This disc harrow came up for sale at a local auction, after close inspection I decided I could probably give it a bit of TLC and bring it back to its original condition. The bidding was fast and hectic, but the harrow would come home with me.
The two lower pins on the harrow had been changed to category 2 and the top link connection had two metal bars welded up each side of the original blocking out the category I hole and a new hole bored to take a category 2 pin. All this meant I had to change the linkage on my MFl35 to accommodate these differences. I changed the balls in the lower arms to category 2 and one end of the top link to category 2, this done the harrow hooked on nicely.
First task was to power hose all the green moss off. The harrow had come with an unsightly metal box welded to the top (this had probably been used to hold stones to add weight) I had to cut this away and angle grind all the welds smooth.
I then removed the four rails carrying the scraper blades and then dismantled the blades.
How the harrow looked before restoration began.
Two bearing houses, one showing the oak bearing inside.
To make cleaning easier all four gangs of discs were removed from the front and back frames along with their bearing housings and associated rails. The eight bearing housings were split to check their oak bearings, these were in excellent condition apart from two of the grease channels being blocked with dried up grease. I remedied this by removing all grease nipples and running a steel bit through the channels to help the grease to run through to the main shaft.
I then proceeded to split the front and back frames for easier handling. All parts had a clean with a wire brush and a flap disc on a the mini grinder. After this the parts were ready for spraying, with one coat of red oxide, two coats of primer and three coats of grey applied. Everything left to harden and cure.
Now the fun side of things putting everything back together.
Starting with the front and back frames. The four gangs of discs with their rails and bearing housings. Four scraper rails and all twenty scrapers mounted onto their rails with new coach nuts and bolts. The scrapers had to be all adjusted to their own individual disc.
I had to make a new handle to operate the gang settings. Replace the lower pins from category 2 to category 1 and adjust the top link to take a category 1 pin.
The original gang setting handle and the new one Douglas made.As a standard six-foot Ferguson 722disc harrow she looks pretty good and ready for another few years’ work.
The disc’s have been cleaned and are in the process of being painted.
All finished and ready for work.
Published in Journal No.101 Summer 2020 : Douglas Toal
