Bent attachment rod on 3 point

[jrslick]

Not sure what I hit, not sure when I hit it. All I know is that the rod that goes through the hitch and attaches the lower 3 point arms to tractor is bent on one side. i can turn it, so it isn't tight.

What can I do to fix it? Take it off, heat it up and bend it back straight? Buy some new round stock, drill the correct size holes and powder coat it? Buy a new one online (if I can find one.)?

Here is a picture of what I am talking about. It was not bent in this picture.



Any ideas?

 

[GWD]

Which model tractor is it? (I haven't seen one without check chains (stabilizers) before.)

You can look up the part online and order a replacement. Messick's or a Kubota dealer should be able to come up with one.

Heating and straightening it would likely remove the temper of the hardened shaft.

Finding a hardened rod, drilling it, tapering the end, and (depending how it is attached), fabbing a mounting system would be quite costly.

 

[85Hokie]

Not sure what I hit, not sure when I hit it. All I know is that the rod that goes through the hitch and attaches the lower 3 point arms to tractor is bent on one side. i can turn it, so it isn't tight.

What can I do to fix it? Take it off, heat it up and bend it back straight? Buy some new round stock, drill the correct size holes and powder coat it? Buy a new one online (if I can find one.)?

Here is a picture of what I am talking about. It was not bent in this picture.



Any ideas?

I would agree with GWD, to "make it" would be $$$$ and I am sure that buying a new one for BIG K would be $$$$ too, you must have hit the shyte out of something to bend it ........

As far as heating it and straightening it out......not a good idea, once you heat it enough to bend it back, there is now guarantee that you get it straight, then you have lost the temper in it, if you could get it straight - you would then need to get the metal hot and quench it to the correct hardness so it would be effective again.

how BENT is it ? if still usable - I would "let her eat" .......... kinda like the big ass scratch in my new to me truck.....pains me to look at it, know that I fkd it up .....but it reminds me to be a little less sloppy when turning the trailer!

 

[cb750k8]

hi
Please check if you have stabilizer bars/chains on the three point hitch. Does the TPH unit swing from side to side? Does it catch on the tyre treads?

A check for hardness of the pin is to scratch it with a file or hacksaw blade. It may not be all that hard. it bent but did not break!!!!

My advise would be to take it out(you may have to take of a wheel) , have a good look at it, assess what may have bent it, Check all other joints on the TPH for symmetry. If you don't have a press and don't want to use heat and a big hammer then bring it to a local engineering shop. They could give you a more informed and cheaper opinion on what to do.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tooljunkie]

If you expand the photo, there are check chains, probably the cause of the bent pin, they connect to the end of them.

I dont think those pins are all that hard. My son provided me with some new lift arm stuff from the new holland dealer, 7/8" round pins for varous machines. I cut drilled and welded. Not hard at all. If it was me- block tractor, pull wheel and remove lift arm and check chain. Roll pin around to downward position. Jack and heat to straighten. Or use length of pipe and heat.

Just dont get it hotter than a dull red.

 

[jrslick]

Sorry I left off the model, It is on a B7100. It does have check chains, they are on the outside. Some of the early 7100 models have them on the outside. I have gone through this one on here before. The hitch doesn't swing side to side, when you tighten the turnbuckles up.



I can turn the rod, so i just think it sticks through a hole and all the pieces on the side keep it from sliding out. I have need it for other things all fall, so I haven't tore into it. The wheel does need to come off to pull the rod out.

Not sure what I hit, maybe my oldest daughter hit something while mowing the yard, but the mower isn't bent up. If I was guessing, it has about a 10 degree bend in it, but I am just guessing. It isn't bad, but when I use my mulch layer that sticks back 4 plus feet, it gets compounded. I can't keep the covering disc far enough away to get a nice even covering of the edge. While most don't understand, it is for my small vegetable farm.

Here is a video of it in use.
http://youtu.be/YF7gHcKWaMA

 

[Tooljunkie]

Ok, correct me if im wrong. That shaft goes right through. So slide it out and measure/ copy it. Then straighten the old one and keep it for a spare. If it is in fact a pin that goes right through-thats what i was cutting and drilling. They were off mahindra tractors.

 

[Lil Foot]

I can turn the rod, so i just think it sticks through a hole and all the pieces on the side keep it from sliding out.

If it's a typical B7100, the rod is (should be) held in place by a bolt & locknut on through under side of the trailer hitch- the bolt sits in a dimple in the rod. The fact that yours turns means that the bolt is either not tight or missing, which is common, they work loose & fall out.
The original rod in mine was not hard, and when I modified my 3pt setup, I made a longer rod from a surplus hydraulic ram- not hard either. It has never bent, so my guess would be it does not have to be hard. Back in olden times as an apprentice Toolmaker, I spent a good part of two years straightening things such as this, and I would cold bend it in a hydraulic press (10 ton minimum) with v-blocks & dial indicators. I would guess it could be straightened within .005 TIR, if someone wanted to take the time. (it probably wasn't that good new)
Here's a drawing of the hitch with clamp bolt.

 

[GWD]

AH, I see the stabilizers now!

Anyway, here are the diagrams for the B7100 (New and Old) 4WD. They may be the same for all I know.

It may just be a larger picture of what Lil Foot posted.

 

[jrslick]

Thanks for all the ideas and concerns. I have a huge to do list before I tackle this, but I knew I would get some help on OTT before I tackle this. I might try to straighten it first, if it isn't too hard of metal.

 

[Lil Foot]

It may just be a larger picture of what Lil Foot posted.

I think that's exactly what it is.

 

[jrslick]

Finally took the time to pull this rod out and it was bent worse than I thought. I talked to a neighbor who works at a machine shop and asked him if he could make me one. He stopped by and took a few measurements and came back 1 hour later with a completely new shaft. Took off the tire and pulled the old one out and slide the new one in. Only problem he drilled the holes to fit the small retainer pin, so I have to pick up a smaller one for the other side. Good as new. I will post a picture when I get home.

 

[tawilson1152]

Are you supposed to have it so tight there is no side to side movement? I like a little slack in mine in case lifting the implement wants to spread the arms a little.

 

[jrslick]

Here is the rod. I put the edge of the rod flush with the edge of the 2 by 4 to show how much was bent.

Glad I took the time to replace it.

Jay

 

[Diydave]

Thanks for all the ideas and concerns. I have a huge to do list before I tackle this, but I knew I would get some help on OTT before I tackle this. I might try to straighten it first, if it isn't too hard of metal.

What do you have to loose, try straightening it. If it fits in a 2" receiver hitch, on a truck, put one end in there, and use a long piece of pipe that fits over the part, and bend away...

 

[Tooljunkie]

Cut it up, use it for something else. Both ends look bent. Hardly worth the trouble. Especially if machinist buddy would build a spare.

 

[jrslick]

I got everything hooked up tonight and used it with the new rod my neighbor made for me. It works fine. My biggest surprise is how tight the check chains/turnbuckles were. I had to loosen them a bunch to hook up the 3 point.

My question is, could I have bent this rod by tightening up the turnbuckles too much? I only twist them finger tight and then wiggle the 3 pt implement side to side to take the last little slack out. I use most of my 3 pt on my market vegetable farm and I have to have them tight if cultivating or pulling the mulch layer to keep it straight.

Maybe I should keep them a little looser or ask my neighbor to make me up a few more replacements!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Most likely that rod was bent from hitting something solid or semi solid with something like a blade on the three point.
Highly unlikely that the check chains did that as they attach to the middle of the bar.

 

[chim]

I believe the bend happened when you had an implement dragging and turned the tractor. Picture dragging a box blade or a scraper blade full of wet snow and making a turn. The implement wants to swing and the only thing stopping it is the chain.

The way the pictures show the chain attachment points, there are two issues. First, the shallow angle of the chain going back from the lift arm gives the chain a lot of advantage pulling on the pin. Second, the attachment point close to the end of the shaft provides leverage on the shaft. Sort of like using a cheater bar on a wrench.

 

[jrslick]

Most likely that rod was bent from hitting something solid or semi solid with something like a blade on the three point.
Highly unlikely that the check chains did that as they attach to the middle of the bar.

Actually, my check chains are on the outside. They are at then end of the rod.

Chin:

The cheater bar analogy is correct. I will try to keep them more loose.

Jay