Worm gears on a manure spreader

[LenVW]

The hydraulic drive would give you speed regulation and also an important ACCEL/DECEL when starting and stopping your gear engagement.
That slight speed change progressively loads the drive components and acts as a cushion.

 

[Tom O]

Well I guess it understandable that a manure spreader would be a good candidate for worms.

 

[trevj]

I'm surprised that regular bolts work. They usually deform and often bugger up the system. Grade 5 bolts shear nice and clean and work much better. You might need 5/16 though because grade 5 is stronger than regular grade.

Depends on the Class of the bolt. We used to tow Aircraft in and out of the Hangars using a #10 size grade 5 (IIC) bolt as the shear pin in the system. Didn't keep any souvenirs, but am willing to swear to that it was a fairly basic, 3/16" bolt of no particular significance! We all carried a couple spares in our pockets!

 

[Susquatch]

Depends on the Class of the bolt. We used to tow Aircraft in and out of the Hangars using a #10 size grade 5 (IIC) bolt as the shear pin in the system. Didn't keep any souvenirs, but am willing to swear to that it was a fairly basic, 3/16" bolt of no particular significance! We all carried a couple spares in our pockets!

The science of this matters. Not a little but a lot!

A regular bolt will work in a shear bolt application, but it won't shear cleanly and often bends making it hard to remove and sometimes deforming the parts it's meant to protect.

A grade 8 bolt will also shear cleanly, but it's often too strong and won't break when needed to protect the parts.

A grade 5 bolt is almost always the right grade for shear bolt applications. Only rarely a grade 8 and then only when very clearly specified.

I see it all the time. Farmers are notorious for not understanding the science behind a proper shear bolt or shear pin. They often use the wrong part. Sure, it fits. And it works just fine until it breaks. Then it becomes a huge problem. The wrong bolt gets stuck and won't fall out. The wrong bolt stretches and deforms while the coupling gets damaged or twisted and requires significant repair. The right grade of bolt shears off cleanly and simply falls out. It's like magic. An expensive machine gets saved and the repair is simple. Who can't love that!

After I show a farmer this and explain how it is supposed to work, they go away happy, they don't come back, and my reputation grows.

 

[FatherWes]

So, sticking the biggest Allen key into the hole and bending the excess over to keep it from falling out would be a no-no?
I’ve seen that too many times, often on shear pin pressure relief valves, but also on rotating assemblies.
Good quality screw drivers can stop unwanted shutdowns too!

 

[historicalarms]

I see it all the time. Farmers are notorious for not understanding the science

I have the opposite opinion...engineers not understanding the expectations or actual need of the farmer or any consumer...engineers have a different notion of "NEED" than the everyday farmer in my previous "functioning" world.....thats why shit breaks at the most inopportune times

 

[Susquatch]

opinion...engineers not understanding the expectations or actual need of the farmer

Touche my friend, Touche!

And deserved too. A farmer should not be expected to know the science. But the farm equipment engineer should be expected to understand the needs of the farmer - and they far too often don't.

 

[trevj]

The science of this matters. Not a little but a lot!

A regular bolt will work in a shear bolt application, but it won't shear cleanly and often bends making it hard to remove and sometimes deforming the parts it's meant to protect.

A grade 8 bolt will also shear cleanly, but it's often too strong and won't break when needed to protect the parts.

A grade 5 bolt is almost always the right grade for shear bolt applications. Only rarely a grade 8 and then only when very clearly specified.

I see it all the time. Farmers are notorious for not understanding the science behind a proper shear bolt or shear pin. They often use the wrong part. Sure, it fits. And it works just fine until it breaks. Then it becomes a huge problem. The wrong bolt gets stuck and won't fall out. The wrong bolt stretches and deforms while the coupling gets damaged or twisted and requires significant repair. The right grade of bolt shears off cleanly and simply falls out. It's like magic. An expensive machine gets saved and the repair is simple. Who can't love that!

After I show a farmer this and explain how it is supposed to work, they go away happy, they don't come back, and my reputation grows.

Yeah, agreed.

Just relating experiences that showed that what most folks think is way too small, was actually adequate, and was not anything special either. What I found made the most difference in a shear application, was to have clean holes of the area that was to shear the pin, on both halves of the assembly. Things got much less consistent if the pin holes got wallowed out, and that was when the pins began to bend and present difficulties in service.

Had one of my farmer friends tell me outright, that he thought the two worst things that ever happened in the farming industry, were cheap electric Arc Welders, and Oxy-Acet Cutting Torches, because the two of those ensured that any farmer could stick stuff together, and still have a hope of getting them apart later...

 

[Bandit]

Sometimes, the main problem is over loading the equipment. If the ole crap wagon will handle X, let’s but some side boards on, heap it up good, let it freeze over nite, put the “big” tractor on it and get it done faster.
This sooner or later applies to dam near anything made by man.