Advice for a beginner on how to fix my spreader

[irlforum]

Hi,
If you look at my pics you can see that the wheel in the first pic is left on the axle. This wheel should be turning the axle to power the hopper (were using it for killing garden moss).

I was thinking of welding two pieces of metal onto the axle to fit into the groove on the plastic wheel and then finally to lock the wheel in use a clip like I have on my welder in picture 3.

I'm not sure about where I would get steel to fit these grooves though?

Any help appreciated - thanks.

 

[the snooper]

just weld the axle and grind / file to suit the profile of the wheel then tap the tube at accept a bolt to hold the wheel in place

 

[wyn]

Is the driving wheel on the correct side of the machine ?
The slot in the wheel looks like it should be driven by a roll pin through the axle.

If it has to go on that side ...maybe drill a hole through the axle to fit a roll pin to drive the axle, about an inch from the end. Then another hole nearer the end for a washer and split pin to hold the wheel on.

Grind some of the plastic off the spacer so the wheel, washer and split pin will fit.

 

[irlforum]

Is the driving wheel on the correct side of the machine ?
The slot in the wheel looks like it should be driven by a roll pin through the axle.

If it has to go on that side ...maybe drill a hole through the axle to fit a roll pin to drive the axle, about an inch from the end. Then another hole nearer the end for a washer and split pin to hold the wheel on.

Grind some of the plastic off the spacer so the wheel, washer and split pin will fit.

After just reading the first line of your post you must know more about these spreaders than me. Maybe it is just one wheel which is supposed to drive the hopper? The other wheel is working fine and turns it correctly - I just assumed both wheels had to turn it.

I can't picture in my head what you mean when you say it looks like it should have been driven my a roll pin. Can you link to a pic or clarify for someone new to mechanical stuff in general - thanks.

 

[the artfull-codger]

I assume that the wheel has to turn the axle?? If so & if it was mine I would take off the wheel & measure the grooves with drillbits, when you know the diameter of the groove I would get a bit of steel rod that diameter & saw/file down to 1/2 the diameter,put the wheel on the axle & try the 1/2 round steel you've just made for fit, if o-k I would clean up axle & put one on with some binding[iron] wire or an old small mole grip flux & braze it, the braze [or silver braze if preferred]. after cooling down check fit filing if needed then do the same with the other one keeping the 1st one clamped so as not to move with re-heating, you could do both at the same time but more chance of a miss-fit, one might be enough to drive it anyway depending how much torque is required then a washer & split pin.



slan go fol

 

[wyn]

This link shows the sort of pin i was thinking about.

If a hole was drilled through the shaft (the same as your last picture) the right size to take one of these pins. The roll pin would need to be long enough to stick out each side to match the slot in the wheel.


The very dodgy pic and drawing below gives an idea of what i was thinking.


I think they only have one wheel driving the gearbox or else it wouldn't go round corners without damaging the grass. (no differential)

They probably have both wheels made the same to save on costs.

 

[irlforum]

Interesting that they would have been both made the same for saving costs alright.

I'm thinking that the torque created from the one wheel should be enough but I'm kind of afraid that I'll do damage by stressing something else too much if it's supposed to have both.


Also I don't know if it's that clear from my first picture but that wheel is made out of plastic. I can see the plastic being eaten by a pin that isn't the correct shape.

 

[the snooper]

i would run welds along the axle then shape them to suit job done

 

[irlforum]

I assume that the wheel has to turn the axle?? If so & if it was mine I would take off the wheel & measure the grooves with drillbits, when you know the diameter of the groove I would get a bit of steel rod that diameter & saw/file down to 1/2 the diameter,put the wheel on the axle & try the 1/2 round steel you've just made for fit, if o-k I would clean up axle & put one on with some binding[iron] wire or an old small mole grip flux & braze it, the braze [or silver braze if preferred]. after cooling down check fit filing if needed then do the same with the other one keeping the 1st one clamped so as not to move with re-heating, you could do both at the same time but more chance of a miss-fit, one might be enough to drive it anyway depending how much torque is required then a washer & split pin.

slan go fol

Ok I need to research binding iron and brazing - I don't know what brazing is but it's good to hear there might be a better solution to welding as I'm not sure this would be that easy via a mig welder - especially for a beginner.

Go raibh maith agat

 

[the snooper]

brazing is the joining of things lets say steel to steel using brass rods with a flux on them heat up both parts until the brass runs into the joint also applies to soldering

 

[the snooper]

just had another look at you pictures i would say any form of welding or brazing will melt your plastic bushes and you cant remove them to do it as they wont fit back on after you attatch something to the axle thats the reason only one wheels drives so the axle will slot through all the bushes and frame

 

[irlforum]

just had another look at you pictures i would say any form of welding or brazing will melt your plastic bushes and you cant remove them to do it as they wont fit back on after you attatch something to the axle thats the reason only one wheels drives so the axle will slot through all the bushes and frame

I won't be near it till the weekend to see if the plastic can be removed.

I don't understand why it would be made so difficult to remove the stuff from one end - suppose for durability it could be just permanently stuck together though.

It would be great if someone had one of these at home and could confirm if it is only meant to be driven by one wheel - if that's the case all I need is a washer, drill and pin.

 

[General Lee]

I cant tell you if it needs the two wheels to power it, but have you tried it with just the one wheel? An idea for holding on the loose wheel one would be stick a rawl bolt into the shaft and get a big washer to hold on the wheel. No drilling or welding required. Make sure its a short one as it might expand it where the axle is pivoting from. If you want to make that a driving wheel then just put a few screws through the washer into the plastic wheel