Cotter Pin for Dogs on NH256 Rolabar Rake

[mml373]

In my seemingly neverending saga with the 256 rake... The cotter pins that hold the dogs (part 13 in this case) into the hub assembly (part 12) are impossible to access to bend when installing new. From what I can tell, the spindle and driving hub (parts 6 and part 12 are "not separately serviced" according to the manual, whatever that means) must be removed in order to access the cotter pin from the back of the driving hub assembly so the pin can be properly bent to hold the dog, spring, and rivet in place. Any ideas how that would be accomplished? I see no cotter pins or anything else holding that hub piece in place. Wheel and wheel hub (part 16) are removed, as are rivet, spring, and dog. I'm just trying to get everything back together after servicing.

There's not enough room to get behind that driving hub (part 12) to bend that cotter pin as long as it's on the rake. The prior cotter pin had have been installed with everything removed when the rake was being assembled. That's the only way there's clearance to get it even through the rivet, much less get it bent back around it.

Thanks in advance for any helpful replies. Hoping to get this rake back together before rain comes next week.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Well it is possible that they found it was a problem so then changed to a updated hub with it already assembled and that is why some pieces are not serviced as parts anymore. Not serviced separately means they are no longer available as separate parts only as an assembly. It is also maybe that they found by the time the dogs or hub was normally serviced the rest was about shot so it was more commonly sold as an assembly rather than as parts. As for bending the cotter pin I have no idea since we have never owned a NH rake. Till I bought the wheel rakes we have all I ever had to rake hay with was a bunch of old steel wheeled rakes from the 30' or 40's since they were old when I was a kid 60 or so years ago. Dad used them till I got the first wheel rake and used it. I also converted it to rake 2 single windrows at a time with it.

 

[sweetskillsrk]

mml373, I don't have any experience with a New Holland 256 either so I'm not sure what advice to give. Do you have some actual pictures of what you're working on? The parts breakdown is ok, but it doesn't give us context with it all out together on the rake.

The only advice I can offer, you're not going to like. Many times I struggle with something, sometimes for hours and hours because I refuse to take it apart any further. I think I'm saving myself time, when in reality I could have been done much quicker and with less frustration had I just taken 30 more minutes to disassemble and make the rest of assembly go smoother. Now I don't know how far you're talking about having to take this take apart to get the dogs and cotters installed, but maybe you ought to just bite the bullet and take the rest of the assembly apart? You may ultimately save yourself some time, a few cold ones, and a few bouts of blood pressure spikes?

 

[mml373]

mml373, I don't have any experience with a New Holland 256 either so I'm not sure what advice to give. Do you have some actual pictures of what you're working on? The parts breakdown is ok, but it doesn't give us context with it all out together on the rake.

The only advice I can offer, you're not going to like. Many times I struggle with something, sometimes for hours and hours because I refuse to take it apart any further. I think I'm saving myself time, when in reality I could have been done much quicker and with less frustration had I just taken 30 more minutes to disassemble and make the rest of assembly go smoother. Now I don't know how far you're talking about having to take this take apart to get the dogs and cotters installed, but maybe you ought to just bite the bullet and take the rest of the assembly apart? You may ultimately save yourself some time, a few cold ones, and a few bouts of blood pressure spikes?

Yes, good advice and I was thinking same.

Now, that said...dog spring replacement is a pretty standard service--they break all the time. SO it seems to me there should be an easy way. Caterpillar Guy's comment is noted, as well. Thank you both.

I do not have a camera at present...but will get one soon and post pictures.

 

[sweetskillsrk]

Something else I just thought about. I'm not sure how the hub is made, but could there be some access holes on the back or some access holes cut into the back? If you're just trying to bend some cotter pins, you wouldn't need much room and assuming the assembly could be rotated during installation, you would only need one access hole. If you had like a half inch hole, that may be all you need to punch or something in there? But maybe I'm not properly understanding how it's put together.

 

[mml373]

Something else I just thought about. I'm not sure how the hub is made, but could there be some access holes on the back or some access holes cut into the back? If you're just trying to bend some cotter pins, you wouldn't need much room and assuming the assembly could be rotated during installation, you would only need one access hole. If you had like a half inch hole, that may be all you need to punch or something in there? But maybe I'm not properly understanding how it's put together.

You may be onto something...I'll take a closer look.