spring trip maintanence question

[ramdino]

I have a 3 foot moldboard spring trip , I think it is a Ford although it is red not blue, that I plow with for gardens and deer plots. What kinda maintence do I need to do to it. I tripped it on several stumps today and notice that the rear plow is harder to reset than the front. I have to sit it down and back onto a log fpr the rear but the front plow I can reste by kicking it. I think due to some rust on the mechansim that holds it in the locked position. Does anyone have a site with the owners manual on it or advice?

[gwdixon]

If it is a Ford 101 it has an adjustable trip spring. You may also consider taking it apart and cleaning out all of the old hardened grease and whatever other gunk is in the mechanism that may cause it to bind.

There should be a hole in the trip mechanism near the front and just below the frame. It has a Zerk for adding grease. Some say that you should clean out all of the old grease and not add any new because of the tendency to attract dirt and debris. Your choice.

[ramdino]

If I take off the side panel thast exposes the mechnism, will everthing stay in place or will it all comne shooting out due to the spring tension/.

[gwdixon]

If I take off the side panel thast exposes the mechnism, will everthing stay in place or will it all comne shooting out due to the spring tension/.

It will be fine - no face full of parts. I disassembled and cleaned the three trips on a 3 bottom Ford 101 without a problem.

The spring is very heavy duty so requires some maneuvering to get it back together but it can be done.