New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question

   / New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question #1  

Greg123

New member
Joined
Jun 25, 2012
Messages
4
Location
Seymour TX
Tractor
Massey Ferguson 1978 Diesel
Hi. I bought a circa 1965 - 1970 New Idea manure spreader, Model 18, serial C42846 recently with the original metal parts in pretty good shape, painted up with a brand new wooden box. Somebody put a lot of effort into that. I have the instruction manual, but have never used a manure spreader.

The spreader's conveyer chain has jumped off the broad chain guide on one side under the front of the box, and I am trying to figure out how to take the old chain and bars apart, so that I can get it back up in the guide where it is suppose to ride. Right now it binds, trying to slip off the front sprocket drive on one side. For that matter, I can't see how to tighten the chain either, as it is old and has some slack in it.

This model does not seem to have adjustable sprocket drives, at either the front or the back, for the conveyor chain in the bed, so there must be some technique I am overlooking for removing the conveyor chains. The assembly instructions do not indicate how the chain is attached to itself when new, and the parts description seems to show a connector piece, but I do not see any such piece on the 80% of the conveyor chain I can see on the bottom of the box and under the box. The smaller drive chains seem to be made in the same manner (without the angle iron cross bars), but they are all working right now.

Thanks for any thoughts.
 
   / New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question #2  
You need a "Chain Link Anvil" The chain actually comes apart at any of the chain lengths ... fold the chain so to speak at a 90 degree angle(at ajoint) and place in the anvil, a couple swift bolws with the hammer and they slide apart.
 
   / New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question #3  
Also I believe that model to tighten the chain you remove a length of chain ... gotta count both sides to make sure they are the same in the number of chain lengths ... I think your referring to whats called the "apron chain"
 
   / New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question #4  
Note parts 4 and 11 in the photo attached. Slots in the angle irons allow for some tension adjustment on the apron chain. How to gain tension, I'm not sure. Most have eye bolts, or something similar, at/around the front idler shaft, to loosen, or tighten. The clamp straps are hiding the slots, so it's hard to see.

You can go to AGCO partsbooks: AGCO Parts Books and enter as a guest user. Type in 18 in the model number, and select New Idea, from the brand menu, then hit search. It will give an exploded view of your entire spreader, by sections.

Hope this helps..!!
 

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   / New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks everyone for the quick insights. Now when our 110 degree heat drops a bit, I might even crawl under the spreader and see how I can turn your insights into a solution, before the family accidentally starts loading the spreader with too much "fertilizer".

This model is to be operated at 3.5 to 4 miles per hour, so my wife should be able to pull it with the pickup. I see new versions whipping around fields at much higher speeds attached to ATVs. I would think manure would fly everywhere at high speeds, even if the machine can take the abuse.

Do any of you know folks who restore these vintage spreaders as a hobby, for future resources ?
 
   / New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question #6  
Do you know who invented the manure spreader ??
 
   / New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question
  • Thread Starter
#7  
No, I don't know who invented the manure spreader. Always a surprise to think about something like that being "invented". And now I guess I have to haunt antique tool stores for a "chain link anvil". Is that a real tool ? Where might I find one ?

I am having trouble getting enough slack in the main bed chain to get the links to a 90 degree angle. I can see how it would work, on the smaller drive chains if removed. But my Model 18 does not seem to have any tension adjustment for the whole bed chain -- nothing in the front idler assembly and nothing in the rear drive gear shaft. I was going to loosen the frame, to get the chain back up in the right guide plates, but I see some round rivets of some sort, rather than bolts, were apparently part of the original design for some of the key angle iron box frame supports -- including the ones I would like to loosen. Drats !

The instruction manual states on page 13 : "The conveyor should be checked often. It should run between 2 to 4 inches below the bottom of the machine. Looseness can be taken up by adjusting the front idler bracket. If necessary, a chain link can be removed on both sides to get proper tightness." But some 3 broken (rusted and snapped right off) bolts later, the front idler bracket is loose, but I see no way to adjust it. Maybe there are hidden holes I cannot see, if one wanted to tighten it by 1 inch or so, but its already hard against the new bed wood, so it doesn't help for loosening the chain to get that 90 degree angle to knock the conveyor chain apart. and the chain already hangs about 12 inches below the bed when out of the guide skid plates, so there must be some other mechanism I do not yet understand.
 
   / New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question #8  
No, I don't know who invented the manure spreader. Always a surprise to think about something like that being "invented". And now I guess I have to haunt antique tool stores for a "chain link anvil". Is that a real tool ? Where might I find one ?

I am having trouble getting enough slack in the main bed chain to get the links to a 90 degree angle. I can see how it would work, on the smaller drive chains if removed. But my Model 18 does not seem to have any tension adjustment for the whole bed chain -- nothing in the front idler assembly and nothing in the rear drive gear shaft. I was going to loosen the frame, to get the chain back up in the right guide plates, but I see some round rivets of some sort, rather than bolts, were apparently part of the original design for some of the key angle iron box frame supports -- including the ones I would like to loosen. Drats !

The instruction manual states on page 13 : "The conveyor should be checked often. It should run between 2 to 4 inches below the bottom of the machine. Looseness can be taken up by adjusting the front idler bracket. If necessary, a chain link can be removed on both sides to get proper tightness." But some 3 broken (rusted and snapped right off) bolts later, the front idler bracket is loose, but I see no way to adjust it. Maybe there are hidden holes I cannot see, if one wanted to tighten it by 1 inch or so, but its already hard against the new bed wood, so it doesn't help for loosening the chain to get that 90 degree angle to knock the conveyor chain apart. and the chain already hangs about 12 inches below the bed when out of the guide skid plates, so there must be some other mechanism I do not yet understand.

Its a favorite old joke of mine ... the name of the man who invented the maure spreader was a chinamen by the name of "fling shlt hi" ... Most tractor supply companies sell the anvil or you can find them on ebay ... it is not an easy job .. if your chain is hanging 12" down you may be able to use a come along hooked into the links and pull together enough slack to get the anvil to work.
 
   / New Idea Model 18 Manure Spreader Question
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Well, I haven't had any luck finding a "chain link anvil". They have never heard of it at the local tractor/auto/truck parts store.

Another question : how are the two "pawls" suppose to be positioned in operation -- that apparently prevent the bed conveyor drive gear wheel from turning backwards ? It is not clear to me why they were designed, since the drive cylinder would mostly prevent much backward movement, other than when it is rotating forward to re-engage the bed conveyor drive gear.

The fellow that rebuilt the Model 18 before me did a great job, but that bracket he got in the wrong place, and it busted through his new wood box lumber. I can get some sheet metal to stiffen both sides of it. But when he repositoned it, he left it so that the short pawl can be rotated up and off the drive gear with effort, but the long pawl (about 1/2 inch longer -- don't know why they have two of them), cannot be utilized.

These pawls are parts L 304, longer one and L 302, shorter one, and seem to have a weak spring that is suppose to keep them always in the teeth of the bed drive gear wheel.

Anyone have any ideas or experience on this ?

And where might I find replacement safety covers for the various chains -- I have about half of them, and about half of them seem to be missing.

Thanks.

Greg.
 
 
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