plow bolts

[Eric_Phillips]

I am needing to replace my plow shears this weekend. I rememmber a thread talking about the bolts holding the shears. I thought these were specific to the shear but doing some searching I found that the term Plow Bolts is just a type of carrage bolt with a thin flat head. So if I need to cut or break the bolts off can I replace them with these generic plow bolts or are there specific bolts I need to find. The plow is a 3x14 Ford 101.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[deerhunterf350]

Eric,

Plow Bolts are what you need, I believe there may be a couple different diameter bolts, depending on the use, just make sure you get the same diameter and correct length.

About your replacement shares,

Did you buy them local or order from Internet?

If from internet please post or PM me the link as I may be ordering replacement parts for our 101 plow.

Also post some pics of the plow, Before / After , curious how Worn out it is.


Dan

 

[Eric_Phillips]

I am getting my shears from Tractor Supply Company. I don't know if their parts are any worse or better than others but I do not do regular plowing, mostly just trying to get some pastures in so I don't need them to hold up to many hours and years of plowing. At about $10 a shear I thought I couldn't go too wrong.

Here is a link to pictures of the plow http://home.rochester.rr.com/ekphillips/Plow_web/ You can see in some of the pics that the shears are worn all the way to the frog. The back one is actually in OK shape but I plan on changing them all.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

There are 2 different types of plow bolts. The ones you mentioned (that resemble a flat-headed carraige bolt) are for the shins, moldboard, landslides, and coverboards (if so equipped) A few replacement shares used these bolts. They come in various diameters and legnths. The 2nd type is what will COMMONLY hold the shares in place. They have a slightly "oval" shaped head. I've seen them in 3/8" and 7/16" diameters and a few various legnths. They are called "clipped head bolts". The manufacturer of the replacement shares should have a listing for size of the bolts for your application. (I'm 90% sure the 101 uses 3/8" X 1-1/4" clipped head's) I'm at work now, and will be until late this evening. If you don't get a definitive answer on which size you need, post back, and I'll look up the size/legnth of clipped head bolts you need when I'm home. They're readily available through a number of sources, inc. Valu-Bilt, Agri-Supply, ect.

Most replacement shares available these days are made by one of a few manufacturers. They are all of satisfactory quality, but none will have an "OEM fit". Under normal conditions, you'll get years of service from them. It takes a LOT of acres to wear out a share.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

FarmwithJunk,
Thanks for the info. Could you please check on those bolts. When I asked the guy at TSC about the bolts he jokingly commented how he knows nothing about tractors but works at TSC. I am soaking the bolts down with PBBlaster but I don't think they will come off willingly.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

FarmwithJunk,
Thanks for the info. Could you please check on those bolts. When I asked the guy at TSC about the bolts he jokingly commented how he knows nothing about tractors but works at TSC. I am soaking the bolts down with PBBlaster but I don't think they will come off willingly.

I'll check when I'm home. That may be late tonight. Leaving here to go mow weeds until dark. But as soon as I can, you'll get what info I have.

The old bolts always wear down and are never much good. I always take the cutting torch to them. Usually they're difficult to get a wrench on, with all the corrosion and being stuck in an awkward spot like they are.

The TSC closest to me hired an old retired farmer a few years back. The manager promptly fired him. Said he spent too much time with the customers

I'd suggest to anyone who's going to mess around with old farm equipment that they get a Valu-Bilt catalog. Even if you never buy anything, it's valuable as reference material if nothing else. (plow bolts are liste in there) And a safe bet, you get the catalog, you'll find a few things you just can't live without!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Alrighty then! Made it home. I had a Ford 101 plow manual at one point in my life. Can't find it now to save my soul. BUT. Here's what info I gathered from Valu-Bilt catalog, Valu-Bilt , Ford plows use 7/16" X 1-1/4" share bolts. They MAY be #3 head regular plow bolts (those "flat-headed carraige bolts") OR clipped head bolts. It depends on what type the manufacturer of the share decided to use. Original FORD shares were #3 plow bolts. Adams shares, once the most popular aftermarket shares used clipped head's. Herschel, the popular "generic" shares that most farm supply stores carry nowdays use #3's.

If you have to order from Valu-Bilt, the part #'s for the 7/16" X 1-1/4" clipped heads is 527788. They're $.59 each. 7/16" X 1-1/4" #3 plow bolt part # is 484089. They're $.49 each. Depending on size of bottom, you may use 3 or 4 bolts per share. (Easy to count on existing shares)

MAYBE... Maybe you'll get lucky. When Agri-Supply stocked plow shares on a dependable basis, they shipped new shares with bolts, nuts, and washers. They have a very limited supply of plow parts nowdays. And when their inventory runs out, no more from them.

Hope this helps. If you need any more info, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

Thanks for that info. The shins came in and the whole looks oblong so I think it takes the #3 clipped you mentioned. I also got to talk to someone who knew alittle more. The store near me is new, just a year. They don't stock any tillage stuff but another store not too far away does. I will call down to them to see if they have the bolts.

 

[D7E]

I am needing to replace my plow shears this weekend. I rememmber a thread talking about the bolts holding the shears. I thought these were specific to the shear but doing some searching I found that the term Plow Bolts is just a type of carrage bolt with a thin flat head. So if I need to cut or break the bolts off can I replace them with these generic plow bolts or are there specific bolts I need to find. The plow is a 3x14 Ford 101.

Thanks,
Eric

Some modern eoropean brands (Kverneland) have slightly different shaped heads but all countersunk "plow bolts" and most will interchange , We dont uaually try undoing them just cut em off with torch and put new , Threads are usually stretched fron being over tight any-way so some-times hard to keep a used bolt tight .

 

[Soundguy]

you can get plow bolts many places... i got some expensive gr10 ones from ringpower/catipillar.. and some regualr ones from my hardware store...

soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Thanks for that info. The shins came in and the whole looks oblong so I think it takes the #3 clipped you mentioned. I also got to talk to someone who knew alittle more. The store near me is new, just a year. They don't stock any tillage stuff but another store not too far away does. I will call down to them to see if they have the bolts.

The #3's are the regular "flat headed carraige bolts" you described earlier in the thread. The "clipped head" bolts are the oblong (oval) shaped heads. It does indeed sound like you need clipped head bolts. If you have ANY trouble finding them, PM me. I've got buckets full of them in the shop. Be more'n happy to send you a few.

 

[ericjeeper]

No matter how tempting it is.. When using an air impact gun.. Do not put yer thumb on the head of the bolt to prevent it from spinning.. Trust me and everyone else, that will admit to have done it, ONCE and only .. it will cut the finger.. LOL

 

[Farmwithjunk]

No matter how tempting it is.. When using an air impact gun.. Do not put yer thumb on the head of the bolt to prevent it from spinning.. Trust me and everyone else, that will admit to have done it, ONCE and only .. it will cut the finger.. LOL

OUCH! Plow bolts wear to an EXTREMELY sharp edge. I can only imagine what they'd do to a finger.

 

[Ford850]

In case you have trouble removing the old bolts, you can cut the nuts and they'll spin right off. I don't have a torch so I use this method if I want to salvage the bolt to take with me when replacing. I use an angle grinder with cutting wheel or even a hack saw, cutting a section of the nut, either spit it with a cut, or cut right up along the threads slabbing a section off. Then the nust spind right off even if the bolt threads are 90% rusted away. I can cut them and remove the nuts in less than a minute, and salvage the bolt for comparison.
You might not need it in this case but it comes in handy working with these old plows.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

Thanks for all the help. I got the shins changed today. The top bolts came off with a breaker bar but the bottom ones are almost inaccessable so they got the sawzall treatment. Also the old shins had plow bolts but the new ones I got from TSC took clipped head bolts. I found them at my tractor dealer. The top bolts were 7/16" x 1.5" and the bottoms were 7/16" x 1". Here are a couple of pics with the new shins.