refurbishing a 2-bottom plow

[k15n1]

I got a 2-bottom plow last year. It was old and rusty. I wanted to fix it up for this year. Well, it's almost time to plow. So far, I've taken it apart. Seems like just a few parts but there's 75 pieces. Many of the pieces are for the sod-cutting coulters, but still, it's a lot of pieces. I cleaned them up with a wire brush and a rinky-dinky bead blaster. I used 2 coats of rust converter on everything and now I'm trying to prime. Parents-in-law are here, so it's delayed for a while...

Anyhoo, I have to re-pack some bearings for the coulters. Any advice? I've been reading about it and I understand that too much grease is a problem. How much is enough? I'm planning on using wheel-bearing grease.

Also, there are 2 bearing that rusted badly. All of these hubs contain 2 tapered roller bearings with the small ends facing each other. Well, there's a grease fitting in the center of the hub. There's a huge pool of grease in the hub cap and on top of the first bearing. But in 2 of the hubs, the back bearing is dry and rusted. So the grease isn't getting to the bearing. What should I do about that?

Also, there are seals behind the back bearing. They have rubber edges but everything was super rusty. Do I need new seals or should I just use RTV/silicone to make sure the seals are water tight?

 

[baymule]

Are there grease zerks (fittings) in the hub or do you have to take it apart to grease it? Maybe the zerks are plugged up? Grease the back bearing before you put it back together? If the bearings are dry, you might need new bearings. I would definitely get new seals and not reuse the old ones. Oops, just re-read and saw where you said there is a fitting in the hub. Duh.

 

[k15n1]

There is a fitting on the center of the hub and it's enough to get the first bearing lubed. I'm considering adding another fitting to ensure that the back bearing gets some grease...

Still, wheel bearings on cars got 20,000 miles without adding more grease. For low duty work like plowing a 1/2 acre garden once each year, I probably won't need to add grease.

The seals I mentioned... The seal is stationary. The seal has a rubberized edge that rides in a groove in the hub. That groove is pitted and I don't know if I can find replacement seals. Not sure what to do about that. I wonder what to do about the rough surface of the hub, too. Should I fill it with some epoxy or jb weld?

So I read that you can mix 100% silicone calk with an equal volume of cornstarch and it will cure throughout instead of just from the edges. Maybe I should try something like that to make a form-fitting seal...

It would be a lot easier to just buy the right seal.

Well, you can buy hubs for 65 $ from Shoup, which would be even easier

 

[k15n1]

Talked to the guy at the industrial supply shop in town. He told me that it's not a seal. Called it a mud buster or something. And he didn't think there was anything he could order as a replacement. So for now I'm going to just use the old ones.

I decided to replace most of the hardware on the plow. For Grade 5 it's almost 3 $/lb and I'm up to about 65 $.

We had a few warm days so the paint is curing. It was soft for several weeks but it seems to be hardening up, finally.

Ordered some bearings. Had to knock out the races, too. Those should be in any day now.

This project has dragged on quite a bit longer than I expected. Still have week or two before it's plow time, so it's OK. Now I've got to get the tractor running after sitting all winter!

 

[baymule]

It sounds like a lot of work, but think how proud you will be when you hook it up to your tractor. What I want to know is, how come no pics?

 

[k15n1]

I have pictures but they're on my camera. And the neutral went out between the transformer and the house which wrecked my computer. Still, it's always more fun with pictures.

The paint still hasn't cured very well. I waited until it was 60 before starting and now we've had 3 weeks of 40s.

 

[baymule]

You could bring it down here........80's F it would cure in about ummm...... 20 minutes!

 

[k15n1]

A friend from work wanted to try turning the hub to take the pits out of the seal's race. Wish I could do it myself but this is worth a shot.

When I mold the silicon seal, I want there to be a bit of a gap. And ideas for coatings I can put inside the race that will give me 0.002 or so clearance? It's got to be removable.

 

[baymule]

Only thing I can think of is a sleeve. But you want a coating of some sort to act as a seal..... I dunno..... maybe put the silicone seal on the sleeve?

 

[k15n1]

Well, it's finally done. I ended up not doing anything with the seal and just re-using them. I figured I'm not making it worse than it was!

The shares had a weird conical shaped plow bolt that I couldn't find anywhere. I should have replaced the shares but that's another 20 $ each plus plow bolts and nuts. The shins are another 20 each. I would have had to buy in boxes of 6 probably because TSC and Fleet Farm doesn't carry this model. In the end, because I had broken so many of the plow bolts while taking it apart, I had to weld in studs. That means I had to drill out the old bolts, hold a new bolt in with a nut, tack the head to the front of the share, take off the nut and tack it to the back. Now it's on straight. Next, grind off the head of the plow bolt and make a proper weld, then clean up the welds on back. Do that 7 more times. One of the welds broke, so I had to take the share off and weld it again. It was a pain but I don't know what the alternative would have been.

I spent about 75 $ in Grade 5 hardware, 50 on bearings on races, 20 on paint and primer, 10 on rust converter, 10 on loc tite. It turned out to be a lot more work and expense than I anticipated. But now it's in almost-new condition, so that's good. I got the plow for 400 and I think I could sell it for 1000 now. So in the end, I'm probably not losing money but I wasn't wanting to spend this much on it at the moment.

Used it to plow the garden the other day. That was fun. It's only 40 x 60. Finished in time, too, because the hydraulics gave out the next day!