Fix it or leave it alone?

[GeoHorn]

Roll the dump forward put a 4x4 chunk between the bar and the big cross bar and then in little shots roll the bucket back till straight.

I'm a little surprised no one listened to this advice.
Short story long...
Dump stops broke bending both cylinders, causing left side to leak. Rebuilt cylinder and straightened rod with a press and v-blocks on Friday.
Saturday I disconnected the rod of the right cylinder and turned it upside down. I put a 4x4 under the bent area then slowly dumped the bucket. 2 shots and I got it within a few thousandths.
Yes, dump stops are repaired and reinforced.
Moral of the story: let the machine hydraulics do the work for you.

I’ve tried imagining what NIW meant ...but simply can’t visualize it...

 

[Tornado]

NIW's suggestion may have very well worked - but to me it sounded more risky. I think he was saying to put a 4x4 between the small bent bar, and the larget bar just behind it, then roll the bucket back, wedging the 4x4 between the two bars, and use that as the force to bend the bar back. I didnt try this first because it sounded like a way for me to bend something else, and also because getting the bend out requires the force to be in the right direction, which means the 4x4 would need to be cut at just the right length. For example - I wouldnt want to push into the side of the bend, as that would have just bent it another direction. I needed to put the firce right at the hill of the bend. There are hydraulic lines right behind that larger bar as well, which would have had to withstand all this pressure. It may have done it fine, but after seeing how much pressure it took to bend this thing back, I'm personally glad I didn't exert all that into another hallow metal tube in the loader frame.

TLDR version: I felt safer using the ratchet strap idea, and felt it had the lesser risk of causing further damage to something else. Ultimately it worked fine as the pic shows.

 

[RCW]

I felt safer using the ratchet strap idea, and felt it had the lesser risk of causing further damage to something else. Ultimately it worked fine as the pic shows.

For what it's worth, several years ago had a load shift in my truck when I had to do a hard-stop. Pushed the front of the box tight to the cab in the center of the box.

Didn't break anything, but the bend was something I couldn't let go. Concerned ice would build up and break rear window. Truck was only 1 or 2 years old.

I essentially did same with two ratchet straps; backed up to a tree and started on outside, took progressive bites toward the center until it was pretty good. Used a short bracket I made of angle to spread the tension, even out the pull. I just used the ratchet, didn't try move the truck.

There was still a "dimple" in the center of the top rail.

I traded that truck years later, and still see it occasionally around town....I can spot it by that dimple...

 

[Tornado]

For what it's worth, several years ago had a load shift in my truck when I had to do a hard-stop. Pushed the front of the box tight to the cab in the center of the box.

Didn't break anything, but the bend was something I couldn't let go. Concerned ice would build up and break rear window. Truck was only 1 or 2 years old.

I essentially did same with two ratchet straps; backed up to a tree and started on outside, took progressive bites toward the center until it was pretty good. Used a short bracket I made of angle to spread the tension, even out the pull. I just used the ratchet, didn't try move the truck.

There was still a "dimple" in the center of the top rail.

I traded that truck years later, and still see it occasionally around town....I can spot it by that dimple...

Interesting. I was expecting to be able to just ratchet this bar by hand and watch it slowly come back. That didn't happen. I heaved on the handle until I felt it was going to bend. The tractor started to lurch forward with each heave. The strap was so tight it sounded like a banjo string when you plucked it, and the bend was still holding on there. I had the park brake on as tight as I could set it. I started to think I was going to have to try something else. Once I cranked up, set 4wd, and bumped reverse peddle, I finally started to notice the bend coming back. couple little bumps on the peddle and I got it. I dont even have a dimple or indenture. Running hand down the bar it feels smooth. I wiped it down and did touch up the paint a little where I had hit it with a hammer.