3ph damage? Bending arms...capacity

[chucky79]

Hey guys i have a bx2370 and wanted to ask a question about using the 3ph and being too aggressive. I scored a cheap carry-all attachment for my 3ph at a farm auction. On of the forks/arms has about a 1/4 bend upwards some how. So i attached it to my 3ph and jumped/bounced on that arm attempting to bend it down to make it level. I quickly learned that i did not have enough weight to do the job so i decided to wrap a chain around the arm and through some metal tie down points in my garage floor (my garage used to be a fab/custom weld shop). I lifted up on the 3ph trying to straighten the bent the arm, a little at first which didn't cut it and then eventually enough on the one arm to lift the front wheels off the ground. After it was all said it done i was never able to get the bend out so i figure it was just welded a little out of square form the start. My question is mostly an "after thought" now that a day or two has passed. Could/Can I bend or damaged the lift or torque the frame by doing this? I know Ive read these small tractors don't have a lot of weight as it is so loader / 3ph work usually requires ballast for this exact reason in either direction. My dealer even told me the 3ph would lift more than the tractor was capable of actually working because it would lift the tires before i got to max weight. Just wanted some insight as im still an newbie learning. Also as a side note after i went ahead and bought wood and installed it on the carry all over the weekend the slight bend pretty much disappeared from the extra weight it added. Guessi was over thinking things (again).

 

[cerlawson]

If you didn't lift the front end off the floor, you didn't get to the capacity of the 3 PT. I had to add extra weight trying to pull a small tree out of the ground and no problem, even though the front end began to lift off the ground.

I've heard of those lift arms even developing striping of the splines on some tractors. That may be the weak point.

 

[chucky79]

I did lift the front off the ground with the chain attached to the left fork of the carry all trying to bend it down. I know it was off the ground because it kinda shocked me and i walked around front and spun the wheels with my hand. I just started wondering because i was adjusting the threaded link on the 3ph arms to level my scraper blade today and it kinda made me think...."Did i bend something the other day.... is that why it needs adjusted and wasn't level from the start"

 

[gpreuss]

Measure the length of the two lift links, and if they are the same, and the arm tips aren't level to the ground, then something is bent.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Highly doubt that you've bent anything, they are pretty tough and static lifting shouldn't do a thing!
Post up a picture or two of what you have going on.

 

[chucky79]

Ok I will measure and check tonight. It only crossed my mind because I had to put a few twists on the adjustable link to level the scraper blade. It probably wasn't exactly level from factory since this weekend was the first time I've ran anything attached to my 3ph. I'm Just being overly cautious like always and trying to learn proper and not do anything too stupid. Lol. I did notice that it appears like all those parts can be unbolted and replaced if I did or ever do bend something so as long as no internal damage occurs I guess I shouldn't worry too much about over working her.

 

[Stubbyie]

The only time I've ever seen (twice in 30+ years) a 3-point lift arm bend was in the heat affected zone of a weld. I started to write 'amateurish' weld, but I'm not certain that any weld wouldn't negatively affect the integrity of the lift arm.

Further, those bends occurred when the machine was in reverse and the implement hung on something. Lift arms are designed to be pulled forward and to experience lifted loads.

There have on this Forum previously been threads concerning the use of 3-point lifts in transport-while-lifted scenarios. Some think an implement should never be transported while lifted, others think the machine is designed for that very thing.

Please post back your experiences and thoughts so may all learn.

 

[chucky79]

its kinda hard to measure all attached to the tractor but i did measure the links first and equaled them out then measured from the ground up to the ball on the lower arms. it was almost identical so pretty sure no worries. I also worked her hard last night moving, pulling, cutting and hauling 3 trees that fell in a storm. Man this tractor has some power! Definitely lose traction before power runs out and i loaded the rear scoop pretty heavy a couple a times to the point the front end was lifting without any issues on back. I told my wife and mother n law if i never used it again that tractor felt like it paid for its self in one night. Took a potentially all weekend job and made it 3 hours by just cutting hug sections of the tree and dragging it away vs the way i would have had to do it which was cutting it into manageable logs about the size of firewood and hauling with my atv / riding mower cart and by hand. I was really impressed but how much the 3pt can lift and that while trying to pull the stump out of the ground i had all 4 tires break free and spin digging holes. Thats some real grunt there! Im in love with this tractor, Already have almost 17 hours on her this month alone.

 

[gpreuss]

Always nice to hear from a happy man! Great tractor!!