IH 37 Disc Saga
I bought a used International 37 transport disc recently:
These were considered good discs, and I feel this 9′7″ model built between 1956 and 1959 woudl be a good fit for my Allis D17. The big challenge for this disc is replacing the disc gang bearings. This earlier model used a “spool” style bearing that is no longer available from IH. My plan is to upgrade this disc to the new frictionless (ball bearing) style. I am able to get all the parts from IH except the mounting plate, which fortunately can be fabricated. The problem with theses parts is they are very expensive when bought at a Case-IH dealer.
I will document my progress in upgrading/reapiring this machine, and my attempt at getting these parts at a lower price. If possible I will offer these parts for sale to other IH 37 Disc owners who would like to take on the same project.
May 12, 2009 at 11:30 pm |
Any progress with the disc? I’m looking at a 12 ft version of the same.
October 20, 2009 at 6:25 pm |
They are a new site I came across and offer great prices on all disc replacement part as well as planter and many other parts. Good service too!
May 12, 2009 at 11:48 pm |
Well, my farm is 4.5 hours from where I live. The next thing I am going
to do is take a couple gangs off and being them back and tear into them.
I have learned a few things…
I have found one supplier that has the old spool bearings. However they
do not know which disc it goes to! IT looks much like mine. They state it
is 7″ long whisch seems a bit too large since my disc spacing is 7.5″. If you take into the account the spools that go on either end of the bearing, this 7″ length seems to large. They are also made in China…Big red flag. I dont need to be fixing these again when they break.
On the regular ball bearing, you can use a ST-491A bearing which combines the flange and ball bearing, as opposed to the ST-607A bearing, which calls for seperate flanges and is MUCH more expensive.
I hope to write up on this in the future when I get the samples in mind.
The other thing I am finding is these aftermarket parts sources seem to be using the wrong part number for the 37 model, or list a part that seems to
work for the 37 but is not listed…Its really confusing. I wont be able to make some solid conclusions till I have the OEM parts in hand. I hope to get to the disk in June…
May 13, 2009 at 8:59 pm |
I have a bigger version of this disk that I will be working on soon. I will need a couple of the spools and disk. Does any one have a parts list for a 37 or direct to a good parts source?
October 20, 2009 at 6:27 pm |
Try http://www.tristateagproducts.com, the pricing is great and quick service.
October 21, 2009 at 1:57 am
Scott I checked out that site. The few parts listed for a 37 disc does not match the OEM#. But I did find a bumper washer that will fit a 37 but not listed for a 37….Go figure
May 14, 2009 at 6:19 am |
You can get the spacer spools from a Case-IH dealer, but take some vaseline with you. I am working on finding some lower-cost aftermarket
versions but it is going to take a while. I can send you a copy of the dealers part manual if you send me a note via the contact page on yazallcrop.com
August 25, 2009 at 12:34 am |
Hello
I have the same problem with the 37.
Use frome IH Case:
472592R3 Spool (15.35$can.),
BST491A Bearing(48.47$can),
472591R3 Spool (20.01$can.),
652383R1 Spacer (5.99$can.).
This all together is abouth 1/4inch larger and you trimm a little of from the larger Spool. You have to make the 8 Brakets. Or you can only repair the front gang with the new bearings and take the old front spools as parts for the rear.
Please excuse my englisch, i live in a french speecking provice in Canada.
August 25, 2009 at 6:09 am |
Adrian,
You came to the same conclusion I did, 472591 will need to be trimmed down.
I do have a new development. I might have found a aftermarket source for the old spool style bearings. They look right, but the seller doesnt know what model they fit. (Go Figure!!) I plan to buy a set and try them out. What concerns me is they are made in China and so I have doubts to their durability (and lead content LOL!)…
Dont worry about hte English, you probably write it better than many supposedly educated Americans…
September 17, 2009 at 5:35 am |
I have two of these disks, 12 and 13 feet. The 13′ has the spool type bearings and the 12 has standard disk bearings. I have the 13′ working well and plan to sell it. The 12′ needs some work and I need the adjustable hitch for it. If anyone knows where there is a scrap disk that has one I would be interested. THANKS c.a.johnson14@gmail.com
October 3, 2009 at 3:17 am |
I just finished working on an old 8′ IH disc and I had the same problem. Mine has 1-1/8 axles and 7″ spool bearings, I couldn’t find them anywhere. Everyone was telling me to convert it to the new style bearings but I didn’t want to, I ended up buying 7-1/2 spool bearings and putting them in a chop saw and cutting them down where the spool starts tapering up to support the discs. It works great! Now I just wish I knew what model disc it is, the parts man at the IH dealership told me it had the same style bearings as the 37 series but the frame is a little different. Mine frame is made out of channel iron not angle…?
October 3, 2009 at 4:52 pm |
Hi Heath,
Well a picture is worth a thousand words..you got one you can share?
I havent done much to mine yet…dont have a job so money is tight, but I must have it ready for spring. As I said I think I found the spool type that will work, but I am afraid of anything made in china. Still debating which way to go…
Tom
November 12, 2009 at 1:28 am |
Tom,
I’m not sure if you ever got anything figured out with the disc, but I have an older 7 foot IH pull type non-transport disc that has the same part numbers on the spools and everything. I found it in Chicora and paid $100 for it. I have a #37 disc, and needed one of the gang hangers for the old style. If you were interested in buying the rest of it for parts, let me know. I am an hour and a half below Mercer.
November 12, 2009 at 2:59 am |
John
I am going to go with the new style ball bearing gangs so I dont think you would have anything I could use. Some of the large spools may interchange but not much more than that. I have gotten a quote to make the new gang hangers for the newer ball bearing arrangement—over $50 each. Not so bad when you only need one or two, but I will need 8.
OUCH!!
November 12, 2009 at 10:05 am |
Ouch is right! I think I paid $200 for my IH 37. Of course, it did need a lot of the blades replaced, 2 tires, and a hydraulic cylinder, but I got that covered pretty easily. http://www.agrisupply.com/notched-disc-harrow-blades/c/4500010/ Less than $10 a piece including shipping for all new notched ones up front and smooth in the rear. Notched really wasn’t necessary, but the smooth ones in the 3mm thickness were the same price and I figured it would help some with corn stubble. I think it will pay off for you in the end. I probably will spend more in grease gun cartridges over the life of the disk, than you will have spent on retrofitting to the newer style. Let me know if you find an easier way to farm!
November 12, 2009 at 3:26 pm |
Not bad a price(made in China?), what size do you use? I think my originals were 20″. As I stated in an earlier post, I think I can get the old spool style bearings, but cast+China=Trouble IMHO. Its looking like this disc is going to cost a fortune. Since I will have all new blades, hangers,
bearings and some new spools, I wonder If I should go whole hog and
get the axles as well. Can one assume they will eventualy fail?
November 13, 2009 at 12:31 am |
I had 14″ blades on the disc when I got it, so I stayed with 14″. I probably could have gone 16 or 18 for the same price, but I have had good luck with 14″s in the past. I plow with 16″ bottoms, disc 2 or 3 times, run everything down with a cultimulcher and plant corn and beans 1.5″ deep, so they have always been deep enough. I’m sure they are made in China, I really didn’t pay attention to that since most of the new hand tools I buy are made in China with lifetime guarantee and it seems their steel quality is headed towards US quality. Not to get into a debate over buying American made. I am pro-American, but I am not making a dime on the farm, so I take what I can get. Chances are, if I do ever make a dime, I will keep farming with older equipment, but will buy better parts.
As for your axles, the only time I have seen an axle fail is when the gang comes loose and the blades start working on the axle, eventually, they will round the axle over, and then start cutting into it. I had my Allis Chalmers disc break an axle last spring. I just welded it back together and it has been holding up just fine. Then again, if I had the money to spend, I would probably buy everything new, knowing that it will be reliable, and tight.
November 13, 2009 at 1:18 am |
Hello
About the axels. D’ont change it! If the part is undamadged and still good, leave it in the machine. The IH37 is made over 40 years ago. Quality, quality, quality, strong US Steel. If it made 40 years, you can run it another decade. I’m farming in on rocky farm in Quebec and use my machine in the last 20 years. The spools get used and need replacment, the disks get smaler and brake some time, but i never toucht the axels.