JD / Van Brunt B Seed Adjustments are Stuck

[macecase]

I traded for this John Deere Van Brunt Model B grain drill.

It looks like it is in OK shape and I want to plant some soybeans this year. I cannot get the seed rate adjustment levers to move... They are rusted in place.

I assume them lever goes left or right and the whole rod assembly moves and restricts or opens the hole to allow less or more grain through. Is that right?

How can I get them loose? I though of penetrating oil where they'd move. Also, more aggressively, maybe pouring used motor oil in seed hopper and letting that run down.... but not sure.

So, thoughts and suggestions would be helpful. I don't want to break anything. Thanks!

 

[Tx Jim]

I traded for this John Deere Van Brunt Model B grain drill.

It looks like it is in OK shape and I want to plant some soybeans this year. I cannot get the seed rate adjustment levers to move... They are rusted in place.

I assume them lever goes left or right and the whole rod assembly moves and restricts or opens the hole to allow less or more grain through. Is that right?

YES. Saturate with a lot of penetrating oil then you may have to resort to heat to loosen the feed cups.

 

[flusher]

I'd jack up the drill and spray those rusted seed cup parts with diesel. Then grab the wheels and work them back and forth by hand to loosen the parts that are rusted together. If you're lucky, this will solve the problem. Otherwise you'll have to start disassembly.

You don't want to use penetrating oil or motor oil because it will be a real job to clean up the residue so the seed doesn't clog the feed cups.

Spray the rotating parts with diesel after each use to keep the rust from returning.

I rebuilt two old Minneapolis Moline P3-6 grain drills (10 ft wide, 20 drops, single disc openers) that had the same rust problem as your JD. I had to disassemble those drills completely, clean the rust off the parts, and then spray the parts with galvanized coating before reassembly.



Good luck

 

[Tx Jim]

You don't want to use penetrating oil or motor oil because it will be a real job to clean up the residue so the seed doesn't clog the feed cups.

Spray the rotating parts with diesel after each use to keep the rust from returning.Good luck

I disagree with you about using penetrating oil. Have you noticed how ULSD has very little lubricating qualities. If you spill ULSD on concrete if will almost evaporate similar to gasoline. Oh well different strokes for different folks.

 

[flusher]

I disagree with you about using penetrating oil. Have you noticed how ULSD has very little lubricating qualities. If you spill ULSD on concrete if will almost evaporate similar to gasoline. Oh well different strokes for different folks.

That's the point--diesel evaporates eventually without leaving a sticky residue while providing enough lubricity to help free rusted parts. But you have to work the parts back and forth to get the diesel to penetrate.

 

[Tx Jim]

I like your explanation of "diesel evaporates EVENTUALLY"!! No sticky residue then not much lubrication!!!!!!!! Do you think that "small amount of oily residue" is going to stop seed germination for any substantial acres of seed sown? As I previously stated "different strokes for different folks"!! Maybe macecase can perform an experiment by using diesel on 1/2 of the drill & a good penetrating oil on the other 1/2 of drill. Then report back which 1/2 freed up easier and which 1/2 achieved the best germination of seed !

 

[Deere Dude]

That JD Van Brunt grain drill brings back memories as my dad worked in engineering on those things at the John Deere plant in Horicon, Wisconsin. He would bring one home once in a while to seed our 25 acre field and I was just about 8 or 9 years old and would play on it, carefully...