OT - New Idea 324 corn picker question

[KYfarm]

Does anybody know if the bolts holding the MAIN gearbox to the main frame could possibly be left hand thread. ?

I need to remove that gearbox and the first bolt that I got on ripped the head off and I was going left - loose. They are totally covered with grease and under the gearbox, they shouldn't be rusted in, but it was tight and the head just spun off.

So before I rip the other 3 I just thought I would ask here first.

Oh yea, has anybody else decided that mosquitoes are attracted to grease. I get absolutely attacked when working on something and am all greasy.

that is a picture of it last year when I had it working, many new problems this year, BOY is it hard to keep running.

 

[bradley martin]

I would be very surprised if they are left hand thread.

 

[Anonymous-0]

No I don't think they are left hand. Must be some bolts that are old and weak. Sometimes I have new bolts and when I'm tighting something they snap off. If they snap just put new bolts in is all you can do.

 

[Leroy]

Check to see if there is a lock nut under there along with threaded holes. A lock nut would make it so tight you would break off the bolts.

 

[KYfarm]

There definately was a lock nut! So how should I go about getting the other 3 off

 

[RickB]

Without any doubt those bolts are right hand thread. Plan on twisting the rest of them off. If you don't, you can be pleasantly surprised. When you re-install the gearbox, make sure these bolts are torqued tight, but not overtightened and stretched. I have seen these machines with extra supports to the top (unused) mounts to help keep the box in place.

 

[KYfarm]

Yea, the reason I'm taking it off is because the vertical arm that attaches to the hydraulic lift and bolts to the gearbox (boy that is a bad design) is cracked at the main frame connection and now the gear box has been pushed slightly to the back of the machine. SO the main drive belt to the sheller flies off the pulley on the back of the main gearbox.

The plate the gearbox attaches to is being ripped at the corners to allow the drift.

If all the bolts are gonna tear i think that I will weld the gearbox to a new plate with holes in it, weld a new thicker connection plate to the main frame and then bolt the two plates together. I'm sure not to skilled at removing those broken bolts from inside of something. There is nothing sticking out from the one that is broken.

This is after I heat and hammer the vertical lift arm back into the correct place (weld it) so it can bolt back to the gearbox when it is in its correct place.

All this after wondering why that belt keeps flying off..........

i had a really hard time keeping this machine going last year and this year is looking like the same thing. Pick for 45 minutes, break something, order part, fix it, repeat, repeat and always something different. I just keep telling myself that eventually I'll have enough replaced that it will run like new!

Thanks for the help

 

[Anonymous-0]

Wouldn't hurt anything to whack them with a bfh before you put the wrench on. Or heat from an oxy/acet torch. You're taking the gearbox off anyway, so can check for scorched seals.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Definately last year, ya got mud on the tires;-)

 

[kyhayman]

Thats why I gave up picking corn. Just couldnt stand all that repair work and down time trying to keep a picker running. Didnt seem to matter what picker I got, or how good or bad, always at best about 50 percent work and 50% repair.

Definitely agree with you on the mosquitos. I was changing the oil in my slop truck and they just about carried me off.

 

[super99]

I guess I'd try to put some heat on the heads of bolts and then try to get them out. Don't know if there is room, but heating them and then stick a candle up to them and let it melt around threads and it will come out easier. Would do that to the one you twisted off and then drill and easy out it. Use lots of wax, more will run off that gets inside, but inside is where it does any good. Chris

 

[KYfarm]

I'm only growing 5 acres, just to make feed for my cows. If you stopped picking your own what do you do now?

Buy it already shelled or do you know somebody that picks it for you? just wondering

I have two different neighbors that want to buy corn from me, straight from the field. Next year I was going to try and grow more and have them offset the costs of my part so I'm getting mine for just the labor (and acreage).

 

[philcaseinWPA]

Yeah I know what you mean. I used to grow a little field corn for fun mostly. I had a NI #10 picker that was worn out when I got it. Spent a lot of time fixing and not much picking. Finally decided I could buy corn cheaper than growing it and sold the picker to Charlie Burgh for junk.

Phil

 

[rrlund]

Just hope that you never have to take the ones out that run the inside gathering chains. I had to last week. A bearing went bad and let the little rollers go in to the gears. There is no fill plug on them. The holes that the mounting bolts go in,go all the way through,so you can't fill it before you put it back together. Figure that one out. I had to fill it with grease and put in just enough gear lube to soften it up. It was oozing out the holes while I tried to wrestle it up in there. What a mess!! But in your case,those bolts are right hand thread.

 

[kyhayman]

Corn-wise, I cant afford to feed it. To own to equipment to do it, the time, and the repairs on keeping it up it was costing me about 4.00 a bushel to raise it. Thats too expensive for me to feed.

As far as corn goes, I still raise some on occassion (when corn and milk are both high). Kept my planter as it was a good one in good shape. Use a roundup ready silage variety and chop it all, sell it to one of the dairy farms around close as standing corn. That way I dont have money tied up in wagons, chopper, and blower. If corn is cheap or milk (so they dont pay so well for it) I"ll use soybeans/milo/ or millet as rotational crops.

For feed, I"m a "least cost" producer. Makes no difference to me what I feed the cows as long as they eat it and do well. Normally I have enough hay that got a little moist before I got it up that will test out high enough I dont need to feed anything extra. On occassions that I"e needed something or that I"ve got calves to feed I"ve used bakery waste, cookie meal, soy hulls, corn glutten, wet brewers grain, wet distillery grains, etc.

This winter with hay short and all of mine in good shape I bought some really crappy hay, lots of fiber, lol but priced right. My cows will winter on that junk hay and distillers slop. Let someone else feed the 70.00 a roll hay.