Fixing Seized Pivot Arms: New Holland PD500/NH2080 Drill Rebuild in Gully, Minnesota

We recently helped a farmer in Gully, Minnesota rebuild his New Holland PD500/NH2080. The original purpose of the call-out was due to seized closing wheel arm pivots. He would manually attempt to get the pivot arms unseized by hammering them up and down, but knew this was not a long-term solution. When we arrived at the job site, ALL of the pivots were stuck.

Our team was able to use two of our bolt-through pivot products on this rebuild: the PD500 Greaseless Bearing Closing Wheel Arm Pivot Kit and PD500 Greaseable Bushing Closing Wheel Arm Pivot Kit which is the greaseable version with seals.

This project addressed seized pins and involved the installation of new disc scrapers, adjusting closing wheels, and tackling seized closing arm pivots on a New Holland P2080 drill. We also found a solution for a failed stock blockage system. The goal was not just a quick repair, but a significant upgrade for long-term reliability. Three Red E professionals worked on this job.

Full Videos (Part 1 & 2)

Part 1

Part 2

Initial Challenges

The initial phase focused on dismantling and preparing the drill. This involved removing rusted components and addressing seized pivot points. We found a massive number of immobilized pivots.

Our team was able to work on multiple components simultaneously to reduce overall project time. We took our time to review the drill and evaluate every component.

Solutions

Seized pins required localized torching to get them removed, without damaging surrounding components. Disc scraper installation was streamlined using a temporary wedge. A mid-torque impact wrench ensured proper bolt tension. Felt washers were added as dust shields for inner seals.

The New Holland drill’s seized pivots were VERY seized. We initially tried to use an air hammer to get them loose, but this did not work. Our team resorted to cutting the seized pins with a torch.

We used a couple of our Red E solutions:

PD500 Greaseable Bushing Closing Wheel Arm Pivot Kit: Designed for easy annual maintenance, featuring a bolt-through system that minimizes dirt ingress. PD500 Greaseable Bushing Closing Wheel Arm Pivot Kit

SeedExtreme Bearings: Custom bearings with improved sealing and grease packing. Designed to keep contaminants out and grease in, even under harsh conditions. SeedXtreme – Closing Wheel Bearings

Cavities were cleaned to ensure proper bearing installation. We discussed how the new bolt-through design was far superior to the original bearing.

Operational Adjustments & Testing

Post-assembly, the drill underwent testing to optimize furrow formation. The initial settings were overly aggressive, requiring adjustments. This also included testing the new pivot solutions under field conditions and observing their performance.

Project Completion

The drill was successfully restored, including implementing effective pivot solutions for the New Holland drill. Having three professional Red E rebuilders on site made for a good team environment and an ability to problem-solve on the fly. The upgrades we installed will result in much better results for the farmer (and much less frustration with the drill).