Repairing an old cultipacker

   / Repairing an old cultipacker #11  
Instead of welding up the "wheels", can they be filled with something like concrete? Use duct tape on the outside of the hole to keep the concrete from oozing out.
 
   / Repairing an old cultipacker #12  
I've done it, it not only has to be pre-heated, it has to be cooled at a sloooow rate, so like you said, not all that easy... Brazing is a bit easier though...

I don't know that I would bother fixing it in the first place...

SR

Agreed it is a complicated process. A comment left me with the impression that all that was needed wad to use any type of welder on it an it was good to go.
I was basically trying to provide a general overview that welding cast is a very involved process and best not to be touched by someone that does not know what they are doing (and yes I include myself in the group that needs to not weld on cast!)
 
   / Repairing an old cultipacker #13  
Couple things
Those wheels may not be cast, they may be forged which is easily welded. Next, if you have a mig machine you can totally repair those yourself using silicon bronze wire. If you had an arc machine I’d find some 55% nickel rod
Grind each weld clean , pre heat in your kitchen oven or on a propane burner. You don’t need to make perfect fitting pieces you can either build it up with filler rod or chunks of steel then grind back down to shape
Cool down needs to be slow by burying it in a bucket of warm sand or putting it back on the heat source and reducing heat slowly.
lasty
I’d just leave them be
They will not affect anything with holes
Your packing dirt not floating concrete
 
   / Repairing an old cultipacker #14  
I also think they are made of some alloy, and not totally cast iron. could be malable cast which is way different and you might be able to cut some patches and get them to stick for no more than you are going to be using it for. Now IF you were going to use it for serious work----then it needs to be pro- fixed.
 
   / Repairing an old cultipacker
  • Thread Starter
#15  
I also think they are made of some alloy, and not totally cast iron. could be malable cast which is way different and you might be able to cut some patches and get them to stick for no more than you are going to be using it for. Now IF you were going to use it for serious work----then it needs to be pro- fixed.

Interesting. I just assumed it was cast. Maybe its not?

i definitely do not have a great deal of land to use it on. I have a total of about 3 acres of plots i would use it maybe twice a year.
 
   / Repairing an old cultipacker #16  
i definitely do not have a great deal of land to use it on. I have a total of about 3 acres of plots i would use it maybe twice a year.
In that case, I would definitely cut it down in width. The narrower cultipacker (I like 7 ft width best because it is perfect behind a 6 ft drag) will be easier to transport and do a better job of compaction on small plots.

I had a 4 footer that was very nice behind an atv, for doing remote plots, where it is difficult to get larger equipment. It did a better job of compaction than my 7 footer, because if you pulled it along a ridge or ditch, it didnt miss as wide of an area.

I only sold it because I can get a tractor in all my plots, I dont own an atv,, and the profit was very good. I found it dirt cheap, in rough condition, at a garage sale and sold it after replacing the bearings (fun woodworking project).

It also had a couple busted wheels on it, which I replaced with good ones that I had from my "downsized" 8 to 7 footer. The demand for cultupackers is huge as you have no doubt experienced.
 
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   / Repairing an old cultipacker #17  
Couple things
Those wheels may not be cast, they may be forged which is easily welded. Next, if you have a mig machine you can totally repair those yourself using silicon bronze wire. If you had an arc machine I’d find some 55% nickel rod

We don't use cultipackers here. What is it used for?

But regardless of the use, it seems pretty straightforwad to repair. I'd do pretty much the same as akajun....
I'm not sure about the basic alloy of the wheel, but not sure that it matters since we can see from the damage & holes that it appears a malleable alloy. My preference for this type job is the oxy/acetylene torch and that is what I would use for this job. That way I have pre-heat, post heat (if necessary) and braze/welding heat all available as needed.
Post heat is something I always do, but it isn't so critical with brazing as with welding. Just playing the torch over it as it cools should do it.
For the job I would definitely agree with high-nickel bronze brazing rod (much better than low fuming brass), I like a powder flux that can be applied as needed, and would make the patches of any type of mild steel.
It would surprise me if the repair didn't outlast the rest of the wheel. Why not try? What's to lose?
rScotty
 
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   / Repairing an old cultipacker #18  
Make your new wood bearings out of hard maple aka sugar maple. Soak them in oil before installation. Hard maple bearings were used extensively in the early days for line shaft bearings, in water pumping windmills, all manner of farm equipment. Anything with heavy radial or shock loads.
 
   / Repairing an old cultipacker #19  
You can still buy those wheels... Just throwing that out there as an option.

Sent from my XP8800 using TractorByNet mobile app
 
   / Repairing an old cultipacker #20  
Both Everything Attachments and Agri Supply sell replacement wheels for Cultipackers. Sweet Tractors sells replacement wooden bearings for various cultipackers and, on occasion, sell used cultipacker wheels
 
 
 
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