Oversize B670 Stabilizer Pads

[Lil Foot]

The stabilizer pads on my B670 have always been woefully inadequate, skating around like Bobby Orr. Passing by a construction site, I spotted these cutoffs from some 12" x 3" x 1/2" channel, and asked about them. After some confusion, (the guy thought I wanted two 21' lengths) he graciously gave them to me. After some machining & painting, I now have the most stable B670 on the planet- they worked even better than I expected.
First two pics show the raw material, & the stock stabilizer pad.

 

[Lil Foot]

These pics show pads after machining & paint.

 

[Lil Foot]

Finally, in the field. The new pads measure 12" x 7 5/8" x 3". These pics pics were shot after 40 minutes of digging in hard pack dirt & clay with some rock, with no re-positioning.

 

[85Hokie]

Lil Foot - very nice indeed!!!

this made me laugh! "skating around like Bobby Orr." most people here would have to look up Bobby Orr! - someone a little younger would have used that guy....whats his name, #99....Wayne something!

 

[Yooper]

Excellent! How did you cut the serrations in the channel legs? If you did those with just a grinder, you're way better than me!

 

[skeets]

whats his name,, Gretzky or sumthin?

 

[85Hokie]

whats his name,, Gretzky or sumthin?

sumpin like that......

When coaching soccer, I often quote him :

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"

 

[Lil Foot]

Thanks guys!

"skating around like Bobby Orr."

Oops, guess I dated myself with that one- just happened to be the first hockey name that popped in my usually "over-stuffed with useless facts" head.

How did you cut the serrations in the channel legs?

First I squared them up. (flame cuts were not straight!)
I clamped the two channels together together, open side to open side, stood them vertically on the mill, clamped them to an angle plate, and found the centerline between the two halves. Then I calculated the spacing, center drilled & drilled four 7/8" holes, then opened them up to 1" with a roughing end mill. This left "half a hole" on each part. Then I just flipped 'em & repeated the process on the other end.
Ended up with half a dozen 3/32" x 3/16" minor burns on my arms from HOT chips, and one above my right eyebrow. Lots of steel needed to be removed, both for the "half holes" and to square them up.