Disc harrow axle nut problem

Folks I got an old disc harrow (believed to be a ford harrow) that I'm in process of doing some disc replacements and minor repairs to. Issue is can't get the axle nut to budge. I've read a few comments/posts on the subject and most say get torch/and heat to either loosen nut or simply cut it off if necessary. I've posted on this harrow before, its a pull behind 3pt hitch harrow with 4 disc per arm on front and 5 discs per arm on rear. It's been a long time since this thing has seen repairs and already ended up snapping off the U bolts on the one arm trying to get assembly off. Got a farmer friend I'll be seeing next week for help but are there any tricks of the trade on how to get the axle nut/ locking plate to off without damaging axle?
 
Oxy torch works best...propane torch is a waste of time and LP. Or, cut the nut with a 4 inch grinder with a thin cutting disc.
 
Not trying to be nit picky here , just for information sake . The "ael" you are
speaking of is I believe called a " Arbour bolt" , And if you ruin it while
trying to get the nut off, probably not a big deal , as they are not too pricey
to buy new. When you get your disc apart you may find that the square shoulder
has been rounded off where it holds the disc blades and may need to be replaced
or repaired any how . I would inquire at a equipment dealers about the price of
a new Arbour bolt.
 
I assume you are right about the "arbor bolt" term? I'm calling it the axle nut because that's what "the picture called it" in Agri Supply catalog (axle nut on axle). Should have stated I don't know what I'm doing and basing a lot off of reading/pictures. Luckily I got a "real tractor guy" aka farmer friend down the road that helps me out when I tear stuff up!
 
Oh, you posted in multiple areas, that makes it hard to follow with replies.

Didn't realize it was a smaller disk. Not that it matters.

The 3/4 or bigger impact wrench is the ticket.

Lacking that two blacksmith hammers (big heavy whacking hammers) place one below the nut and hold it on the edge surface of the big nut.
Take the other hammer and whack the nut 180 degrees on top. the bottom hammer will jump away with each whack. This sets up vibrations in
the nut and loosens any rust. Do this a few times. You need both hammers so you don't bend stuff and so it vibrates right, one is dead weight
other is whacking force.

Then a big giant pipe wrench, with a pipe on the end of it. (China stuff bends and breaks, old tools will take this use...)You will end up needing
another big pipe wrench to hold the disks from just turning too. (A bigger disk if you kept it together could be set in the ground to 'hold' it from
spinning. Loosen that nut before taking the gang apart....)

When you put it together you need it just as tight. That middle axle actually stretches some to hold the disk blades -tight- in place.

Paul
 
The only problem with cutting the nut off is finding a replacement. If it is a standard course thread no problem. But Ford on some disks used a fine thread nut that may be hard to find. I have an older Ford Dearborn that I got in pieces and it has a round axle with the fine thread but the nuts are missing.
 
I agree with all of the below, especially heat is definitely your friend and the biggest pipe wrench with cheater bar you can find. A thought on it, there isn't any kind of keeper, ie flange bend over on the nut is there?
 
I have not yet had to cut one off, I have used heat,, but the best way I have found to tighten or loosen one is to use a 18 or 24" crescent wrench, have the disc off the ground so the gang will rotate, then make sure the wrench is TIGHT on the nut, then you roll the gang back wards a bit, then turn it so that the wrench will strike the disc frame and Stop, the momentum from the gang rotating will turn the axle inside the nut loose,, only takes a few time for me to get them turning, I tighten them the same way,, I have tried the pipe wrench methods ects this one Works and works very well just do not have your hand or fingers in the way when the wrench handle fits the frame
cnt
 
 
You can see the groves where a big pipe wrench was used before, looks like a pretty clean nut, should have no problem getting that off with a
big enough wrench and cheater pipe.

Paul
 
There is probably a locking pin in there. Look at the picture and there apeares to be a half round slot in the bumper washer and a raised half round spot on the flange of the nut like there is a pin in there to lock the nut unlilke on most disks a bent over locking piece of flat steel. Or is that not a flange on the back side of the nut and that what looks to be a raised spot is to fit in that hollow on the bumper? Like a washer turned over?
 

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