Harrow axle nuts keep loosing up! Help!

[StewartGA1]

Ok, I have a long, on going problem with my "heavy duty" international harrow. It's a 16 disk, with the bearing halfs (not the seal bearings). The nuts keep loosing up overtime. The first time it happen (4 years ago) I lost an axle and a bearing. Locktight doesn't work. Now three axles later I'm installing nulon nut then locking that down with a regular nut I know not to do turns but dang. The fronts do it worse but one of the rears did it today:confused2: (food plots). Any ideas. Thanks!

 

[gwdixon]

Well, you could peen the nut to the threads with a chisel or a punch. The nut will come off with a breaker bar.

Another alternative is to spot weld the nut to the threads. A grinder will take off the spot and the nut will come right off.

The axle is very hard but it could be drilled and, using a castle nut, a cotter pin will hold it in place.

If it is a square axle a lock washer that has a tab that is bent up and over a flat face of the nut works. Just bend the tab back to flat and the nut comes right off.

 

[kebo]

We have the same problem with a Leinback disk harrow at my hunt club. The guys have already ruined one gangshaft and several disks just from being careless. We found that using a jamnut outside of the regular nut works pretty good, that is if you have enough threads to allow it. You might also use some of the semi-permanent threadlocker before running the jamnut on there, or you could spot weld the two nuts together IF the jamnut keeps coming lose.

However, I wouldn't prick punch a $30 gangshaft!

 

[SandburRanch]

Try 2 jamb nuts, but rather than depending on two common nuts jambed, buy actual jamb nuts. They are typically half the height of a common nut and have a washer face. Install the washer faces - face to face. See pic #5 in the link.

Hex Jam Nuts | Portland Bolt

 

[5030]

We just take a SMAW rod and dab a weld spot to the nut and axle..... a quick swipe with an angle grinder removes it. In lieu of that, 272 high strength threadolocker should work.

 

[StewartGA1]

Thank you everyone for the great information! :thumbsup: Also glad to hear that I'm not the only one with this problem. Tractor by Net is the one place I can always count on for the most difficult of problems.

 

[flusher]

Ok, I have a long, on going problem with my "heavy duty" international harrow. It's a 16 disk, with the bearing halfs (not the seal bearings). The nuts keep loosing up overtime. The first time it happen (4 years ago) I lost an axle and a bearing. Locktight doesn't work. Now three axles later I'm installing nulon nut then locking that down with a regular nut I know not to do turns but dang. The fronts do it worse but one of the rears did it today:confused2: (food plots). Any ideas. Thanks!

You need an axle nut lock plate to hold that lock on securely. Google "axle nut lock plate" and look at the images. One of those plates may work for you.

That's how I hold the axle nuts on my old 6.5 ft Towner offset disc. Never had problem one with nuts backing off.

Good luck

 

[flusher]

You need an axle nut lock plate to hold that lock on securely. Google "axle nut lock plate" and look at the images. One of those plates may work for you.

That's how I hold the axle nuts on my old 6.5 ft Towner offset disc. Never had problem one with nuts backing off.

Good luck

Correction

You need an axle nut lock plate to hold that NUT on securely. Google "axle nut lock plate" and look at the images. One of those plates may work for you.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

You need an axle nut lock plate to hold that lock on securely. Google "axle nut lock plate" and look at the images. One of those plates may work for you

There ya go! And if they're backing off, there's a good chance they never were really tight enough to begin with. I'd replace the lock washer with a new one, crank down on the lock nut with an impact wrench if possible, and use the lock plate Flusher suggested.

 

[sixdogs]

Correction

You need an axle nut lock plate to hold that NUT on securely. Google "axle nut lock plate" and look at the images. One of those plates may work for you.

This drove me crazy when my disc axle nuts kep loosening up under use. It is a common problem. The above plate is what I finally did but the double or even triple lock nut idea should work. Today I might take a look at the super duty Locktite and I'll bet that will work.