Tow behind padfoot/sheepsfoot compactor

[ippielb]

Looks like you could maybe have used a little more voltage to flatten your welds out a bit but looks pretty good.

I wish i could've, would've helped me. But afraid my mig welder is only a Hobart 210MVP, and it's maximum is 3/8" steel. I tried to weld everything in an area while it was all hot. That's why i overheated my welder probably 12 times working it so hard. Did not follow the 30% duty cycle lol

 

[John Shipp]

I had same problem before, in the end the constant overheating caused the duty cycle to get lower and lower until it just couldn't do the higher settings. I splashed out on a 3 phase model around twice the capacity, and not had overheating stops since. Now, have to watch distortion of the workpiece instead

 

[ippielb]

I had same problem before, in the end the constant overheating caused the duty cycle to get lower and lower until it just couldn't do the higher settings. I splashed out on a 3 phase model around twice the capacity, and not had overheating stops since. Now, have to watch distortion of the workpiece instead

Oooh, i hope i didnt wear out my welder doing this project. I dont have 3 phase power on the farm. I'm ordering steel this morning for the bushings and what not. Trying to figure out a cheaper alternative for the pipe to align my bushings and bearings. I dont want to spend the money to buy the full length steel i wonder if PVC or something would be straight enough.

 

[Welder Dave]

Aren't the bearings self aligning where they will allow for slight mis-alignment by swiveling in the housings? PVC might be close enough to align them or what about a wood dowel. You could check a dowel on a flat surface kind of like you check a pool cue for straightness.

 

[ippielb]

Aren't the bearings self aligning where they will allow for slight mis-alignment by swiveling in the housings? PVC might be close enough to align them or what about a wood dowel. You could check a dowel on a flat surface kind of like you check a pool cue for straightness.

Bearings will be fine. I'll measure the reinforcing plates close. the holes will allow me to move them around a bit. But the part that is most concerning is getting the bushings straight. Cant find any pvc thats 2.5" so i called an exhaust shop and got some 2.5" exhaust pipe to get cut i'll run it through the bushings in the square frame to make sure everything is lined up. I'll get it cut to 8 feet long so i can run it through the frame completely and then the two cross bars as well.

 

[ippielb]

 

[Welder Dave]

When I needed a piece of tubing to use to line up the swing pivots on my backhoe I just took the piece of 2 1/2" tube to a machine shop and had them put it between centers and machine 5 thou. of it. If I had a way to turn it could probably be done with emery cloth. It was about 2' long and cost $40 to turn it down. It should have only been $35 but the miserable grumpy guy at the machine shop charged me more than the original guy who gave the price. A 2 1/2" tube in a 2 1/2" bushing is too tight of a fit. Not sure how big your neighbors lathe is but might be able to turn some off one side and then turn it around to do the other side.

 

[ippielb]

When I needed a piece of tubing to use to line up the swing pivots on my backhoe I just took the piece of 2 1/2" tube to a machine shop and had them put it between centers and machine 5 thou. of it. If I had a way to turn it could probably be done with emery cloth. It was about 2' long and cost $40 to turn it down. It should have only been $35 but the miserable grumpy guy at the machine shop charged me more than the original guy who gave the price. A 2 1/2" tube in a 2 1/2" bushing is too tight of a fit. Not sure how big your neighbors lathe is but might be able to turn some off one side and then turn it around to do the other side.

Got all my bushings cut to around 4" long, so will just be putting them in, giving them a rough turn. $60 an hour he said for lathe work. They're at my neighbors place right now. i think he said saturday. I was a little concerned with the cross bars strength being enough to support the weight of the drums and packer frames. I plan on putting wheels to transport them on the back so i added an extra bar across.

 

[Welder Dave]

How much do the packer wheels weigh and what size are the axles? It puts a lot more stress on the axle and bearings picking the packer wheels up. I'd be worried about bouncing when towing with the packer wheels lifted. Might be good to have some kind of lock when in transport position so it takes the weight off the cylinder and stops it from creeping down. Something like a transport pin or lock like backhoe loaders have for the boom.

 

[ippielb]

How much do the packer wheels weigh and what size are the axles? It puts a lot more stress on the axle and bearings picking the packer wheels up. I'd be worried about bouncing when towing with the packer wheels lifted. Might be good to have some kind of lock when in transport position so it takes the weight off the cylinder and stops it from creeping down. Something like a transport pin or lock like backhoe loaders have for the boom.

I'm not sure how much they actually weigh, they have oil or diesel in them. My 230 hoe can lift both of them at the same time.

The axles are 2-7/16 solid steel with four 3/8" steel gussets that go to within inch or so of the bearing.

My concern is definitely when its bouncing as well. I may end up taking another piece of steel and weld it to the inside of the frame like i did the ends where the bolts go through.

I was going to make a heavy pin to lock the wheels in transport position. Was also looking at getting some landing gear from the back of an air drill since they're designed to function in the same way as what I'm wanting to do.

 

[Welder Dave]

I didn't realize the axles were that big. You don't really have to lift the packer wheels that high. Just enough to take the weight off. If the pads just barely touched the ground wouldn't cause any damage.

 

[ippielb]

I didn't realize the axles were that big. You don't really have to lift the packer wheels that high. Just enough to take the weight off. If the pads just barely touched the ground wouldn't cause any damage.

I'm looking to make it get around a foot off the ground. So no matter the height of the hitch of the tractor the wheels wont be dragging going down the road. Today i managed to head into the city and got two hydraulic cylinders to try out to see which one would work better, and the original one i wanted to use was the better length. 28-1/4" collapsed length with 18" stroke, 4" diameter. So should be able to lift 17,000 pounds which it will never have to lift that much.

I also got that piece welded on the part that pivots down where im going to mount my axle. Also bought a tarp because its suppose to rain tonight and tomorrow morning and i covered everything to hopefully avoid it getting all rusty and then having to take all the rust off again.

 

[ippielb]

 

[ippielb]

 

[ippielb]

So, some things i still have to do to finish...

1. Make the bushings on the packer drum frames greaseable, 4" Square tubing with a 3" round pipe inside. So if i could find a grease zerk adapter/extension that's an inch long i could drill a hole in the top of the frames through the bushing and then install them.

2. Install a grease zerk in each pivot plate pair.

3. cut out gussets to reinforce the pivot plates, will need 16 gussets for the packer drum frames and 16 smaller gussets for the main hitch frame.

4. Weld on a top and bottom cap onto the two 3/4" plates that the rear cross bar is welded onto to make it more rigid and so that when the packer wheels are down it wont try to flex and twist.

5. Make a limiter strap/stop for the packers on how much they can pivot, and a locking bar for transporting.

6. Cut out twelve 1/4" washers for the pivot bolt/nut.

7. Figure out how to retain the nut from loosening as the drums pivot.

8. Make mud scrapers for the drums, was thinking about just going and buying some little scraper ripper shanks from a farm supply place since they're only $20. And are easily replaceable, if i make a holder for them.

9. Cut out and weld on the end cap on the open side of the square tubing.

10. Cut out and weld on corner braces onto the packer frames where the square tubing meets to help reinforce where i welded.

11. Build the rear axle assembly with transport lock.

 

[cfherrman]

You can thread the grease zerk spots 1/4" and buy 1/4 to 1/8 adapters to get a little spacing or you can just weld on 1/8" pipe collars (coupling) that should give you the space

 

[ippielb]

You can thread the grease zerk spots 1/4" and buy 1/4 to 1/8 adapters to get a little spacing or you can just weld on 1/8" pipe collars (coupling) that should give you the space

That's what i did with the cross bar frames, but i didn't have access to the bushings on these ones. So i have them welded in now and i either have to cut a hole in the top of the tubing now to weld onto the bushing, or just drill a hole through the top and then tap and thread it down.

 

[ippielb]

 

[John Shipp]

Looking very good, nearly there

When you mentioned pins in your circle plates my inner voice of reason (pessimism?) said no no. With the leverage would they swell the inner edges and chew up the two opposing surfaces?

Pins through welded on top tubes on the square sections nearer to the drawbar would have less leverage/ be stronger?

Just my gut reaction.

Looking forward to seeing it dragged about. Very handy bit of kit.

 

[ippielb]

Looking very good, nearly there

When you mentioned pins in your circle plates my inner voice of reason (pessimism?) said no no. With the leverage would they swell the inner edges and chew up the two opposing surfaces?

Pins through welded on top tubes on the square sections nearer to the drawbar would have less leverage/ be stronger?

Just my gut reaction.

Looking forward to seeing it dragged about. Very handy bit of kit.

My cousin was the one who suggested just putting the pin in the pivot plate, but i had the same idea as well, that much weight will take that hole and open it up.

Well tonight, i paid a little extra to get my steel cut out. Tomorrow if the weather cooperates i'll be trying to finish welding.

Also bought a gallon of yellow rust paint and a 3 pack of spray guns... Never painted anything before in my life, so a crappy packer i built is a good way to start.

Only thing left after i weld this stuff on is to finish the transport axle/tires. Got to call my neighbor and see what he wants for those combine tires and hubs.

Edit:

Thats a lie, i still need to make mud scrapers for it too. ugh.