BH70 lever broke

[awesome]

I'm surprised this thing broke. We all have the habit of pulling harder on the lever to get more power out of the machine, even if we all know it makes no sense. But to the point of shearing the bolt? I didn't know this was possible.
It happened while digging out a stump. I was almost there. I ended the job by pulling/pushing the rod with my hands.

I couldn't get the bolt out of the lever. I tried an easy-out and also tried to weld a piece of metal but couldn't get it out

The list price for the lever and the joint was about 100$ but the dealer did it for 55$. Kudos to them, great guys.

 

[fried1765]

I'm surprised this thing broke. We all have the habit of pulling harder on the lever to get more power out of the machine, even if we all know it makes no sense. But to the point of shearing the bolt? I didn't know this was possible.
It happened while digging out a stump. I was almost there. I ended the job by pulling/pushing the rod with my hands.

I couldn't get the bolt out of the lever. I tried an easy-out and also tried to weld a piece of metal but couldn't get it out

The list price for the lever and the joint was about 100$ but the dealer did it for 55$. Kudos to them, great guys.
View attachment 114037

Good chance that a left hand drill bit, and then an extractor if necessary, would have removed that bolt.
I find my set of left hand cobalt drill bits to be invaluable.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

Good chance that a left hand drill bit, and then an extractor if necessary, would have removed that bolt.
I find my set of left hand cobalt drill bits to be invaluable.

Left hand drill bits! What!! I gotta get some. Never heard of them. Thanks for that post.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm surprised this thing broke. We all have the habit of pulling harder on the lever to get more power out of the machine, even if we all know it makes no sense. But to the point of shearing the bolt? I didn't know this was possible.
It happened while digging out a stump. I was almost there. I ended the job by pulling/pushing the rod with my hands.

I couldn't get the bolt out of the lever. I tried an easy-out and also tried to weld a piece of metal but couldn't get it out

The list price for the lever and the joint was about 100$ but the dealer did it for 55$. Kudos to them, great guys.
View attachment 114037

It broke because the threads of the bolt backed out of the fitting allowing it to bend and snap the bolt

 

[fried1765]

Left hand drill bits! What!! I gotta get some. Never heard of them. Thanks for that post.

Left hand drill bits are actually really good in two ways.
#1...while drilling, the left hand turning is attempting to back the thread out.
#2...while drilling, the thread is being heated (breaking the bond) by the drilling action.
I have two complete sets....each up to 1/2".
Don't use 'em often, but when I need one....nothing else will work!

I have "Drill Hog" brand ....M7 LH... bits.
I thought mine were Cobalt, but not so,......they are marked as being M7 Molybdenum....very hard!

 

[awesome]

It broke because the threads of the bolt backed out of the fitting allowing it to bend and snap the bolt

So this could be avoided with regular inspections then. Kinda weird it got loose. Maybe some threadlocker too?

 

[lynnmor]

So this could be avoided with regular inspections then. Kinda weird it got loose. Maybe some threadlocker too?

Mine were COMPLETELY loose on day one, the BH70s are simply kits with much assembly and inspection required.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

So this could be avoided with regular inspections then. Kinda weird it got loose. Maybe some threadlocker too?

Yes, a light thread locker would help avoid this issue.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

weird ?? here's WEIRD. #010 ,that the lever mounts into BROKE on my BX23s 2 weeks ago. The shaft section,that goes into the bearings(#020) BROKE just before the '?' shaped steel part. NOT a weld failure, the 'rod' sheared( rust was there..)
Yours seems similar in design so please remove bolt #040,slide it out , OIL everything really,really good.
#010 was only $25 and IN STOCK... that seemed really weird,so must be used in several backhoes ??