Minor Disaster

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Fell into the MOTHER OF ALL HOLES the other day, and bent the right front end to something resembling a pretzel.  I've already straightened the tie rod, and now it's on to the kingpin/spindle.The spindle assembly resisted all attempts to remove it using all means including generous heating, so it had to be cut apart.  Actually the steering knuckle had to be cut in half to remove it.  The knuckle repair comes later today or tomorrowAnyhow, the kingpin was badly bent by the vertical drop.Some heat on the outside of the bend, and some help with a small 3lb sledge, and she's ready to go"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:How'd the operator fair? Any bent parts on him? I know what it feels like when the "ground drops out from under you"
Reply:Oh, it's not the sudden drop that gets you or the machine.It's the sudden stop at the end.    The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Dam wood chucks......Of all the things I lost I miss my mind the most...I know just enough about everything to be dangerous......You cant cure stupid..only kill it...
Reply:Samm, this one's for you:[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnVlB3WMGng[/ame]"USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:What machine is this?Don't you know where your holes are??? We are all glad you were not hurt!  Have a beer! - MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:Sam, have you ever heard the term " Replacement Parts"?  LOL"Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Originally Posted by markfugaHow'd the operator fair? Any bent parts on him?
Reply:I for one applaud sam.   He really is farmer sam.     when farmers were just what the name implied men who lived on farms.    The nearest tractor dealership was a 3 hour drive each way and you had crop in the field you fixed the tractor with what you had.    No parts were available even if you had money for them.I think a little bit of whats wrong with this country is the death of the spirit of the American farmer.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:[QUOTE=Dualie;1528191I think a little bit of whats wrong with this country is the death of the spirit of the American farmer.[/QUOTE]Don't forget the gopher holes!Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:It's after midnight... I hope you have this done already... or they'll be problems come morning. Good fix. Today's little baler repair involved tapping a hard as the devil part for a zerk fitting. I didn't realize a 5 minute job would take an hour. The owner replaced the part last year but hadn't realized it was mis-manufactured without the zerk fitting (It was in the diagram). Thus it ran dry and tore up some stuff.   First I broke the tap. Drilled it out with a carbide spade. Then I buzzed around town looking for another 8.0mmx1.0 tap to finish the job. As I was leaving the last store defeated... the thought struck me to grind the old tap. Genius! Re-ground it... and broke it off again.  Stated drilling it... but opted instead to build it up with the tig... and welded a nut on top. Quick and efficient. Reground the remaining stub and finished tapping the hole. Installed the zerk. Now I have the worlds shortest 8mm tap. Hope my story isn't too off topic... I figured you'd find some humor in it.
Reply:I think Sam is more of a Rancher, then Farmer these Days? That and part time Semi truck driver..Use your Plasma Sam???Esab/Lorch ET-220iEsab 160i caddyThermal LM-200 Lincoln feedersThermal Pee-Wee 85sThermal 60i- 3phase /RPC powered (Beast)Thermal Drag-gun 35CINE 1500 Klutch 140i
Reply:Sam,the pics I really wanted to see were the " Mother of all Holes", but no after dark blue movies
Reply:Samm is my hero, cause at the end of the day he has to pay all the bills.Have a cold one on me samm!
Reply:forehire:Why didn't you call. I have one (8.0mm X 1.0 tap) in my tool box you could have borrowed. All would have had to do is drop by......Oh the beer is cold too..... Originally Posted by forhireIt's after midnight... I hope you have this done already... or they'll be problems come morning. Good fix. Today's little baler repair involved tapping a hard as the devil part for a zerk fitting. I didn't realize a 5 minute job would take an hour. The owner replaced the part last year but hadn't realized it was mis-manufactured without the zerk fitting (It was in the diagram). Thus it ran dry and tore up some stuff.   First I broke the tap. Drilled it out with a carbide spade. Then I buzzed around town looking for another 8.0mmx1.0 tap to finish the job. As I was leaving the last store defeated... the thought struck me to grind the old tap. Genius! Re-ground it... and broke it off again.  Stated drilling it... but opted instead to build it up with the tig... and welded a nut on top. Quick and efficient. Reground the remaining stub and finished tapping the hole. Installed the zerk. Now I have the worlds shortest 8mm tap. Hope my story isn't too off topic... I figured you'd find some humor in it.
Reply:what ever samm is... he is a hero to me. just sayinMiller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:UP AND RUNNING AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The steering knuckle was hard to repair.  I'm not a real fan of welding (what I think) is cast iron The drill test was sort of inconclusive, I did have some shavings resembling chips instead of a powder.  But it drilled so easy I assumed it was cast iron.  A lot of front end parts are cast iron.Edges were beveledAnd I tacked it together using the original kingpina as a fixture.  I figured this would give me approximately the same inside diameter as the original uncut part.  Well.............this worked out ok SORTA   The tacks shrunk, AND I COULDN'T GET THE PART OFF THE KINGPIN   So I had to cut one set of tacks, and retack it off the kingpin.  Ah well BTW, tacking was preheat #1.  Just the first of a BAZZILLION PREHEATS The first pass was run with Lincoln Softweld 99NI 5/32 at 120amps.  The Bible gives the heat range for this rod at 110-150amps AC, less amps on DCEP.  The idea is to incorporate as little of the base metal as possible in the weld to avoid cracking issues.  So amps are low, and penetration almost non existant.  Thank God for the Bible.  Preheat was around 500 degrees per the Bible, and as near as I could tell without crayons.All other passes were run at 135amps AC.I skipped form side to side on the piece in order to let the welds cool down, and filled the rest of the bevel.  As usual there's a void where the end of the pass is.  I always forget to alternate the direction of passes.The piece was left to cool overnite in a welding blanket.  THIS CAST STUFF IS A PITA "Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I buttered the voids in AFTER ANOTHER PREHEAT.Ground the piece to clean it up.  The grinding was really for two purposes....to make it look sorta ok, and to find any cracks which might have occurred.  I lucked out, NO CRACKS I didn't bother with the voids at the edge of the bore, they'll be filled in when the piece is welded to the kingpinYes WELDED TO THE KINGPIN  This is a one time deal, next time it has to be cut off the tractor if it fails or wears out.  No alternative.Anyways, the pieces are ready to install.  Note the slot for the woodruff key, it's way off center, it should be lined up with the spindle.  The force of the accident not only bent the kingpin, it twisted it.Welded it all together on the tractor.  As usual, I do a lousy job welding round stuff  Never been good at it, never will.  I can't move my hand around to get the angles right as the weld progresses around the circleThis weld was interesting.  It's cast to cold roll.  Bible says it works, so I follow the Bible.More preheat, and also the cool down under a blanket.I lucked out I guess, all's well.  Religious attention to lottsa preheat and slow cool down I guess.  BTW, this rod is weird to work with, you have to hold a pretty healthy standoff with the arc.  It's way different than 7018, it runs like crap if you don't feel like you're long arcing it.  I personally don't like welding with the stuff, probably because I only do it about once a decade"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:The hay is the latest load from Texas.  Very nice rye grass.The trip back from Texas was a nightmare (probably to be discussed in the mechanics forum later on)"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Looks great from Orange Samm! MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersamm UP AND RUNNING AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The steering knuckle was hard to repair.  I'm not a real fan of welding (what I think) is cast iron The drill test was sort of inconclusive, I did have some shavings resembling chips instead of a powder.  But it drilled so easy I assumed it was cast iron.  A lot of front end parts are cast iron.Edges were beveled