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Loremaster72

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I was servicing my rotary plow today, getting ready to turn the garden, and I ran into a small snag. I have an older rotary plow, and the manual I downloaded indicated that I should grease the driveshaft through the drive shaft casting. As you can see by the attached photo, I don't have a grease fitting on the drive shaft housing. Does the boss in the photo (or what remains of the boss) actually the contain the remains of a grease fitting? Were any of the older rotary plows designed to allow oil from the main case back into this area, and thus not equipped with a grease fitting? If I have to tap this out for a grease fitting, I'm guessing the original would have been a standard 1/8 NPT port? Thanks, all.

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#2 ·
I ran into this contradiction recently with a rotary plow I acquired, thinking that someone had mistakenly put a check plug where a grease fitting should have been on the drive shaft casting. The Gravely docs had me confused.
Fla Don set me straight on this, indicating
that there should not be a free flow of 80-W90 from the drive housing to this area (held back by one of the horizontal gaskets apparently), and you should be able to simply add oil at that point (after you pick-up a new check plug). If you can back that broken piece out of there, you'll see that the volume is very minimal, because it is mostly taken up by the drive shaft itself.

Good luck
 
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#3 ·
You might consider checking the brackets on your dirt shield. If the other ends are slotted, turn them around to give you an easy range of adjustment at the drive head.
 
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Discussion starter · #4 ·
Thanks for the assist. I'll have to dig in there with a grinder and see if I can find the end of a plug or grease fitting. I guess I'll also turn over the brackets on the dirt shield. I just used it the way it was already rigged, and didn't examine it too closely. Is there much purpose in adjusting it? I just tried to keep it forward enough that my front axle can't pitch over when I'm turning, and angled to not hit the blades.
 
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#5 ·
I'm a first-time user of the rotary plow myself, but what I have done is to adjust the dirt shield such that it is not touching either the front right guide wheel or the tractor itself. Again, slotted holes on the mounting bracket at the drive head attachment side. Apparantly, the amount of rotation of the front axle can be adjusted by tightening down two (?) bolts just rear of the front axle. I had trouble with mine rotating 180-degrees at the end of each furrow when turning the machine around. Tightening these bolts down put a stop to that.

Keep us posted on whether you have the remains of a check plug or grease fitting. I'd be surprised if it is the latter, despite what the Gravely docs. say.
 
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#6 ·
dlv9 said:
I'm a first-time user of the rotary plow myself, but what I have done is to adjust the dirt shield such that it is not touching either the front right guide wheel or the tractor itself. Again, slotted holes on the mounting bracket at the drive head attachment side. Apparantly, the amount of rotation of the front axle can be adjusted by tightening down two (?) bolts just rear of the front axle. I had trouble with mine rotating 180-degrees at the end of each furrow when turning the machine around. Tightening these bolts down put a stop to that.

Keep us posted on whether you have the remains of a check plug or grease fitting. I'd be surprised if it is the latter, despite what the Gravely docs. say.
Click to expand...
I just checked plow drive #3. It has a grease fitting in it. Can't check #1 & 2 as they are in OH10.
 
#7 ·
Interesting Don.

The hole diameter on mine is larger than any grease fitting I've ever seen. I should try to get a pic. up here for the technically curious.
 
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#8 ·
dlv9 said:
Interesting Don.

The hole diameter on mine is larger than any grease fitting I've ever seen. I should try to get a pic. up here for the technically curious.
Click to expand...
1957 IPL says drain fitting. 1974 IPL says lube fitting 1/4-28. All show a seal at both ends of the swivel castings. 1974 Op manual says grease the swivel till grease comes out between the castings. 1955 L Op manual says grease fitting. So YMMV as is typical of all Gravelys.
 
#9 ·
That's good info.

Based on this, mine must be an older rotary plow circa 1957. It certainly has sufficient rust to be that old.
 
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#11 ·
I have two. Both are not any older than 1960, that I know of. Both of them have a grease fitting.
 
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Fla Don
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