Tractor repair

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There was a thread a while back where some one had repaired something that another shop had butchered. Every body has gotten those before and I got one yesterday. It was a carraige assembly that went along frame of a Ford farm tractor so a front end loader bucket could be installed. It broke---in half, that's what the man said on the phone.When he brought it over I could see why. Some one had cut a large chunk out of the 5" tall X 1/2" thick frame for the steering rods, leaving only 1 1/4" on one side and 1 1/8" on the other. Who ever cut it was totally unskilled with a torch as the cuts were horrible and the corners were tight ninetys. Of course it broke at the ninety. The man said I could fish plate it and could go lower than the frame by only 3" so to get enough material in the fish plate I cut them out of some 8" X 1/2" box and reverse curved the plate to get more weld.The first picture is with it tacked together. The second shows the fish plate welded in and the third is the bottom and the fourth is the whole thing. Attached Images
Reply:I left some of the tube around the corner to get enough metal in the fish plate to gat as much as I could and not go down more than 3". It's bolted front and rear and one break appeared to have been broke for a while as it was worn shiny and smooth. that meant the tractor frame was holding it all in place for a while.It was a guessing game on how to make these plates and leave the gap he needed for the steering rods. This is one of those jobs where you hope from experience you chose the right way to do it.I double passed it with 7018.
Reply:Originally Posted by BobI left some of the tube around the corner to get enough metal in the fish plate to gat as much as I could and not go down more than 3". It's bolted front and rear and one break appeared to have been broke for a while as it was worn shiny and smooth. that meant the tractor frame was holding it all in place for a while.It was a guessing game on how to make these plates and leave the gap he needed for the steering rods. This is one of those jobs where you hope from experience you chose the right way to do it.I double passed it with 7018.
Reply:I think it's an excellent repair given what you had to work with.That loader mount was never built for the tractor it's on.  See that all the time around here.  A guy picks up a loader at auction, and takes it home and cuts it down, or modifies it to fit his tractor.  Sometimes it doesn't work out very well.Now, I'm no expert, but one of the things I see all the time is too much reliance on heavy plate to do the job.  That loader frame seems to be built heavy, but doesn't look all that strong.  Plate won't resist twist too well. Over time it tends to crack.  I've seen it on some factory built loader mounts, and some shop built ones.Also, a lot of ag tractors were never designed to have a loader hung on 'em.  They were mostly designed to pull implements.  This is specially true of older tractors.My Allis was never made to have a loader stuck on it, so I hung the loader entirely on the front bolster, and rear axle.  The subframe streches the entire length of the tractor, and doesn't rely on any other structural part of the tractor for support.  The two side rails are joined together by a stiffener which passes under the transmission.  It makes the subframe into a ladder frame.Only place I used plate was the front assy. attached to the bolster.  Rest is 3/16 rectangular tubing.  It seems to be holding up pretty good. Attached Images
Reply:I wouldn't have done it that way, but, great big but there, give any ten welders the same problem and you will get ten different solutions. Looks ok and should work.Looks like a well thought out and planned design to me farmersamm. My grandad was a farmer and didn't use anything but Allis-Chalmers. He bought the first combine in the county when they introduced it and his father called him a fool for wasting his money that way. They had four more on the way when they harvested the first field with it. All were sold before they arrived. His father was the second in the county to own one, lol. Grandpa was still using that combine when he retired from farming about 1966 or so. Not positive on the exact year as I was just a little pup then. My dad still has one of his tractors from around the mid-fifties. I plan to restore it one day.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.