Disk axle bearings

[Sully2]

I got a set of HD disk the other day for my little tractor ( used set) but in plenty good shape. Frame paint needs re-worked..but then Ive seen better paint jobs on the inside of an outhouse than what a lot of impliments have on them...lol.
( I need a project for late this fall anway.....)

Anyway..not knowing if the set had EVER been greased or not? ( who knows??)..Ive replaced every grease fittng with new ones and am "attempting" to grease it. Only trouble is...HOW MUCH GREASE?? Do I keep pumping grease till I see it come out somewhere..??..or give each fitting 2-3 pumps..or ?? After about 3 pumps I usually hear a "pop" ( like when old grease has popped out of a joint) but if it is coming out..?..I cant find it anywhere? I sure dont want to blow out some seal and have to tear it all apart ( talk about a PITA!!!) but Im lost as to how much grease to install.

Any help greatly appreciated!

This set is a LOT heavier built that King Kutter brand that Ive seen at TSC and WEIGHS a lot more too...and with a perfectly good "china" toplink tossed in..I sure didnt think $150 was a bad price??? The guy was going to GIVE THEM TO ME..?? but I said NO to that. I said if they will do what I want..I'll buy them. With no additional weight on them...they are beaking up this claY Ive got here about 2 inches deep..like its nothing.

 

[Sully2]

Awe c'mon fellas!! SOMEONE has a set of disk's they grease once in a while??

 

[wushaw]

Weather it has plain bearings or the ones that look like the sealed units with fittings just pump grease in till it comes out somewhere.

 

[Egon]

Pump lots.

 

[Sully2]

Weather it has plain bearings or the ones that look like the sealed units with fittings just pump grease in till it comes out somewhere.

Oh lord! Id better get a new tube of lube then!!!! I gave each zerk 6 pumps...and as I said I can hear the "grease pop" noise thats common when greasing something...but I dont think Im even CLOSE to getting grease to come out somewhere.

One of the old zerks had grease so hard inside it..I couldnt even dig it out.!!!

 

[have_blue]

Oh lord! Id better get a new tube of lube then!!!! I gave each zerk 6 pumps...and as I said I can hear the "grease pop" noise thats common when greasing something...but I dont think Im even CLOSE to getting grease to come out somewhere.

One of the old zerks had grease so hard inside it..I couldnt even dig it out.!!!

If it's a plain bearing with the spools, man they really eat the grease!

 

[Soundguy]

If it has grey iron bearings.. prepair to pumpalot.... and it will eventually pop out a side of the wide bearing carrier... if it is sealed.. a dad will do ya'.. as yuo don't want to push the seals out.

Soundguy

 

[Sully2]

Ok guys thanks a lot. My main farmer buddy is still in China on business so I'll have to wait for him to get back home and take a look at it and tell me just what sort of bearings is DOES have...cause lord knows I dont have the foggiest idea..lol

 

[Soundguy]

I wide 'carrier' on the axle.. about the size of a 6" hogie roll.. with the axle protruding from either side is most likely a gey iron bearing.

A small bearing carier with arubber seal facing out is a sealed bearing.. probably the size of a donut.. or a tad smaller..

Soundguy

 

[Stimw]

Adding grease does two things it lubs the area and it purges dirt and grime from the bearing surface. You should always pump until you get fresh clean grease coming out.
An easy way to free up a clogged fitting is to warm it with a propane torch. Dosen't always work but the odds are good.

 

[Soundguy]

If his are sealed bearings.. "pumping till grease comes out" will mean his seal is out.. and then he will need you to stop buy and replace it for him.

On bushings.. you can pump till grease comes out.. sealed bearings are a different animal...

Soundguy

 

[JoeF]

Pump away!!!!!!!!!! I broke down an bought a new disk last year and salesman advised I get at least 2 tubs to start with. Later a older man who owns a new/used tractor dealership advised me to pump till you see grease slip out then about every 2 hours use do it again. Grease is cheap berings aint.

 

[Soundguy]

ONLY if it is a grey iron bearing... if it is a sealed unit.. you will have problems!!!

Soundguy

 

[California]

Related questions: I have a used disk and a couple of zerks are snapped off, missing, or stuck solid. These zerks seem to be pressed in, not threaded. Is this common? Where do I find replacements?

 

[wushaw]

Related questions: I have a used disk and a couple of zerks are snapped off, missing, or stuck solid. These zerks seem to be pressed in, not threaded. Is this common? Where do I find replacements?

Most hardware stores will carry replacements.
If the steel is mild steel then you can go with the threaded zerks and just thread them in...they are tapered.

 

[Sully2]

I wide 'carrier' on the axle.. about the size of a 6" hogie roll.. with the axle protruding from either side is most likely a grey iron bearing.

A small bearing carrier with arubber seal facing out is a sealed bearing.. probably the size of a donut.. or a tad smaller..

Soundguy

You called it right on! Many of the new discs Ive looked at must be the sealed bearing type. The "hanger" ( from the frame down) hold one little bearing...one on each end of the axle. This set has a MUCH larger bearing on each end..but also has that "hoagie roll" running between them...kinda gives an appearance of one giant bearing sleeve from end to end..even though I know the bearings are just at each end.. A double set of bearings at the ourboard end...a double set of bearings at each inboard end..and the "hoagie roll" in between.

 

[TiminMN]

Sealed bearings don't have zerks. You have grease able bearing with seals that are designed to let grease out if overfilled. The seals need a little grease to lube where they slide on the shaft. The first time they could take a lot after that 2 to 3 pumps a day should be fine.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I've never seen a disc with "sealed bearings" that were truely sealed. EVen with roller bearings, they generally aren't totally sealed. They are "vented if you will, to allow grease to push out dirt and moisture when you grease them. Dirt WILL enter the bearings if you don't grease often. All the disc manuals I've read will tell you to grease until you see it coming from bearing area. Deere offered some models of disc's with "triple-lip" seals at one point. (I'm sure other brands did also, but I'm familiar with those models of Deere products) Not sure what they sell now. Even those would let excess grease out after only a few hours in the field. Seals on disc bearing are intended to keep dirt out, but are generally "one way seals" that allow some grease to bleed out when in use.

"Boxings", or those grey iron bearings need to be flushed with grease often too. That excess of grease is what protects them from dirt entering the bearing.

For occasional use, a disc won't wear a seal OR bearing very fast. Under hard use, say in a full-time AG use, they wear rather quickly. One day in the dirt, and they aren't new anymore. Flush with grease. Shoot it in the bearings 'till you see it. Just use good judgement on when "enough is enough". On my current disc, an International Harvester model #350 (10') wheel disc, with roller bearings, I use 1 to 1-1/2 tubes per greasing. The excess around the bearings do attract and hold some dirt. The excess of grease also PROTECTS the seals from the dirt actually making contact with them. As was already mentioned, excess grease forced past the bearing area is what "purges" any dirt from the bearing.

Following that maint. program, my old IH #350 disc worked around 80 to 100 acres of crop land for over 20 years. Most of that ground required multiple discing's to get ready for planting. The original bearings went approx. 18 years. Set #2 is still OK.

 

[Sully2]

I've never seen a disc with "sealed bearings" that were truely sealed. EVen with roller bearings, they generally aren't totally sealed. They are "vented if you will, to allow grease to push out dirt and moisture when you grease them. Dirt WILL enter the bearings if you don't grease often. All the disc manuals I've read will tell you to grease until you see it coming from bearing area. Deere offered some models of disc's with "triple-lip" seals at one point. (I'm sure other brands did also, but I'm familiar with those models of Deere products) Not sure what they sell now. Even those would let excess grease out after only a few hours in the field. Seals on disc bearing are intended to keep dirt out, but are generally "one way seals" that allow some grease to bleed out when in use.
"Boxings", or those grey iron bearings need to be flushed with grease often too. That excess of grease is what protects them from dirt entering the bearing.
For occasional use, a disc won't wear a seal OR bearing very fast. Under hard use, say in a full-time AG use, they wear rather quickly. One day in the dirt, and they aren't new anymore. Flush with grease. Shoot it in the bearings 'till you see it. Just use good judgement on when "enough is enough". On my current disc, an International Harvester model #350 (10') wheel disc, with roller bearings, I use 1 to 1-1/2 tubes per greasing. The excess around the bearings do attract and hold some dirt. The excess of grease also PROTECTS the seals from the dirt actually making contact with them. As was already mentioned, excess grease forced past the bearing area is what "purges" any dirt from the bearing.
Following that maint. program, my old IH #350 disc worked around 80 to 100 acres of crop land for over 20 years. Most of that ground required multiple discing's to get ready for planting. The original bearings went approx. 18 years. Set #2 is still OK.

WOW!! You guys sure have clued me in!! I have to go to TSC today anyway and pick up a drawbar. ( I bought one of those EZ hitches and need a drawbar for it) ..so I'll buy more tubes of grease. I'll have biceps like Gov "Arnie" by the time Im done pumping the grease gun handle...lol
I think this set of discs are like most used smaller impliments Ive seen...not well maintained!! But..I think the saving grace for this set was that it wasnt used much..and just sat around because he had a slightly larger set....and he only used any of the stuff for a 1/3 acre garden.
One thing I DID DO was once I had it attached and up in the air...I slowly rotated each set of discs..and listened and "felt" for any resistance while spinning the discs on their axles...couldnt hear or feel anything that sounded or felt like it was "non lubed". They all spun pretty darned easy..and that was LONG before I installed new zerks and pumped the grease to it yesterday. I'll at least store it up off the ground and solidly tarped over once I get it back into fine shape. 99.9% of this sets problems are purely cosmetic..but that will be remedied in october when we strip it and wire brush and sand blast the framework and prime and repaint it.

Much thanks gentlemen!!

 

[TiminMN]

If you have to replace a bearing make sure its a triple seal. A single seal is cheaper but won't last being by dirt. All new disk have at least triple seals and some have a five seal bearing. A bearing will last until the seal goes out and let dirt in.