Part of the John Deere Repair Manuals.
The gear case comes off the POWR-TILL seeder before lunch, and the John Deere 251, 1550 technical manual PDF sits open beside you while it drains: 48 pages of factory repair procedure published under OEM number TM1201. Exploded views take the gear case, cutter wheel units and feed shaft drives apart piece by piece, showing where every shim, flangette and slip clutch plate goes back. A short diagnosis section up front sorts the symptom before you pull anything, and each repair sequence ends with the adjustment and torque value that closes it out. Set gear case backlash between 0.08 and 0.15 mm; run the output shaft clamp nut to 136-163 N·m (100-120 ft-lbs) and flangette bolts to 61 N·m (45 ft-lbs). Guessing costs a second teardown, or a chewed gear. Bookmarked and text-searchable, this PDF gets your seeder running and back in the field.
What's Inside This John Deere 251 & 1550 Powr-Till Seeder Manual
| System | Pages | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 4 | Technical Manuals |
| Safety and You | 5 | Personal Safety, Service Area |
| General Information | 6-8 | Lubrication, Power Train Diagram, Seed Metering System, Cutter Wheel Units, Press Wheels |
| Diagnosing Malfunctions and Testing | 9-10 | Organizing the Diagnosis, Diagnosing |
| Powershaft | 11-13 | Removal and Installation, Disassembly, Repair, Assembly |
| Gear Case and Slip Clutches | 14-26 | Test Equipment, Special Tools and Materials, Gear Case Removal, Gear Case Installation, Adjustments, Gear Case Disassembly, Gear Case Inspection, Gear Case Assembly |
| Cutter Wheel Units | 27-32 | Removal, Disassembly, Assembly, Installation, Adjustments |
| End Wheel Drive | 33-37 | Disassembly, Assembly, Installation |
| Feed Shaft Drives | 38-44 | Drive Shaft Replacement, Feed Shaft Bearing Replacement, Removing Grain Shifter, Grain Feed Cups, Grass Cups |
| Grain Agitator | 45 | Disassembly and Repair, Assembly |
| Rockshaft and Bearings (251) | 46 | |
| Specifications | 47-48 | Gear Case, Slip Clutch, Cutter Wheels, Press Wheels, Tires and Wheels, Grain Box Capacity |
Quick Reference Specifications
| Specification | Value | Page |
|---|---|---|
| All Models | ||
| Output shaft clamp nut torque | 136-163 N·m (100-120 ft-lbs) | p. 18 |
| Cutter wheel nut torque | 108-163 N·m (80-120 ft-lbs) | p. 28 |
| Flangette bolts torque | 61 N·m (45 ft-lbs) | p. 28 |
| Gear Case Backlash | 0.08-0.15 mm | p. 47 |
| Cutter Wheel Diameter | 305 mm | p. 47 |
| Grain Feed Shaft Rolling Torque | 23 N-m | p. 47 |
| Grass Feed Shaft Rolling Torque | 4 N-m | p. 47 |
| Feed Shaft Lock Nut Torque | 136-169 N-m | p. 48 |
| Cutter Wheel Shaft Nut Torque | 108-163 N-m | p. 48 |
| 1550 | ||
| 1550 Tire Pressure | 193 kPa | p. 47 |
| 251 | ||
| 251 Tire Pressure | 276 kPa | p. 47 |
John Deere 251 & 1550 Powr-Till Seeder Common Problems This Manual Covers
Powershaft vibration and knocking from the tractor drawbar area at full PTO speed
Drop the PTO shaft and check the U-joints and telescoping sections for wear and twist before you run another acre. Use the powershaft disassembly and inspection procedures starting on page 11, and compare your parts against the exploded view on page 13. Reinstall shields, then confirm the driveline is quiet at rated speed before heading back to the field.
Manual Section: Powershaft p. 11Drive chains binding or jumping sprockets, acremeter reading inconsistently row to row
Clean the rust and dirt off the chains and check sprocket alignment across the end wheel drive. Replace any chain with stiff links instead of soaking it and hoping. Torque the axle nut to a minimum of 81 N-m (60 ft-lbs) per page 35, and tighten the drive chain cover flange screws to 11-16 N-m (8-12 ft-lbs) when the cover goes back on.
Manual Section: End Wheel Drive p. 33Grain feeding erratically from the box with agitator turning slowly or seizing
Empty the box and turn the agitator by hand to find the bind. Inspect the agitator bearings and shaft for packed treatment and rust, then repair using the procedures on page 45. Check the flangette bolts at 61 N-m (45 ft-lbs) for the 251 and reset grass feed shaft rolling torque to the 4 N-m spec on page 47 before your next seeding window.
Manual Section: Grain Agitator p. 45Frequently Asked Questions
What are the torque specifications for the wheel bolts on the John Deere 1550?
The torque specification for the wheel bolts on the John Deere 1550 is 75 ft-lbs (102 N-m). p. 48
How do you fix john Deere 251 POWR-TILL seeder stops distributing seed mid-pass with the feed shaft still turning?
Pull the grain feed cups and check for treatment buildup bridging the openings before you blame the drive. Work through the diagnosis steps starting on page 9, then rebuild the cups per the feed shaft drive procedures beginning on page 38. Measure grain feed shaft rolling torque against the 23 N-m figure on page 47 and torque the feed shaft lock nut to 136-169 N-m. p. 38
How do you fix slip clutch overheating and smoking during seeding, gear case making noise under load?
Stop before you cook the plates. Shut down the PTO, let the clutch cool, and follow the slip clutch service steps that start on page 14. Inspect the gear case for scored gears and set backlash to the 0.08-0.15 mm spec listed on page 47. Torque the output shaft clamp nut to 136-163 N-m (100-120 ft-lbs) on reassembly. p. 14
How do you fix uneven seeding depth with one side cutting deeper than the other across the field?
Level the machine on a hard surface first, then compare cutter wheel wear side to side. Replacement wheels measure 305 mm in diameter per page 47, so anything worn well under that pulls depth off on one end. Follow the cutter wheel removal and adjustment steps beginning on page 27 and torque the cutter wheel nuts to 108-163 N-m (80-120 ft-lbs). p. 27
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