Restoration of an old disc, any advice?

[franklinute]

I your first picture it shows a bolt missing in the brackets that bolt to the tongue. I think it is important to have that bolted together because if it got in a hard pull something could bend or break.

 

[HCJtractor]

I your first picture it shows a bolt missing in the brackets that bolt to the tongue. I think it is important to have that bolted together because if it got in a hard pull something could bend or break.

Thanks for the reply!! I would love to see some pictures of yours to see how the hydraulics are hooked up. I noticed the front plate may be bent upward. Some pictures would help me if you have a chance and it is not too much trouble. What size disc were these originally? I know these are worn, but for simple food plot use, maybe they are adequate, at least for a while until I see how it performs with my tractor.

 

[flusher]

And, do you think I have enough tractor to pull it? (70 horse Kubota M- 6800 4 WD with loaded rears). The owner basically will let me do whatever with it (he has no need for it as he has way nicer implements) He stops short of giving it to me but I can use it as if it were mine. He also has an old Allis Chalmers 4 row planter, but that is another up-coming thread.

That M6800 will get a workout trying to pull that beast in soft ground. I can get my wheel disc to work in dry soil with my Mahindra 5525 (54 hp, 2WD) but it stalls the tractor in soft soil.

Offer him $1 for it. If he balks, I'd say adios. Too much work and probably $$$ to get that wreck back in working order. I don't put my time and money into other people's implements hoping that I can use them when I want.

 

[HCJtractor]

anyone have any pictures of this Athens Series 166 disc showing the set-up of the hydraulic cylinder and tongue??

As far as whether it is wise to restore this due to ownership doesn't concern me. The owner is my friend whom I trust to allow me to use it as if it were mine.

 

[franklinute]

I will be glad to get you pics of my setup but it will have to be this weekend. I leave my athens disc at another farm. From your 1st pic I can see the tabs where the cylinder attaches. You will want to get a cylinder that is 1-2" shorter than this distance when retracted.
I bought mine for $200 from an older relative, the discs were is good condition, had to put tires on it and has been worth every penny.

 

[Bartcephus]

FWIW, I have a 3 pt disk. It's even one of the light angle iron jobs. Bought it on the cheap. Had to take it appart and use a press to straighten out some of the angle iron where the previous owner must have hit a stump or something. I love it. I do lenghthen my top link to get the disk completely level at 3-6 inches below ground. (However deep I am intending to till the soil) It's not perfect, it is a ganged disk that works for my food plots, easy to transport, and gets the job done. I like it over my PTO tiller because I don't want to risk my high dollar tiller in the unknown soil.

Drag disks, 3PT disks, tillers, plows, crop yields... its all in what your prepared to spend time and money wise.

 

[HCJtractor]

I will be glad to get you pics of my setup but it will have to be this weekend. I leave my athens disc at another farm. From your 1st pic I can see the tabs where the cylinder attaches. You will want to get a cylinder that is 1-2" shorter than this distance when retracted.
I bought mine for $200 from an older relative, the discs were is good condition, had to put tires on it and has been worth every penny.

Thanks! What do you pull yours with? Any tips on using one like this?

 

[franklinute]

Most of the time I pull it with a 706 Farmall with rice and cane tires. I have pulled it with a IH 684 but the tractor looses traction when the disc goes deep. I can pull it with my JD450 loader if there are thorns trees or bushes.
I don't pull it more than a few days a year. Good for breaking new sod ground, reclaiming some fallow ground or working a cover crop into the soil. For a better seed bed tie a heavy pole or railroad iron behind to break up the clods and smooth.

 

[HCJtractor]

I will be glad to get you pics of my setup but it will have to be this weekend. I leave my athens disc at another farm. From your 1st pic I can see the tabs where the cylinder attaches. You will want to get a cylinder that is 1-2" shorter than this distance when retracted.
I bought mine for $200 from an older relative, the discs were is good condition, had to put tires on it and has been worth every penny.

I pulled this disc this weekend and it actually worked o.k. as is. I temporarily attached a ratchet jack to replace the hydraulic cylinder just to see if it would lift the wheels, and it did. The bearing actually turn and don't seem too frozen up. THe front draw bar supports are bent, but these are just plate steel and can either be bent back into place or fabricated. I am going to try to find wheels and tires so I can load it onto a trailer and transport it to a shop where I can begin breaking it down, and probably either sandblast it or maybe try Gemplers rust primer.

Anyone have any pictures of one or a source of parts?? I will post more pictures soon.

 

[franklinute]

HCJtractor I haven't forgotten you. I did use my disc Tuesday afternoon for a couple of hours before the rain came in. I did take some pics but my file is too large to download. I will try to resize file this evening and post.

 

[franklinute]

Here are the pics that I took Tuesday.

 

[HCJtractor]

thanks for taking the time to respond, and I am sorry for my delay in checking. Unfortunately, I cannot open this file as it shows it "is invalid or corrupted". Can you try again or email them to me? I really would like to see them. I am beginning to start breaking this old disc down. I ordered new wheels and am making a new piece to replace the bent tongue support so I can load this up and move it to a better place to work on it. I may in the future pick your brain on availibility of parts (i.e. new discs, bearings) and the nuances of operation and set-up.

 

[Boeing]

Talkin' about disks....
I just bought this USED set and tugged it around the top field to break up my clay, gravel soil.... It did pretty good but I noticed that the RIGHT REAR set of disks don't turn. I greased all 4 sets of axles. The other 3 spin, somewhat tightly but the RR will only turn with vicegrips (so it is not totally frozen) I tried to loosen the big nut on the end but it just turned the disks. Is this nut the key to loosening up the shaft? Maybe if I wedged the disks with about 3 vicegrips I could loosen the nut a QUARTER turn?????
IDEAS?

 

[HCJtractor]

You should lower it and maybe lift up the front to sink the rear discs as deep as possible in the soil. Then use a big wrench and if necessary a longer breaker bar The gang of discs should not spin. That nut needs to come off to service the bearings. It's strange a new disc won't spin.

 

[Boeing]

Thanks for the suggestions. Maybe after a rain it would sin in the dirt. The ground is normally so hard it won't go into it.
I bought this unit USED, I have no idea how old it is.
Thanks, again