm not familiar with this setup. He really wants to keep using this disk because they cut so good.

No, we just opened them up when the picture was taken. We both realize they are dry and need grease, but thought the parts were worn due to that. What parts wear and need replacing? I don't see any ball bearings on this disk. When greasing, would we just pack that 2-peice casting full of grease and bolt together? Sorry for the "beginner" questions.

They look real good. New ones will not be much tighter. I rebuilt my Oliver disk with some John Deere cast bearings. I had to do some cutting and machining to make the fit. I didn't take pictures of a new cap with a new spool setting in it. Here is a picture of the cap.


link to pictures

Since you have it apart install a couple handfuls of grease zerks. Put em where rocks can't get to them.

What are "Grease Mites" as you're speaking of? I've not heard of anything like that.

(quoted from post at 16:55:50 04/18/13)
What are "Grease Mites" as you're speaking of? I've not heard of anything like that.

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It "mite" never have been greased....

those grey metal bearings have a lot of life left in them if you keep them greased...i generally grease mine every couple hours its used.
if the blades are loose,just keep tightening them till them wont turn any more,then smack the other end with the biggest BFH you got and and tighten them again...do that a few times...if they still arent tight,you can use washers to take up slack...from the looks of parts pictures,and intended use,its good to go after 4 tubes of grease.

Each one should have a grease zerk. The picture someone posted with the bandsaw shows a grease zerk on it.

you pump 10-12 pumps of grease into each bearing every 2 hours of use or so.

Failure to do so, or trying to pack once a season, will wear them out quickly.

These are just simple sleeves, metal on metal. There is no fancy bearing, you are looking at the bearing - the shiny metal, it rubs on the other part.

It needs tons of grease to flush out dirt, and to allow a buildup, a film, of fresh grease to be spinning around in there on those grooves.

It needs grease, grease, grease.

Often. Dad would go through a gunfull or 2 in a single day when he was running the old IHC disk. Grease was one of those staples, like sugar and flour and such. You just use a whole lot of grease.

There is nothing to protect those housings from the shafts other than a constant film of grease. This is not a high-tech thing, it is 1900's technology. Build it out of metal, and grease it often and lots to keep it a film of fresh grease between the metal parts.

Some old style had wood blocks in there instead of the metal outer grooves, the steel shaft would turn on the hardwood blocks.

Yours are metal on metal.

Some have softer inserts, made of a babbit material, and you could replace the babbits. In the outer parts, I'm not sure if that is all one piece, or if it has a bit of a liner in it? They were made both ways. If it has the thin liner, then that different type of metal was the 'bearing' that you could replace.

Many were just iron on iron, grease a lot or you wear it out.

It is difficult to find those outer hubs any more, I believe? Wear it out and you junk the disk.

Grease, grease, grease..... It is desiogned to just flow out and take the dirt with it....

Paul

The bearings look like mine on my IHC disc. Like they say, Keep it greased, and IF all the bearings look like the one in the pic, Grease it and use it. and mine only has a zerk on each bearing, and that at the top 1/2. Dont tighten it down too tighten. They break. Dont ask me how I know.

I agree with the others - it looks fine to me.
Grease it and use it.
If the axle shaft is the old 7/8" square type new bearings are just about impossible to find anyway.

(quoted from post at 06:10:21 04/19/13) I agree with the others - it looks fine to me.
Grease it and use it.
If the axle shaft is the old 7/8" square type new bearings are just about impossible to find anyway.

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Thanks so much guys. I've learned a lot and will help home get e, greased and back together. I'm guessing he'll have to drill and tap each one to fit a grease zerk in them since they don't have one. But we will look closer this weekend. Thanks!

Probably broke off or come out and holes filled with dirt.

On the top side, where the angle iron goes across the bearing,
there will be a 3rd hole in the angle iron. Grease zerk should
be recessed in that hole. Newer models they put a short pipe
bib in and put the zerk up higher so it didnt fill with dirt.

Anyhow, that would be most of them.

Paul

(quoted from post at 19:35:52 04/19/13) On the top side, where the angle iron goes across the bearing,
there will be a 3rd hole in the angle iron. Grease zerk should
be recessed in that hole. Newer models they put a short pipe
bib in and put the zerk up higher so it didnt fill with dirt.

Anyhow, that would be most of them.

Paul

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Yep add zerks if not already present. No use using high dollar grease either. Use the cheapest stuff you can find there and use it often. As they get more sloppy the expensive grease disappears just as fast as the cheap stuff since it is not sealed in anyway.

Dad had on ole disk that was well worn in those bearings. The wear really does not hurt anything at all as long as they internal hub can not work it ways out of the outer hub.

Tip: We always saved our broken blades and cut washers out of those in order to make washers of end of axle shafts if needed to tighten those up.