Is your coulter bushing loose?

[LaVita]

Hi all.

I just finished putting new shears on an old Fergusion 2-16 plow. I also replaced one of the coulter bushings. After reassembly, both colters move side to side about 1/4 inch, sliding on the bushing until it hits the hub cap on that side. That is both, regardless of new or old (original) bushing. There are no missing pieces. Why would the original setup have so much slack? Could the original parts (1954) have worn down in a way to create that slack? The new bushing and the original are the same length. Seems to me I should grind the bushings shorter to take out some of the play. Is there a reason they slip back and forth along the bushing? The grease just comes out at the gap hub caps. Help me out guys!

 

[Hib]

I'm gonna suggest you post your question on Yesterday's Tractor site. Many knowledgable ferguson people hang out there.
Here is a link:
http://www.ytmag.com/ferg/wwwboard1.html

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Hi all.

I just finished putting new shears on an old Fergusion 2-16 plow. I also replaced one of the coulter bushings. After reassembly, both colters move side to side about 1/4 inch, sliding on the bushing until it hits the hub cap on that side. That is both, regardless of new or old (original) bushing. There are no missing pieces. Why would the original setup have so much slack? Could the original parts (1954) have worn down in a way to create that slack? The new bushing and the original are the same length. Seems to me I should grind the bushings shorter to take out some of the play. Is there a reason they slip back and forth along the bushing? The grease just comes out at the gap hub caps. Help me out guys!

A little clearance isn't too abnormal. 1/4" is nearing the extreme boundries of normal wear. The hub (piece the bushing fits inside) is a 2-piece affair, with the coulter disc sandwiched in between the 2 pieces, then rivited together. Then the bushing fits inside, with those cups (what you're refering to as "hub caps") pressed against the end of the bushing, then a through-bolt that holds everything together. With NO GREASE in the hub assembly, there's a little side-to-side clearance. Fill the hub with grease and that should be less noticable.

Now, should you have excessive side-to-side movement, there could be some end wear on the coulter HUB itself. (remember, this implement spent its life being dragged through the dirt, excessive wear IS normal) One easy way to tighten that up would be to grind/machine a touch off the BUSHING (lenght).

You'd be astounded to know the number of old plows where that hub and bushing have been trashed for hundreds of acres, never greased and now siezed, and merely rotating on the BOLT, metal to metal. And that'll work for quite a few acres.

 

[LaVita]

Yea, in fact I said I replaced one of the bushings. Well the original one was frozen to the bolt and I had to cut both ends off the bolt to get it out. The cups do show signs of wear. I think I will shorten up the bushings, grease 'em up and run with that.