About two weeks ago I switched the rear tires from the max out configuration to the max in configuration to make the rear footprint narrower. I have used the tractor for various things since then. Sunday and Monday, (yesterday), I have been pulling the disc harrows. After about 3 1/2 hrs yesterday I started to hear an occasional "click" every now and then. I stopped and checked everything over but could not find anything. Started harrowing again thinking it was just hitting an occasional rock.
This clicking sound quickly became more frequent and I determined that it was coming from the left rear tire and it was happening with every rotation of the tire. Disconnected the harrows and started to head back. After going about 500' it was doing it every 1/8 of a turn or less. Again I got off the tractor to check out the rear for anything that I could see that might be making the noise and praying that wan not internal to the rear end. While looking at the left rear wheel I noticed that one of the lock washers on one of the four bolts that hold the disc to the rim was noticeably opened some. I used an adjustable wrench that I keep on the tractor to tighten it as best as I could and found the other three very loose also. Checker the right side and they all seemed ok. Went back to the house, about 1/4 mile away and checked all the nuts and bolts that I had removed to change the tires around and found that those were the only four that had become loose. Back to harrowing.
I had checked all the nuts and bolts about 2 hrs of use after the change and all were tight.
Even it you do everything correctly, things can still go wrong.
Just a cautionary tale.
