Why do cultipacker wheels "float" on the shaft?

[ishiboo]

I'm going to be building my own cultipacker, using some wheels off an old Leslie I have that previously used wood bearings. I found 1.75" solid hot roll is very inexpensive, so that's what I am going to use.

I am a bit curious though why cultipackers have the wheels floating on the shaft, and then also have bearings on the shaft ends. It seems like they would turn on the shaft and wear both the packer wheels and shaft prematurely. The only thing I can think of is in operation they don't really turn on the shaft, but slide side-to-side and have the effect of helping to prevent clods/etc. from sticking between two packer wheels.

Any thoughts?

 

[RickB]

I'm going to be building my own cultipacker, using some wheels off an old Leslie I have that previously used wood bearings. I found 1.75" solid hot roll is very inexpensive, so that's what I am going to use.

I am a bit curious though why cultipackers have the wheels floating on the shaft, and then also have bearings on the shaft ends. It seems like they would turn on the shaft and wear both the packer wheels and shaft prematurely. The only thing I can think of is in operation they don't really turn on the shaft, but slide side-to-side and have the effect of helping to prevent clods/etc. from sticking between two packer wheels.

Any thoughts?

I'm thinking you have it all figured out.

 

[ovrszd]

If they did not "coast" on the shaft, when you turned around on the end, you would make a huge mess and totally defeat your purpose......

If the shaft is bearing attached it will do the turning when running straight and the wheels will run with the shaft. Only time you'll see wheels turning on the shaft is during turns. The friction of all those wheels is greater than the friction of the shaft bearings. So in normal operation the shaft will turn.

 

[gwdixon]

These guys seem to have a handle on the issue (as do you).

If you have ever run a disc without scrapers you likely would encounter packing in moist clay soil that actually make a "wheel" out of the soil and the disc runs on the wheel rather than sinks into the ground. Plus, it is an absolute nightmare to get that dirt wheel off. Crowbars, digging bars, picks, and whatever one can find in the shed is necessary to get it loose. It comes off about a cup-sized chunk at a time...takes forever it seems.

Anyway, the cultipacker wheels moving on the shaft would tend to shake loose the offending clumps. The dirt wheel would be loosened as soon as it formed. In wet soil, it is much worse.

The packers should also be able to move slightly up and down, meaning their center is larger than the axle. This helps break up the accumulation also.

 

[ishiboo]

Thanks all. Great info!

Now I have a bigger problem. I bought the cultipacker for preparing seedbed for grass seed for lawns, clover planting for cover, etc. It worked okay, I'm sure I need to add weight to it for my clay.

But I just got back from picking up a 72" Gill double-roller pulverizer for $350. Mint condition operationally, they bought it and right after got rid of their tractors for skid loaders, and had two Bobcat harley rakes/etc. Just surface rusty from sitting outside. Now, I'm not sure if I want to keep the cultipacker... or maybe I'll run it behind the pulverizer since it doesn't take much to tow it?

 

[gwdixon]

Thanks all. Great info!

Now I have a bigger problem. I bought the cultipacker for preparing seedbed for grass seed for lawns, clover planting for cover, etc. It worked okay, I'm sure I need to add weight to it for my clay.

But I just got back from picking up a 72" Gill double-roller pulverizer for $350. Mint condition operationally, they bought it and right after got rid of their tractors for skid loaders, and had two Bobcat harley rakes/etc. Just surface rusty from sitting outside. Now, I'm not sure if I want to keep the cultipacker... or maybe I'll run it behind the pulverizer since it doesn't take much to tow it?

Sounds like it might be time to experiment. How much acreage do you intend to work?

 

[jeff9366]

I bought the cultipacker for preparing seedbed for grass seed for lawns, clover planting for cover, etc. It worked okay, I'm sure I need to add weight to it for my clay.

With my soil conditions, sandy-loam, my 800 pound ETA Cultipacker leaves ridges which a homeowner would find objectionable in turf. Turf would also be uncomfortably bumpy to mow. You probably need a smooth roller for residential grass seed.

Likewise, a Cultipacker is too much for very fine Clover seed. A roller will give better results.

Cultipacker is for larger seeds than Clover.

When my house was built the yard was compacted by the subs parking trucks and equipment on it. I have struggled ever since to get a really nice lawn. I did not own it at the time but I now have a Field Cultivator which would have been perfect for aerating soil 10" deep before the sod was laid.