Thoughts on repairing these tractor wheel centre disc/dish

[m_c]

The neighbour has been trying to hunt down replacement wheel discs for his recently acquired MF65 for a while now, but over the past several months has failed to find any.
Nobody is making new replacements, and there's no second hand ones available any where, as they appear to be specific to MF65s. Bigger than the common size used on smaller tractors, and smaller than the common size used on newer tractors.

I've never personally seen a tractor wheel disc this corroded (seen plenty rims fall apart!), so the question has been asked, is it somehow repairable?
The lugs could be cut off and replaced, but the corrosion on the dish is an entirely different challenge.

 

[gaz1]

you mean he dosnt want to pay for them

30 sec search found them

Massey Ferguson REAR WHEEL RIM & DISC Complete 9x28 (6 Loop) TE20 FE35 35 65 135 165 240

Massey Ferguson TE20 FE35 35 65 765 135 148 165 240 250 Manufacturer Number 897137M1 28" 6 LOOP

www.thevintagetractorcompany.co.uk

once you have a basic rim you can work backwards to get an inner rim to fit which is what you have in the pic

if i was playing with outer pinned to inner pinned it would be something like this

Massey Ferguson MF65,MF165,MF175 - 16.9/14 X 28 Tyres/Rims - NVC589E | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Massey Ferguson MF65,MF165,MF175 - 16.9/14 X 28 Tyres/Rims - NVC589E at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[m_c]

you mean he dosnt want to pay for them

30 sec search found them

Massey Ferguson REAR WHEEL RIM & DISC Complete 9x28 (6 Loop) TE20 FE35 35 65 135 165 240

Massey Ferguson TE20 FE35 35 65 765 135 148 165 240 250 Manufacturer Number 897137M1 28" 6 LOOP

www.thevintagetractorcompany.co.uk

once you have a basic rim you can work backwards to get an inner rim to fit which is what you have in the pic

Nice of you to be your usual judgemental self and decide what somebody is willing to pay for something, but those are the wrong size, just like most of the other vintage tractor suppliers list.

Custom tractor wheel suppliers have also been tried, but nobody does the discs.

Reasonable money isnt a problem, but there's no point paying more for a couple discs than another tractor would cost.

 

[plewlandsbob]

The wheel centre , shown, is part of a , 3 piece wheel . That dish bolts onto the wheel rim.There is another dish, that bolts to that one, then onto hub Flange.
The ones shown by @gaz1 , are 2 piece wheels, the rim and 1 centre dish.

For non tractor people, the purpose is, that you unbolt the centres and by turning the centres around , and , or shifting them to the other side of the lug on the rim, you alter the wheel track with, to suit the application, you are doing.track width , is usually from around 56 to 76 inches, adjustable in 2" increments .

The 2 pieces, ones, although they fit , are not period correct, for age of tractor.

Pics found on web, showing difference in styles.

@8ob , probably has a pair in legendary stockpile

 

[plewlandsbob]

MF 65's were built in france too, possibly worth trying some breakers, in Europe.

 

[Bornfree]

i use a company called Fieldens in suffolk. they will make wheels to pattern. wont be cheap though.

 

[8ob]

Never seen a mf 65, my go to for oddball s/h plant and machinery spares is Nelson M Green & Sons Ltd based at RAF Folkingham, if its ever been made they are very likely to have it, never seen so much old kit in one place. literally miles of it.
Other than that trawl through the secondhand tractor wheels on ebay/facebook, not by description either because there are lots advertised as "tractor wheels" which isn't helpful.

Bob

 

[frank horton]

have tried Agri-line in Bromsgrove.....? those guys have found weired stuff for me.....nice people....
pretty sure they buy in from France as well.......
a lot of new stuff for the older Massey's is made in Turkey.....
might seem daft but try direct to INDIA or Pakistan......perhaps Canada.....
quite a few forums over that way....
slow boat shipping wont be expensive...

the nearest breaker to me is 2,5hrs drive away or I'd go look......cant phone language problem...

or these were a good stockist when I lived in SW France.....a big national company, fair priced, may have an online catalogue....
u'll prob need to use French.....https://www.boue-freres.com/accueil/
or there's a massive *10acres* tractor breakers here ....Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, France........
good luck
PS
my daughter is a fluent French speaker but she's in OZZ for a years but will translate for u via facebook if needed etc.....

 

[Sergei Slovenija]

Or an option with alteration, as in the video

 

[Bornfree]

Never seen a mf 65, my go to for oddball s/h plant and machinery spares is Nelson M Green & Sons Ltd based at RAF Folkingham, if its ever been made they are very likely to have it, never seen so much old kit in one place. literally miles of it.
Other than that trawl through the secondhand tractor wheels on ebay/facebook, not by description either because there are lots advertised as "tractor wheels" which isn't helpful.

Bob

I've been to Nelson greens about 30 years ago looking for a caterpillar part. He took me around two large yards but we couldn't find the right machine so he said " I've got a few more bits on the airfield " . As you there's miles of stuff.

 

[Agroshield]

The difficulty is the transitions into and out of the conical, tapered bit. The three flat bits are fabrication.

Can you measure the small diameter of the cone, the big diameter of the cone and the depth (offset) between them.

You might be able to find a wheel that has dimensions close enough to those (maybe within 1/2" would be OK) and weld up the rest from plasma cut plate.

In principle, turning (tipping) the edges of the large and small disks so they blend into the conical section is like making the end of an oil catch tank from aluminium (Ron Covell YT) but in practice, with the thickness, you'd need a lot of heat, a power hammer and a die.

 

[Gareth J]

They look like scrap. But if they're unobtainable, you could, with a bit of patience, let in patches on the worst areas build the medium pits back up with weld. Plus a lot of grinding.

But in the meantime, or until you source a new or good s/h pair, ditch the centre hub and fit standard ones? Be daft to let it hold up the repair and if they find the right ones can always sell on the std ones.

 

[m_c]

Thanks guys, suggestions have been forwarded.

@Gareth J I'll have to check, but I'm sure the axle hubs are an oddball size., which is adding the problem.
I've walked past the tractor a few times but not really looked at the hubs, but from what the neighbour said to me, they're bigger than a (1)35 hub, but a 165 wheel won't fit (although I'm not sure if that is because the hub is different, or if the wheel/tyre is physically too big)

 

[Gareth J]

If it's just a case of making one fit, either get a plate with the right spacing and pcd cut/drilled to weld into the rim that's too big. Or cut out a bigger centre and redrill holes to suit between the holes in the rim that's too small.

 

[gaz1]

i wouldnt repair that but id make a new one out of rings of steel

now i dont know the thickness of the bolt holes id presume 5-6mm plate thats inner plate

id roll the next ring into a cone shape to get the inner part and outer part size

then id roll another 2 rings one for the outside and one for the inside one fits internally whilst the inner ring fits externally as these are strengtheners to the ring cone circle

the last ring is to desired thickness

either way you will be wanting a turntable to weld with

 

[frank horton]

been thinking all day.......found just 1 photo
of my French built massey MK 1x165 but I;m fairly sure those are the same as my old un....
It wasn't just the engine change between the MK1 and 2........
wish I could do more.......sorry......

 

[gaz1]

first off id roll the cone shape and weld it together as this will give you your inner and outer size

then roll 2 metal rings one for the outer one for the inner of the cone as this will give the size needed for the inner and outer bolt rings

for your inner and outer bolt plates its either roll them or make them out of flat sheet

out of flat sheet its either as one full round or cut into quarters and welded

 

[8ob]

The idea behind the separate centre is for when double rears are used May well be another outer plate that will fit the centre hub plate.

Bob

 

[Maker]

first off id roll the cone shape and weld it together as this will give you your inner and outer size

then roll 2 metal rings one for the outer one for the inner of the cone as this will give the size needed for the inner and outer bolt rings

for your inner and outer bolt plates its either roll them or make them out of flat sheet

out of flat sheet its either as one full round or cut into quarters and welded

If you want it to look original you'll need to figure out a radiused lead in and out for the conical section too.

 

[m_c]

Spoke to him earlier, and it's just the one dish.
Other wheels will fit, but he'd already bought new rims and tyres as he knew the rims were falling apart, but while apart due to the amount of rust on the dishes, he got them sandblasted, not realising just how bad that one in the photos was.
He's not in a rush, so he's going to try the sources mentioned, and keep an eye on eBay.
I did suggest that there's a set of row crop wheels from a 165 lying in a shed somewhere that'll fit, but he wasn't overly keen on the idea

@8ob the comment about duals has made me think there are probably suitable wheels lying around various farms. It's just a case of finding them!