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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut

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Land Owner

05-23-2006 19:12:00




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My disc harrow needs new bearings. Trying to get the end nuts off is a bigger job than I expected and bigger than my current tool set will allow. I am thinking I need a new deep socket to fit that nut. I don't know if my existing 1/2" breaker bar will be enough metal to turn the nut. Then there is the difficulty of keeping the gang of disc's from rotating when trying to remove the nut (if I get that far).

I believe the purpose of the flat bar that is bent over the keeper nut on the 1-1/8" diameter threaded "disc gang" shaft is to prevent that nut from backing off when the implement is in field use. That is good in the field, but not so good when it is time to remove the nut.

How do I get that flat bar and nut off? Do they come off together or do I have to straighten the flat bar first? I don't have a cutting torch - yet. Perhaps that is fortunate. It keeps me from ruining things too quickly.

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Seth_ia

05-24-2006 19:53:47




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
Simple problem like others have said. Straighten the tabs and take off the nut. The trick is to keep the gang from turning. I would suggest that the best method is a good 3/4" impact(IR etc.)
They can be bought for as little as $400-500. From what I have seen the gangs turn less with the hammering of the impact, and if need be, a pipe wench on a spool will stop it from turning.

The best idea is a torch equiped with a cutting head. Put the disk in the scrap pile and buy a high residue field cultivator. Disk have greatly out lived their usefullness and are obsolete.

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Leroy

05-25-2006 18:28:24




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Seth_ia, 05-24-2006 19:53:47  
Don't know what you are doing but discs are definentaly NOT obsolete or out lived there usefullness



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Seth_ia

05-28-2006 21:04:55




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Leroy, 05-25-2006 18:28:24  
My preference is a good feild cultivator that will go into standing stalks. Disk cause to much compaction. I have only started to see disk again after BT corn caught on. Most farmers are now skipping the disk and using a disk ripper.



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`Bernie in MA

05-24-2006 17:26:23




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
One way to loosen a hex nut without ruining it is to crease one or more of the flats with a cold chisel. Just making a shallow cut will spread it enough and you can still get a 12point box wrench on it and be able to reuse it.



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ChrisLSD

05-24-2006 08:26:47




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
we have taken the big cresent wrench (like 24" or so) or the big pipe wrench - put it on the nut - put the disk in the lawn - and drive the tractor ahead or back to loosen or tighten the nut



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Land Owner

05-24-2006 08:32:44




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to ChrisLSD, 05-24-2006 08:26:47  
That's a thought. Ever had difficulties with personnel getting "twisted" by the sheer force of the nut resisting untightening? Putting someone in close proximity to the disc while operating the tractor sounds inherrently dangerous. Perhaps I am overthinking your situation.



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RodInNS

05-24-2006 06:06:57




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
Drive the tab back with a chisel or punch until it's straight. It's pretty easy to straighten out. Once that's done, I guess you could use a pipe wrench to loosen the nut. I have a 3/4" drive socket set that I use for that. Either use a 3/4" ratchet or breaker bar, or a big impact gun. Probably in the 1100 ft-lb range. I generally use the gun. It's a lot easier. 1/2" drive parts aren't likely to move something like that. You'll just snap your breaker bar.
Also remember, when you're re-installing the blades and spacers, take a sledge and and pound the hangers up tight so that there is no play between the blades and spacers in the center section of the gang. If anything is loose, you'll be repeating your work very soon. Then bring the gang bolt nut up as tight as you can with the disc in the air, then let the disc down, jamb a block of wood in front of a blade, and then tighten the nut again. Tighten it until you can't move it anymore. Then put a bigger bar on it and go again. You'll stop when you're jumping on the cheater bar,, and the gang just turns. They can't be overtightened. HTH.

Rod

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Land Owner

05-24-2006 06:24:16




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to RodInNS, 05-24-2006 06:06:57  
The local tractor repair shop, with whom I trade uses the "Blue Flame Wrench" technique on stubborn nuts. They heat them red hot and attempt to "unload" the nut while hot and expanded. Failing that they carefully flame cut the nut off. They have "drilled and chiseled" a few too.



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RodInNS

05-24-2006 08:34:50




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-24-2006 06:24:16  
I don't think I've ever heated more than a couple of those nuts, and never cut any of them off, and I've had a lot of them apart. The job isn't as bad as it might at first seem. Just give er and get it done. Remember to put some antiseize on the threads before you put the nut on too. That makes next time a lot easier. I often clean the threads up with a wire brush before I start too...

Rod



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JMS/MN

05-24-2006 05:40:54




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
If you have two nuts on the end, with the keeper in between, you need to straighten the keeper, and put a pipe wrench on each nut, to separate them. You will mess up the threads if you try to turn them off together. They act as locknuts. Cheater pipes on the wrenches are likely needed.



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Land Owner

05-24-2006 05:54:44




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to JMS/MN, 05-24-2006 05:40:54  
JMS: Not double nutted.

Tx Jim: I will need an assistant and the purchase of that 36" pipe wrench (that sounds big and expensive for one small job) to hold the disc flange that surrounds head end of the bolt while turning the nut with another smaller pipe wrench and cheater bar. I agree, [quote] Nothing to it after you've done it several times [unquote].

Someone once penned "Everything is impossible the first time you attempt it." I liked what another YT's Q&A link says about asking questions until you are completely satisfied that you understand the situation. To which I add: Then and only then "burn it off with a torch" (just kidding). I don't want to report "I've cut it twice and it's still too short!" :-)

Thanks guys. I have my work cut out for me chiseling keepers, stopping shaft rotation, and untorquing large diameter bolts.

Land Owner
"If it was easy, anybody could do it."

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Tx Jim

05-24-2006 03:48:22




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
Land Owner,get a cold chisel,wedge it between nut and locking device,tap chisel with hammer and bend lock away from nut,btdt several times. As others stated hold gang with pipe wrench and remove nut. Nothing to it after you've done it several times in a dealership. Tx Jim



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R Wyler

05-23-2006 20:55:19




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
At first I thought the flat bar you are talking about may be a cotter key but after reading further I am not so sure. You may be needing a big pip wrench to put on the opposite end of the disc gang to hold it while you loosen that nut off. Soaking it with penetrateing oil should work or heating it with a torch. I use a 36 inch pipe wrench and a 3/4 inch drive breakover on my Krause disc it has 1 1/2" round disc axles so the nuts are big on them. If I can help with any more ideas let me know.

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Land Owner

05-23-2006 20:30:29




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
Devin, the nut is a Hex. I have thought about using a pipe wrench and just replacing the nut when the bearings are replaced. Seems like a waste if I can clean the threaded rod and peel back the flat bar. Getting that flat bar off of the nut is going to be an interesting task.



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Devin Sparks

05-23-2006 20:00:25




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
Is this hut hex or square? If it is square you can take a hammer and strike it to loosen. You should spray it with lub and let it sit prior to attempting to remove it. You should be able to take a chiesel and prior the nut keeper up.
Good luck.

Devin



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Randy as in Randy-IA

05-23-2006 19:56:04




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 Re: Help with removing a disc harrow keeper nut in reply to Land Owner, 05-23-2006 19:12:00  
I might be speaking out of turn here but if it's like mine then yes you have to flatten that out - it's a stop washer behind the nut that's keyed to the shaft . If you put the disc on the ground you MAY have enough friction to keep the disc's from turning . My disc takes 550ftlbs to tighten , so with rust and dirt you might expect it to be a lot more to take it off if the gang is still tight that is . For 25-30 bucks you can get a old style impact wrench , one that you hit with a sledge hammer . You can loosen almost anything with one of those if you can get a good swing on it . Good Luck ! ...Randy

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