Horse drawn plough wheel bearings

[jwilkes]

Not sure this is the correct place. Bought a horse drawn ridger (Howard or Bedford) recently and am pressing parts back into service, There are wheels and axles on the beast but no bearings in place. Wheels have a tapered bore. My father in law suggested that there is no bearing and all runs loose, does anyone have any opinion / information?

Jeremy

[dave]

Probably cast iron wheels and mild steel stub axles therefor no
lubrication was needed. If you had of oiled them the dirt and dust would have got
in to the hub and would have turned into grinding paste.
Let them run dry and rattle a bit.
Dave.

[jwilkes]

Adding some images. I now have 2 opinions that there is no bearing, seems strange that the wheel bore is tapered, perhaps just to make the casting process easier.

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[jwilkes]

Dave

Many thanks, perhaps the taper is for the dirt to get out. At least there is no turning to create new bearings.

Jeremy

[will-haggle]

They might be wooden? Sometimes they use Lignum Vitae…

[jwilkes]

Thank you . I have started with some simple pins and see how they go.. Should have then working soon on a rotavator ridger system, if they do not behave will add some wooden blocks. Got some apple which would be hard enough I think.

Jeremy

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