How to Shim Your Cultivator Gauge Wheels Properly?

Before we learn how to make sure that the gauge wheel gets correct shimming, let us learn more about the wheel itself. A cultivator gauge wheel comes as a unit consisting of a gauge wheel along with a colter. Two thin, ground-engaging wheels stay next to each other a close distance apart and rotate along intersecting axes. When the wheels move across the field, the edges of the adjacent wheels engage with one another owing to their orientation in the back and front regions of the planter.

In between the gauge wheels, you will see a colter. While the wheels catch hold of and remove the remnants of the crops, the colter is helpful to cut it.

How to Ensure That Your Cultivator Gauge Wheels Undergo Proper Shimming?

Inspect your gauge wheel carefully. Make sure that the wheels have a proper alignment against the disk opener. Lift the gauge wheel and pull it away until you can access the area wheel and the opener connect. Do you see or feel a gap between the two? Gaps are indicative of damage. This gap is going to let dry soil into the furrow. This disallows you from achieving an evenly heated and moist environment essential for planting.

The other thing you can do is lift the gauge wheel up and let go of it. If your wheel rotates forward just the slightest bit, it shows that you have good contact. Good contact equals no dry soil infiltrating the furrow.

If, however, a gap is present, you will need to make an adjustment. Shim the cultivator gauge wheel close enough to the disk opener. If it appears like you are running out of room to shim the wheel, it probably means that you need to replace your old gauge wheel with a new one. Why though? It is because the back of the wheel is going to wear the disc opener, and eventually, it will get bad enough that cannot adjust it anymore.

How Can We Help?

Our cultivation gauge wheels are engineered to handle an entire lifetime of planting and then a little more. The wheels you buy from 4 AG Manufacturing are probably going to be the last you replace. Do not believe us? We will show you the results. Schedule a call at (580) 419 - 8473.