Manure spreader problem

Determined · Apr 29, 2021

Picked up a Case IH 595 manure spreader mounted on a tandem Mack truck.

It has been converted to full hydraulic drive utilizing the factory gearboxes.

First time I tried it I loaded it with 5 year old manure, basically topsoil and the apron chain would not move the load.

Pulled the gearbox, replaced all the bearings, re-shimmed the worm gear and resealed it, all was good but it still would not pull the load to the back.

Put a 12 inch pipe wrench on the input shaft and within 4 turns of the input shaft the 1 1/2 apron shaft sheared in two right at the gearbox.

Off to the machine shop, had a brand new shaft made up, checked all the bearings and slides and all were good.

Put it all back together and managed 25-30 loads before the shaft twisted off in two just outside the gearbox.

Shaft is obsolete from Case so machine shop was the only choice.

Anybody know if this should be made from mild steel or would one be better off with a hardened shaft?

Kind of pricy and inconvenient if I can only get 25 loads out of a $500 shaft.

RCP · Apr 29, 2021

Do you know what material the machine shop used to make the shaft?

My go to material for high strength applications is AISI 4140, it has good tensile strength, good
flexibility and if needed it can be induction hardened for additional strength and wear resistance.

Determined · Apr 29, 2021

Guessing just mild steel, I will go talk with him in the morning.

The break looks odd, several fracture cracks and a good 1/4 of it a different color. An impurity? I don't know, will see what he says.

I'm not screaming for warranty or anything, I just want to fix it once as it is a half day job to R+R the shaft.

RCP · Apr 29, 2021

It is probably a torsion failure and it took several cycles to complete the failure. The
discoloration might be corrosion in the early cracks and the cleaner areas are the last failure
points.

Andy C · Apr 29, 2021

At this point I would check pressures (hydraulic) when it is empty to assure there is not something else going on with the web chain.

Determined · Apr 29, 2021

(quoted from post at 18:38:16 04/29/21) It is probably a torsion failure and it took several cycles to complete the failure. The
discoloration might be corrosion in the early cracks and the cleaner areas are the last failure
points.

Yes definitely a torsion failure.

No corrosion on any of it as it had only been installed for a couple of days.

The best way I can describe how the steel looks on the abnormal 1/4 is how a high carbon steel looks like when it is subjected to a clean break; very fine grain with a dull flat grey color to it.
Multiple deep cracks originating from the edge of the keyways.

lugnuts2030 · Apr 29, 2021

Manure spreader is not build for dirt, but I hauled it also, put on smaller loads or expect trouble.

flying belgian · Apr 29, 2021

I agree with lugnuts. You can't haul dirt in a manure spreader. Just think about it.

used red MN · Apr 30, 2021

I agree with others you are just asking to much from the machine. Unless the shaft was just a very low grade material I think it is trying to tell you something. If you are saying the material you are trying to spread is basically dirt it is just two heavy. I looked at photos of this model spreader as you can see in the attached. Using an average tractor loader bucket start at the rear, dump one bucket full on the floor and one more on top of that. Then move forward as to fill the next section so the material is dumped end to end. Then in the front, I can not exactly say how the bucket width will match the spreader length. But if the material is going to double up maybe only place one bucket full in the front. So that is a total of six bucket fulls in a load at the most. Any more than this and the weight and density of nearly straight dirt is just a lot higher than the normal litter or manure the machine is designed to unload. Sure you can put a shaft in their made out of a higher grade super strong material but the next thing to give will be the chain or the gear box teeth. My two cents.
Photo

Bruce from Can. · Apr 30, 2021

Sounds like a nice rig . I really dont expect the
material you are trying to spread in anything as
hard to spread as dirt, if it is in fact composed
manure. I would be looking very closely at the
apron chain to see if it has any opportunity to catch
or jam. And making certain it cannot follow around
the front sprocket an jam. Apron spreaders have
become a part of the past just because of these
kinds of failures. Hydraulic push is so much simpler,
and doesnt need constant attention to maintain.
Naturally not as truck mounted friendly. I am
surprised a drive shaft would break before the
apron itself

showcrop · Apr 30, 2021

I agree that you have too much friction generating too much force so that something has to give. While your manure mix is not dirt, I'll bet that it is too dirty for your spreader and the size of the load. We know that manure by itself is as slick as can be. Add some dirt and there you have it.

super99 · Apr 30, 2021

Sounds to me like you need a fertilizer or lime spreader instead of a manure spreader!

Traditional Farmer · Apr 30, 2021

Got any wood chips around? I spread lime on wildlife food plots with an old IH manure spreader,put a 6 layer of wood chips in the spreader and then the lime on top slides out easily.

cjunrau · Apr 30, 2021

5YEAR old is dirt. That is your problem. Its a manure spreader not dirt spreader. I learned my
lesson doing the same thing. Even 2 year old if turned regularly is to dry when loaded full. I even
tried on a jd push off and had to unload by bucket as it could not push off. Boss was not
impressed with me using brand new spreader for dirt

Determined · Apr 30, 2021

Thanks for all the replies, sounds like I may be asking more from the spreader than it can handle.

Will R+R the shaft and further reduce the size of the loads and see what happens, all the loads so far were less than flush, maybe 2/3 of capacity.

Super H Mike · Apr 30, 2021

Maybe try a layer of straw in the bottom before loading?

Determined · Apr 30, 2021

(quoted from post at 10:20:19 04/30/21) Maybe try a layer of straw in the bottom before loading?

Even if that would help it wouldn't be feasible as I have hundreds of loads to move.
(the reason why I bought it in the first place)

I just got off the phone with a spreader manufacturer and they told me I need a shaft made from 4140 and even with that I will need to keep my loads on the light side when spreading dirt but it can be done.

495man · Apr 30, 2021

(quoted from post at 03:03:38 04/30/21)
I agree that you have too much friction generating too much force so that something has to give. While your manure mix is not dirt, I'll bet that it is too dirty for your spreader and the size of the load. We know that manure by itself is as slick as can be. Add some dirt and there you have it.

Yes, the dry dirt doesn't slide like manure and I am surprise the bed chain isn't giving.

2late4me · Apr 30, 2021

Water on the floor just before you load will help

Credysis · Apr 30, 2021

(quoted from post at 03:40:27 04/30/21) Sounds to me like you need a fertilizer or lime spreader instead of a manure spreader!

Yup, definitely a lime spreader.

Manure spreader problem

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