Box blade repair

[RCW]

Any ideas?

Bought it used 10 years ago.

Not sure I did all of this, it's been out of whack for a long while.

I probably didn't help it when I added the long adapters to make it work with my quick hitch.

I seldom push in reverse, which is how this might have happened?

Done a LOT of work with this box blade. Probably my favorite implement.

The piece that's bent is 1/2"x3". Other side is straight.

I'd rather not heat it and take tempering out. That's the main draw-point for the blade.
After taking lift pins out, my ideas are:

1. A pipe clamp for woodworking. Got several of them. Try to draw it back to other side.
2. Use 2 pipe clamps on the offending metal, with two "guides" like angle iron or 2x wood (?) and straighten that way.
3. Some all-thread with fender washers on both sides of bent side - - same idea - draw them together from straight side. Might ensure draws back and makes sure bent side is plumb?!?!?

Obviously don't want to bend up the other straight side.......

Left in photo is the bent side

It’s off 3/8” or so. Also not plumb anymore.

Plumb probably isn't a big deal if I can just get it straightened out.....

PS - - @nerwin, this could be one of your projects should you make your way to CNY......

 

[GreensvilleJay]

BTDT..... remove the lower link bolts, swing/remove the black brackety part...whatever you call it

use 3/4 or 1" all thread. fasten securely to bent side, ....right piece-washer-washer-nut
OIL the washers and allthread( it helps !!). You 'should' be able to tighten the right nuts and 'draw' the left bar.
Now if you assemble this concoction right, you can use a deep socket on impact gun to be the 'muscle'.
Go 1/2" past straight,count 5 steamboats, then reverse the gun to release tension. Might take 2-3 tries but it will work.
Should take maybe an hour IF you can find YOUR allthread ,cause mine 'goes walkabout' when I need it !

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I wouldn't be afraid of heating it, that's probably just mild steel. But I'd do Green's method, but . . . After you put a strain on the ear, hit the left ear with a BFH. Take a little more strain, repeat until straight. That way, you bend only the left ear.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Put a piece of pipe on the end and bend it forward.
You can use a pipe wrench too.

 

[GeoHorn]

Yep… The Wolf said it. Remove the nut, slip a long pipe over the pin and bend it back straight.

 

[BX25D Rookie]

That type of design with the vast majority of all the force on those two sections of flat mild steel bar stock
will tend to bend flat mild steel bar stock.
Especially with the lengthened quick hitch pins.
Dull cherry red, it will straighten out perfectly without any issues.

Mild steel really doesn't have any "temper" so unless it's grossly overheated, no harm, no foul.
Hind sight engineering at it's best, it was designed and fabricated with a "price point" in mind.
If it were mine, after straightening, I might "scab" some flat steel bar stock on the inside, so as to "double up" the existing bars. You do have additional threading available on the pins for that exact modification.

Also, a piece of angle connecting the bars after doubling them up wouldn't hurt either. I likely have steel available, oxy-acetylene, and a stick welder. And a grinder for removing paint prior to welding.
Wire brush after welding, hit it with a rattle can and it's better than new.

You have my number, send me a text neighbor.
Once your snow blower is off your machine, and your loader reinstalled, you can lift it into your pickup bed.
I can use my loader to lift it out of your truck, and onto the ground for repairs.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

That type of design with the vast majority of all the force on those two sections of flat mild steel bar stock
will tend to bend flat mild steel bar stock.
Especially with the lengthened quick hitch pins.
Dull cherry red, it will straighten out perfectly without any issues.

Mild steel really doesn't have any "temper" so unless it's grossly overheated, no harm, no foul.
Hind sight engineering at it's best, it was designed and fabricated with a "price point" in mind.
If it were mine, after straightening, I might "scab" some flat steel bar stock on the inside, so as to "double up" the existing bars. You do have additional threading available on the pins for that exact modification.

Also, a piece of angle connecting the bars after doubling them up wouldn't hurt either. I likely have steel available, oxy-acetylene, and a stick welder. And a grinder for removing paint prior to welding.
Wire brush after welding, hit it with a rattle can and it's better than new.

You have my number, send me a text neighbor.
Once your snow blower is off your machine, and your loader reinstalled, you can lift it into your pickup bed.
I can use my loader to lift it out of your truck, and onto the ground for repairs.

The real fix would be to widen the mounts to standard width, that would fix the bending of the pins for good.

 

[85Hokie]

I have another thought - but you will need "real" bar clamp that is used in woodworking.

Cut a piece of 2x4 that fits where the red is in the picture -Jamb the 2x4 so it sits against the nut and frame - then place the bar clamp in the green position.

A good old fashion bar clamp will pull that back WITHOUT heating

A new clamp will not work as well as an old steel I beam type clamp

 

[GreensvilleJay]

wish I was young and strong as those that say use pipe wrenches....... sigh.
if you do try the pipe wrench, be SURE the box blade cannot MOVE.....
IF you can use the wood working bar clamp, I'm never going to arm wrestle you !!!
'all of the above' will work though these days I've had to give up on the brute force methods...
pick one, try it, no?, try another......
getting old SUX

 

[Yooper]

I think you are going to find that it will bend back pretty easy using Wolfmans method. Then I would weld a flat bar across the two ends to tie them together and make a ‘box’ section to prevent this from happening again. Something the same width but doesn’t have to be as thick.

 

[RCW]

Guys - as always many thanks for the suggestions.

Started to gather pipe, pipe wrenches, etc. to pry it back.

Came across an antique jack my FIL had. Reminds me of Railroad Jack, but not that heavy. Maybe old car jack? (I’m around old cars all the time, but not their jacks.)

Top face is coved, and the radius was about perfect….

Worked like a charm….

Perfect? No, and it wasn’t when I bought it for $300 years ago.

As a former farm kid, I know they know how to improvise. This time it worked….sometimes it doesn’t..

Appreciate the recommendations for improvement. I may box it as @Yooper suggests. Extending the width of the pin mounts is ideal like @North Idaho Wolfman says, but I’ll do the box as step #1 for now. I might want to use it this spring and don’t want it all apart.

@BX25D Rookie - appreciate the offer. I do have your number.

This one is a good reason to dust my welder off now that I’m retired….

 

[Sidekick]

Bandaid , it's gonna bend again with those long link pins. I have the exact same issue with my box blade being to narrow for the quick hitch and was thinking longer hitch pins. You changed my mind . I have an old Harbor freight 10 ton porta power that makes things like that easy to bend back. Definitely dust off your welder

 

[RCW]

Bandaid , it's gonna bend again with those long link pins. I have the exact same issue with my box blade being to narrow for the quick hitch and was thinking longer hitch pins. You changed my mind . I have an old Harbor freight 10 ton porta power that makes things like that easy to bend back. Definitely dust off your welder

Point taken on the band-aid. Been that way for a long time.

That said, this little medium-duty box blade has done a lot of driveway regrading and surfacing. Also did a lot of yard regrading.

Hopefully a lot of the heavy lifting is in its past.

Before a major overhaul of this implement, I’d probably look for another used one that is of heavier construction.