How to repair Disc

[HVACRoger]

I have this old disc that I got when I purchased my Ford 2000, oh 15 -20 years ago. Name tag says it's an Athens, don't know the brand. I guess the bearing is gone, look at pictures. Are these bearings or whatever goes there available? It has been a great implement but very heavy, thinking may be too heavy for my new L2501. Some advice would be great!!

 

[Borane4]

Should be available. Athens is a quality disc.

 

[NCL4701]

I would suggest starting by contacting Athens: https://athensplowcompany.com/ Even if they don’t have the bearing, if they can provide the specs for the bearing that would be helpful.

If they can’t help and it needs bearings, if you can measure the ID, OD, and thickness required with reasonable precision you should be able to source bearings through Grainger, McMaster, or some similar industrial supply.

If all that fails I’d contact a bearing manufacturer such as https://www.timken.com/ with the specs and application to see if they can provide a current part number and supplier.

I certainly wouldn’t scrap an otherwise good disc harrow over a failed bearing. Probably better to fix it even if you’re just selling it.

It does look a bit on the big side for a 2501. Depends to some degree on what you’re doing with it and soil type. Only way to know for sure is fix it, hook it up, and see how it goes.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Right now they're set 'aggressive'....
When you go test it out, pull the pins and set the discs to 'neutral', to see how it pulls. Then pull the 4 pins, set say 3rd position, run around the field, see how it goes.

 

[HVACRoger]

Should be available. Athens is a quality disc.

Thats good to hear!! Thanks for the reply.

 

[HVACRoger]

I would suggest starting by contacting Athens: https://athensplowcompany.com/ Even if they don’t have the bearing, if they can provide the specs for the bearing that would be helpful.

If they can’t help and it needs bearings, if you can measure the ID, OD, and thickness required with reasonable precision you should be able to source bearings through Grainger, McMaster, or some similar industrial supply.

If all that fails I’d contact a bearing manufacturer such as https://www.timken.com/ with the specs and application to see if they can provide a current part number and supplier.

I certainly wouldn’t scrap an otherwise good disc harrow over a failed bearing. Probably better to fix it even if you’re just selling it.

It does look a bit on the big side for a 2501. Depends to some degree on what you’re doing with it and soil type. Only way to know for sure is fix it, hook it up, and see how it goes.

Thanks, NCL for the links, that will be very helpful! Yea, I would never scrap it. The shaft is pretty worn so wonder if bearing will fit properly. Better than it is, I guess. It makes the front end on the Ford very light so scares me to try to lift with Kubota. I don't want to blow out hydraulics on new tractor, look like a dufus!! My dealer offered to sell me a 4' Land Pride disc for $1850. Guess that is a good price NOW. Love Western part of the State. You guys got a pretty snow earlier this week, didn't you? We saw about 10 minutes of wet flakes then it was gone. Wife has always been a beach person; she grew up coastal New Jersey. My Mom always loved the mountains so that's where we went when she could afford. We have owned something in the Emerald Isle area for the last 25 years. She shocked me the other day by saying let's sell the place get house in the mountains. I thought I would never hear that from her lips!!

 

[HVACRoger]

Right now they're set 'aggressive'....
When you go test it out, pull the pins and set the discs to 'neutral', to see how it pulls. Then pull the 4 pins, set say 3rd position, run around the field, see how it goes.

I have never set the blades since I had it. It will get down in the dirt, bog down tractor if I don't lift hydraulics up. It has been repaired sometime in the past with a weld, figured it was set that way by previous owner to prevent that breakage again. By the way it lightens the front on the Ford 2000 I assumed it was probable way too heavy for the 2501. I was thinking the specs for lift on my Kubota was about 1600lbs max. As I told NCL4701 I don't want to look like a dufus by blowing out hydraulics or any other parts of my new tractor. Wife would probably flog me for damaging it, I have made her think I'm a real farmer.

 

[NCL4701]

Thanks, NCL for the links, that will be very helpful! Yea, I would never scrap it. The shaft is pretty worn so wonder if bearing will fit properly. Better than it is, I guess. It makes the front end on the Ford very light so scares me to try to lift with Kubota. I don't want to blow out hydraulics on new tractor, look like a dufus!! My dealer offered to sell me a 4' Land Pride disc for $1850. Guess that is a good price NOW. Love Western part of the State. You guys got a pretty snow earlier this week, didn't you? We saw about 10 minutes of wet flakes then it was gone. Wife has always been a beach person; she grew up coastal New Jersey. My Mom always loved the mountains so that's where we went when she could afford. We have owned something in the Emerald Isle area for the last 25 years. She shocked me the other day by saying let's sell the place get house in the mountains. I thought I would never hear that from her lips!!

If it had all stuck we would have gotten probably 6 to 8 inches. The ground was still so warm it was gone almost as fast as it arrived. Hoping to move either to the mountains or coast in a few years when I retire. Too many people for me in the middle. We’re on 70 acres with a housing development coming in on the north, another on the west, and one put in last year on the east. Can hardly fire a shotgun at a squirrel without raining pellets on a suburbanite these days. I’d consider the coast but I’ve spent so much time there (all combined around 2 years) on hurricane cleanup the past 32 years, not sure I could deal with that crap on a coastal property. Emerald Isle is a paradise when the wind ain’t spinning in circles. It’s a B… when the hurricanes hit. Florence made a real mess of it.

Edit: And one of the things I like about Kubota is their level of engineering. If it will lift it, I wouldn’t worry about busting something so long as you haven’t shimmed the hydraulics to increase pressure. If it’s too much, it just won’t lift it.

 

[HVACRoger]

If it had all stuck we would have gotten probably 6 to 8 inches. The ground was still so warm it was gone almost as fast as it arrived. Hoping to move either to the mountains or coast in a few years when I retire. Too many people for me in the middle. We’re on 70 acres with a housing development coming in on the north, another on the west, and one put in last year on the east. Can hardly fire a shotgun at a squirrel without raining pellets on a suburbanite these days. I’d consider the coast but I’ve spent so much time there (all combined around 2 years) on hurricane cleanup the past 32 years, not sure I could deal with that crap on a coastal property. Emerald Isle is a paradise when the wind ain’t spinning in circles. It’s a B… when the hurricanes hit. Florence made a real mess of it.

Edit: And one of the things I like about Kubota is their level of engineering. If it will lift it, I wouldn’t worry about busting something so long as you haven’t shimmed the hydraulics to increase pressure. If it’s too much, it just won’t lift it.

Hurricanes are problematic!! The house we own now is on the White Oak River as it enters the intercoastal waterway at Swansboro. Bought in 09, I clear cut all the lob Lollie pines off our lot. Pissed the HOA but we have since had 2 tornados go over the house and of course Hurricane Florence. Snapped a lot of those lob Lollie pines on neighbors' houses, litter their yards, blocked roads. I lost a few shingles, little water damage on ceilings, never lost power. In our 25+ years there we have never had any major damage, praise God!! Swansboro flooded and Emerald Isle and Swansboro had a lot of roof damages. You hold your breathe every time though, but my hound loves it!! Seems the mountains have had their problems over the past years also. So, I guess you are saying Kubota is somewhat tolerable of dufuses.

 

[HVACRoger]

If it had all stuck we would have gotten probably 6 to 8 inches. The ground was still so warm it was gone almost as fast as it arrived. Hoping to move either to the mountains or coast in a few years when I retire. Too many people for me in the middle. We’re on 70 acres with a housing development coming in on the north, another on the west, and one put in last year on the east. Can hardly fire a shotgun at a squirrel without raining pellets on a suburbanite these days. I’d consider the coast but I’ve spent so much time there (all combined around 2 years) on hurricane cleanup the past 32 years, not sure I could deal with that crap on a coastal property. Emerald Isle is a paradise when the wind ain’t spinning in circles. It’s a B… when the hurricanes hit. Florence made a real mess of it.

Edit: And one of the things I like about Kubota is their level of engineering. If it will lift it, I wouldn’t worry about busting something so long as you haven’t shimmed the hydraulics to increase pressure. If it’s too much, it just won’t lift it.

Oh, by-the-way thank God for people like you that do come down and help the folks when these things happen. God Bless you!!

 

[NCL4701]

Yeah, the issues with Kubotas are generally pretty minor compared with some other manufacturers. I recall a neighbor when I was a kid had a 90hp AC he traded for a 130hp AC. Exactly the same tractor, AC just put a turbo on it to increase HP. He couldn’t keep the new one out of the shop as it was forever ripping gears out of the transmission. Never heard of anything like that with Kubota. They just need to find a way to tighten a worm drive hose clamp. Irritating but I can live with that so long as I have a nut driver laying around.

Sounds like you’ve been living right with your experience at the coast. The Florence damage didn’t look bad from a helicopter but there were so many houses with moderate exterior damage that had days of rain inside and had to be gutted top to bottom it was a nightmare for a lot of the folks there. We were mostly next door in Carteret County. Not a good time for anyone down there. If I was a dog and just had to ride around on a boat with no worries, I’d probably enjoy it more, too.

 

[HVACRoger]

Yeah, the issues with Kubotas are generally pretty minor compared with some other manufacturers. I recall a neighbor when I was a kid had a 90hp AC he traded for a 130hp AC. Exactly the same tractor, AC just put a turbo on it to increase HP. He couldn’t keep the new one out of the shop as it was forever ripping gears out of the transmission. Never heard of anything like that with Kubota. They just need to find a way to tighten a worm drive hose clamp. Irritating but I can live with that so long as I have a nut driver laying around.

Sounds like you’ve been living right with your experience at the coast. The Florence damage didn’t look bad from a helicopter but there were so many houses with moderate exterior damage that had days of rain inside and had to be gutted top to bottom it was a nightmare for a lot of the folks there. We were mostly next door in Carteret County. Not a good time for anyone down there. If I was a dog and just had to ride around on a boat with no worries, I’d probably enjoy it more, too.

We went down to Summer Winds @ Indian Beach after hurricane to inspect units on roof top. Crazy how some never moved, others tossed around. Thought I was going to get a great project there, but the storm chasers beat me out. My customers stayed with me, bless them.

 

[HVACRoger]

I would suggest starting by contacting Athens: https://athensplowcompany.com/ Even if they don’t have the bearing, if they can provide the specs for the bearing that would be helpful.

If they can’t help and it needs bearings, if you can measure the ID, OD, and thickness required with reasonable precision you should be able to source bearings through Grainger, McMaster, or some similar industrial supply.

If all that fails I’d contact a bearing manufacturer such as https://www.timken.com/ with the specs and application to see if they can provide a current part number and supplier.

I certainly wouldn’t scrap an otherwise good disc harrow over a failed bearing. Probably better to fix it even if you’re just selling it.

It does look a bit on the big side for a 2501. Depends to some degree on what you’re doing with it and soil type. Only way to know for sure is fix it, hook it up, and see how it goes.

Thanks for the link to the Athens site. I sent them an e-mail with pictures of my disc, had a reply in 1hour 20 minutes. E-mailed me an owner's manual and said they think they still have all the parts in stock. Got parts break down so will go from there. Not many companies out there these days that prompt and stock parts for equipment that old, well not sure the age yet. Thanks again!!

 

[HVACRoger]

If it had all stuck we would have gotten probably 6 to 8 inches. The ground was still so warm it was gone almost as fast as it arrived. Hoping to move either to the mountains or coast in a few years when I retire. Too many people for me in the middle. We’re on 70 acres with a housing development coming in on the north, another on the west, and one put in last year on the east. Can hardly fire a shotgun at a squirrel without raining pellets on a suburbanite these days. I’d consider the coast but I’ve spent so much time there (all combined around 2 years) on hurricane cleanup the past 32 years, not sure I could deal with that crap on a coastal property. Emerald Isle is a paradise when the wind ain’t spinning in circles. It’s a B… when the hurricanes hit. Florence made a real mess of it.

Edit: And one of the things I like about Kubota is their level of engineering. If it will lift it, I wouldn’t worry about busting something so long as you haven’t shimmed the hydraulics to increase pressure. If it’s too much, it just won’t lift it.

Are you getting walloped with snow or ice today? We are getting most sleet / rain.

 

[HVACRoger]

My thanks to NCL4701 for the Athens website link. After Athens sending me a owners manual, Identified disc as a series 50 harrow. It is 7’6” wide and is also a fold up model, had this 15+ yrs never noticed it. It’s way to heavy to pick up back section by hand, so don’t know how that was performed. Manual states it weighs 812 lbs, I would have thought it was heavier than that. The Kubota should be fine with that. Putting together a list of repair parts. Wondering when I have it down for repair if I should paint it to match my 2501.

 

[NCL4701]

Are you getting walloped with snow or ice today? We are getting most sleet / rain.

We got a little snow but it’s a sleet storm now. Just hoping we (including y’all) don’t get freezing rain. It’s beautiful but I’d prefer to leave the generator in the shed today.

 

[HVACRoger]

We got a little snow but it’s a sleet storm now. Just hoping we (including y’all) don’t get freezing rain. It’s beautiful but I’d prefer to leave the generator in the shed today.

Had a bit of ice coating trees this morning but it has warmed a bit so most has melted and we are getting steady rain now. It is 36* here. Our neighbors at the coast say it 61* windy as heck and pouring rain. Hope you don’t have to use that generator!!