trackhoe boom repair

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Here's a "little" project we've been working on during the recent rainy weather.  This machine had some slack in the end of the stick when we bought it in 2004, but not too bad.  We always kept it greased, and it stayed about the same until 2006. We then had some slack time with it, and let another company use it for about 3 months, loading trucks everyday (6 days a week, 12 hours a day) during which time I don't think it was ever greased.  So when we got it back, I decided it was time to re-bush it.  We take the bucket off, and find that the bushings are completely gone by this time, and the new ones just kind of wallow around when you put them in  Anyway, we just kind of dealt with it, then in March of 2008, I bought a brand new trackhoe, and we didn't really use this one much for a while.  Finally, after getting several estimates to get rid of the slack (ranging from $4,000 to 6,500) we decided to fix it ourselves.Here's what we started with.  The last rock job proved to be too much, and actually cracked the end. Attached Images
Reply:First, we tried to buy a new end from Komatsu, and they don't offer that (I have bought a new end from Cat before, and replace one on a 225 Cat hoe), so we decided to Cut this one off, repair the crack, build up the inside surface, have it machined, then re-weld it to the boom.  I didn't get any pics of these processes, but here is the re-welding to the boom. Attached Images
Reply:It kinda filled up the whole center bay of my shop... Attached Images
Reply:These are the machines used.  2 Miller Bobcat 225's, turned WAY up.  Lincoln 7018, 5/32.  I wish I had my 2 SA200's running, I like the way they run the 5/32 a lot better, but we're both experienced welders, and although it's not as pretty as I would have liked, we're confident in the welds.  When we were gouging the old (factory) welds off and making our bevels, we found a LOT of porosity in the factory welds. Attached Images
Reply:That looks like large dia. rod.  What size??"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Sorry  Didn't wait for you to get done"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammthat looks like large dia. Rod.  What size??
Reply:How many passes on the build out on the front and rear of the arm?Lotta questions.  LOLIt looks deepLast edited by farmersamm; 05-06-2009 at 01:39 AM.Reason: deep"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:So with machine work and all, what do you suppose your final cost savings were?
Reply:We welded on opposite sides at the same time to keep it from trying to pull.  It took Larry about 4 hours to cut it off, he took it to the welding shop he used to work at and put it on a positioner to build it up which took about 5 hours, then the 2 of us had about 9 hours a piece welding it back on.  Cost $380 for the machine work, $450 for new bushings and seals, $460 for a new pin, and about 40 pounds of welding rods.  So we fixed it for under $1500, not counting our time.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammHow many passes on the build out on the front and rear of the arm?Lotta questions.  LOLIt looks deep
Reply:Originally Posted by SandySo with machine work and all, what do you suppose your final cost savings were?
Reply:It must have been hot as hell welding it non stop.  I hope the heat allowed it to cool without cracking.Must have been quite a while before you could even lay your hands on the welds."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by handtpipelineThe machine work amazed me, I really expected $1200 to $1500 for it.  And they even pressed the new bushings in for us.  It would have run the price up if we had to hire out the welding.  It's kinda handy when your business partner and yourself can both weld...
Reply:Damar Manufacturing did the machine work for us.  Nobody else acted like they wanted to mess with it...  They'll certainly get more work from us, they did a top-notch job, and a very reasonable price.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammIt must have been hot as hell welding it non stop.  I hope the heat allowed it to cool without cracking.Must have been quite a while before you could even lay your hands on the welds.
Reply:We're in our tenth day of rain over here.  Probably the same where you are"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:This is the rock job that finally cracked it... Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammWe're in our tenth day of rain over here.  Probably the same where you are
Reply:I'm not near you, but the ground is like over in Creek County.  You have to use a rock drill in some places to set fence posts"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by handtpipelineHas it just been 10 days?  I thought it had been 40 days and 40 nights already...  I'm about 10 miles north of Tulsa.  I dug 2 electric services today, and it was a MUDDY MESS
Reply:komatsu really sucks for "structure"parts while Cat and JD are both pretty reasonable.Was that a cast end or a Tubing end ? We have replaced the end of a many sticks with new machined mechanical tubing, do the final linebore for the bushings after welding on,which is probably overkill, and off they go.Hammers really kill excavators. they need to purpose build a machine for it.insert thoughtful quote from someone else2000 Thermal Arc 300GTSW 3.5 hours1946 Monarch 20 x 54 Lathe1998 Supermax 10x54 Mill2004 Haco Atlantic 1/2" Capacity Lasernot mine but i get to play with it
Reply:Nice good fix!Ya gotta spend money to make money!
Reply:Another Oklahoman cool.
Reply:Originally Posted by chenrykomatsu really sucks for "structure"parts while Cat and JD are both pretty reasonable.Was that a cast end or a Tubing end ? We have replaced the end of a many sticks with new machined mechanical tubing, do the final linebore for the bushings after welding on,which is probably overkill, and off they go.Hammers really kill excavators. they need to purpose build a machine for it.