Rod Ends
Rod ends join row units, down-pressure cylinders, metering linkages, and harvester arms.
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Agricultural Parts Catalog
Open a product page for sizes and grades, or send a drawing for a part not listed.
Bushings
Bushings are plain or flanged sleeves for pivots and shafts on frames and arms.
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Tube Fittings
Tube adapters and fittings join spray and fertilizer lines to tanks and pumps.
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Ball Transfer Units
Load balls in a housing let crates and produce roll in any direction on sorting tables.
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Material Decision
Choosing the Grade by Exposure
Match the grade to the chemicals the part meets, how dry it stays, and the load it carries.
Standard Grade
304 Stainless
Grade 304 suits frames, brackets, guards, and covers that stay mostly dry and meet no fertilizer. It costs less than 316L, so it is the right pick where chemical contact is low.
Brackets · guards · frames
Chemical Grade
316L
Molybdenum gives 316L better pitting resistance than 304 against acidic slurry, liquid fertilizer, pesticide, and fruit juice. Choose 316L for spacers, rod ends, and fittings that sit where those liquids splash and dry.
Sprayers · fruit harvesters · washdown
High-Strength Grade
17-4PH
Heat treatment hardens 17-4PH, so a small joint carries far more load than in 304 or 316L. Its pitting resistance is lower than 316L, so use it on folding frames and hitch pivots in drier spots.
Folding frames · hitch pivots
| Grade | Minimum yield strength | Pitting resistance (PREN, typical) | Typical farm-machine use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 304 | 205 MPa | 18 to 20 | Frames, brackets, and guards, dry or mild duty |
| 316L | 170 MPa | 24 to 26 | Spray, fertilizer, juice, and washdown contact |
| 17-4PH (H900) | 1170 MPa | Lower than 316L | Folding frames and heavy pivots in dry areas |
Values are typical for annealed 304 and 316L plate and for 17-4PH in the H900 condition, given for comparison. The final grade depends on your drawing and the chemicals on your machine.
Design Notes
Where Farm Machine Joints Wear Out
Dust, slurry, and vibration each damage a joint in their own way.
Dust
Seed and Fertilizer Dust
Seed and fertilizer dust turns grease into a grinding paste at exposed pivots. A dry PTFE-lined rod end seals the race and needs no grease, so it suits row unit and metering pivots.
Row units · metering drives
Wet Service
Juice, Pesticide, and Washdown
A carbon steel spacer in a wheel hub or conveyor shaft oxidizes onto the shaft and has to be cut off. A 316L spacer stays free on the shaft through acidic juice, pesticide, and pressure washing.
Hubs · conveyors · nozzle systems
Load
Vibration and Folding Frames
A loose spacer lets a drive train develop play, and a wide folding frame puts its full weight on a few pivots. A snug bore fit removes the play, and 17-4PH holds alignment through repeated folds.
Drive trains · folding wings
Quick Pick
Choose Parts by Position on the Machine
Start with the dust and moisture at the pivot, then check the load.
| Position on the machine | Typical parts | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Row units and metering drives | PTFE-lined rod ends, spacers, bushings | Dust level, and a dry joint with no grease |
| Wheel hubs, conveyors, and nozzle lines | Spacers, bushings, clamps, tube fittings | Grade against juice, pesticide, and washdown |
| Folding frames, cylinders, and hitch links | Clevis, rod ends, ball joints, threaded rod | Load and alignment, so 17-4PH is an option |
Agricultural Sectors
Where the Parts Work
Each machine puts different parts in dust, juice, or slurry. Find yours, then open the product page.
01
Orchard and Fruit Harvesters
Apple and other orchard harvesters carry conveyors, wheel hubs, and drive trains through acidic fruit juice and washdown. Spacers, bushings, and rod ends sit at those joints, and a 316L spacer does not seize on its shaft.
- Spacers
- Bushings
- Rod Ends
- Spacers for orchard machinery
02
Root Crop and Vegetable Harvesters
Onion and other root crop harvesters lift, shake, and conveyor the crop through soil, moisture, and vibration. Rod ends, clevis fittings, and ball joints sit at the lifting and digger linkages, and spacers sit on the conveyor shafts.
- Rod Ends
- Clevis
- Ball Joints
- Spacers
03
Air Seeders and Planters
Row unit, down-pressure, and folding-frame joints on an air seeder run through dust and acidic slurry. Rod ends in PTFE-lined or metal-to-metal form, with spacers and bushings, sit at those pivots.
- Rod Ends
- Spacers
- Bushings
- Rod ends for air seeders
04
Sprayers and Fertilizer Applicators
Sprayer booms, tanks, and pumps meet pesticide and liquid fertilizer all season. Clevis fittings and rod ends carry the boom linkages, while tube fittings and clamps hold the spray lines.
- Clevis
- Rod Ends
- Tube Fittings
- Clamps
Manufacturing Route
Built Around the Drawing
Three routes cover most farm machine parts. Each links to its product page.
01 / CNC MACHINING
Housings and Brackets
We mill housings, brackets, and multi-face parts to your drawing. 5-axis machining is available on request when a part needs it.
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02 / CNC TURNING
Round and Threaded Parts
Spacers, bushings, pins, shafts, and fittings are turned from your drawing or sample.
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03 / FORMING
Brackets and Plates
We stamp and bend brackets and plates from your drawing.
View Sheet Metal Parts →How It Works
From Drawing to Delivery
Four steps take an order from drawing to shipment.
01
Send the Drawing
Send a drawing, a worn part, or a physical sample with the details in the checklist below.
02
Get a Quote
Engineering reviews the grade, geometry, and exposure, then issues the quotation.
03
Approve the Sample
Sample parts are made for your approval before production starts.
04
Production and Shipping
Production follows the approved sample. Finished parts then ship by sea, air, or express courier.
Advantages
Why Agricultural Machine Builders Choose Profab
A late or failed joint costs a machine builder weeks in the season. These are the problems we are set up to remove.
Why Profab
Fewer Surprises Between Drawing and Field
Farm machine parts are ordered before planting or harvest, and a part that fails in the field comes back as a warranty claim. Each point below answers one of those problems.
- Parts Before the SeasonSamples take about 20 days and standard production about 30 days, so a part can be approved and built before planting or harvest starts.
- Worn Part, No DrawingSend the worn rod end or spacer. We measure it, draw it, and make a matching part, so an older machine can be repaired without the original drawing.
- Corrosion Priced Before You BuyWe quote the same drawing in 304 and 316L, with PTFE-lined or greasable joints, so you weigh the cost against your fertilizer, pesticide, and juice exposure.
- Every Pivot in One OrderRod ends, clevis fittings, spacers, bushings, and threaded rod for one machine are quoted together, with small runs for each variant and no hard minimum.
Inquiry Checklist
What to Send With Your Inquiry
Accepted formats are DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES, and dimensioned PDF drawings, or a physical sample.
Send These Details
Send a drawing, a photo of the worn part, or a physical sample with the details below.
- Machine and position: row unit, conveyor, hub, boom, or hitch
- Exposure: dust, fertilizer, pesticide, juice, or washdown
- Material grade, or the grades you would accept
- Pin, bore, thread, and mating parts
- Joint type: PTFE-lined, greasable, or metal-to-metal
- Quantity and when you need the parts
What Happens Next
We check grade, geometry, and joint type against your exposure, then quote.
Procurement FAQ
Agricultural Buyer FAQ
These short answers cover the first engineering and purchasing questions.
Can you make parts for harvesters, seeders, and tractor connections?
Yes. We make precision parts such as shafts, connectors, ball joints, rod ends, spacers, and limiters to the structure of your agricultural machine, and we have worked with a number of agricultural machinery parts customers. Send a drawing, a worn part, or a sample.
Why change from carbon steel to stainless steel on farm equipment?
Fertilizer, pesticide, acidic fruit juice, and washdown water attack carbon steel and plated parts, and a corroded spacer or rod end can seize on its shaft or pin. Stainless steel resists that attack, so the part stays free and can be serviced in the field.
Which grade should I choose for fertilizer or pesticide exposure?
Choose 316L for parts that meet acidic slurry, liquid fertilizer, pesticide, or juice, because its molybdenum resists chlorides and chemicals better than 304. 304 suits frames and brackets that stay dry. 17-4PH suits folding frames and hitch pivots that carry heavy load in dry areas.
Should a rod end on an air seeder be PTFE-lined or metal-to-metal?
A PTFE-lined rod end suits row unit and metering pivots, where seed and fertilizer dust turns grease into a grinding paste. A metal-to-metal rod end suits the down-pressure cylinder, which pushes hard against the soil. Tell us which pivot it is and we match the construction.
Can you copy a worn part from a machine I am repairing?
Yes. Send the worn part or a photo with the pin, bore, and thread measurements. If you only have a sample and no drawing, we can reverse-engineer it for an additional fee.
What quantity can I order, and how fast can I get parts?
Quantities vary by product, and small-batch runs are accepted with no hard minimum. Prototype runs typically start around 100 pieces. Samples take about 20 days and standard production about 30 days, so order before the season starts.