Planters Restoring a couple of JD 71 planter units to new condition.

[jimgerken]

I bought two 71 units and a chunk of toolbar a few months ago. They were torched off an 8-row unit out of N. Dakota. Got them for a good price, and they are complete and original, but fairly worn. So I have been learning about their very clever design, and systematically replacing everything on them that is worn out, completely dismantling, cleaning degreasing and painting. Also, converting the toolbar to a three point mounted system since it is just two rows. The intention is to be able to plant the truck garden stuff with it, and especially about a half acre of sweetcorn. Ok, I know you want pics. These show the stuff as first delivered.

 

[jimgerken]

The guy who sold me the units threw in some pretty nice 3-point brackets. He warned me he had put the wrong size holes in them, but luckily I was able to drill what I wanted between what he had, and bushing some of the other holes, and make them work. The brackets saved me a lot of time, and turned out real nice in the end.

 

[jimgerken]

After dis-assembling, I degreased everything, brushed off rust, re-primed any bare steel ( and the 3-point brackets since they were new steel), and finally got to spray them with Valspar Enamal, JD green of course. I added Valspar Enamal hardener this time and was pleased with the results. It is kindof a catylist that makes the paint have an 8-hour pot life, and it acts a lot like epoxy paint. Supposed to make it harder and more durable. Seems to have worked. Early handling shows a pretty hard finish. Sure were a lot of parts in that first batch to paint, and the batch is only one row unit and the three point stuff. I left the second unit mostly together, as a reference so I could remember how it all goes together. I needed that luxury since this project spread out over months, and the manual pics are pretty lousy.

 

[jimgerken]

The coulters (disks) were worn undersized, so they are now all new. I had to replace two of the four coulter bearings, and one of the bearing holder caps. All new bolts for the coulters too, since the originals had pretty worn rounded heads. The press roller shaft assemblies were another challenge. Getting them out of the swingarm castings was a battle, and then it seemed it was impossible to get the little sprocket hubs off the shafts. So I had to buy new shafts (which came with the bearings), and new Sprocket hubs. The wheel hubs (largest round parts) were re-useable.

 

[jimgerken]

Next I came to the press roller wheel rims. I took them apart (2-peice rims bolted together), to paint them. The inside surfaces and the surfaces the tires mount on were badly rusted and scaled. So I began brushing them. That got old quick. I remembered the electrolysis cleaning method I had learned about on the interweb somewhere. So I tossed together a quick setup to clean them with that. Basically you make a solution of water and Washing Soda, and hang the parts to be degreased in there, connecting the part to the negative terminal and the sacrificial anodes (can be re-rod) to the positive terminal of your battery charger or other DC power source. After a few problems with the old battery charger I chose, I got it working. Looks like 24 hours takes off all paint and rust from each rim. One finished last night. A very light hand wire brushing and rinsing under water and it looked great. Sorry, don't yet have the "after" picture, but here are pics of the setup, and the "before" pic of one of the worst rims.

 

[jimgerken]

Finally, it is time for re-assembly to begin. This is the fun part of course. I hate degreasing and really don't have enough patience for painting either, so once I get to put it all back together, I am back to having fun. I think it's looking first rate so far...

 

[jimgerken]

Here are some more details shots of the electrolysis cleaning of the press roller rims. First two pics show the rim after it has been in the cleaning tank with 6 volts at 10 amps for 24 hours. Second two pics show the rim after an almost effortless wire brushing to remove all the loosened paint and rust scale, and a rinse under water. Now that this process is working so well for me, I keep finding more stuff around the shop that needs the same treatment.

 

[jimgerken]

Here are a couple of pics showing the planter assembly so far. With the first unit nearly fully assembled, I can now dis-assemble the other unit for cleaning, re-newing with bearings and bushings and seals, painting, and finally reassembly. That second unit will take me a couple more weeks of part time. Final pics in a couple weeks.

 

[Luremaker]

Your doing a really nice rebuild. I have several 71 units that I use but really should repaint. I'll have to give electrolysis a try. I was fortunate that the fellow I purchased the my 71's from gave me a box of spare parts, including bearings, chains, gears, springs and a pile of nuts and bolts.

 

[jbooth]

jimgerken
Your rebuild is looking good! I have a bunch of 1930 Ford Model A parts that I would like to try using the electrolysis cleaning method. Is there a site that gives a formula for the mixture of the solution. Washing soda??