How would you have fixed this?

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inyati13

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I backed my Bushhog Model 296 into a log. It bent the frame that support the tail wheel. The left arm of the frame was three inches out of alignment. It broke the left side welds at the middle braces. I checked with the Bushhog dealer. That frame minus the wheel costs $362. I expected the worse but not that bad.

I sit looking at this mess for an hour. I thought about anchoring it and using my FEL as a press and trying to bend it back. I said no, I have no way to control where it might bend and whether I might break more welds. I thought about cutting off the left arm and reattaching it. What I settled on was slabbing another piece of steel on the side of the arm and leveling up the frame. Here is a series of pictures to help get a visual idea of what I did. Keep in mind, that what needed to be corrected was the abnormal angle the wheel was tilted due to the bent frame.
First I braced across the broken welds with a sandwich of angle iron:
2wdbjp2.jpg

Then I used 6013 rod, turned the voltage higher than normal and deep welded the crack:
2czbpk5.jpg

Then I slabbed a mild steel plate on the left arm to allow me to align the tail wheel so it ran level:
2s6pq3n.jpg

Finished project. Frame and wheel now level:
ke81o7.jpg
 
Well you seemed to have achieved what you wanted Ron, well done. Yeh a before photo would have been good so we could give our suggestions.
Ken
 
M5farm":2v2tx82a said:
Looks like you don't need any suggestions.

I used it most of the day yesterday. The wheel is leveled out nice and there is less stress on the frame.

I ask that question because I have studied projects like this before. Implemented my plan and then a friend looks at it and says, "Why didn't you ..." It is amazing how a person can sometimes not see the easy solution. Nevertheless, what I did is working and the frame is solid. The one thing I wonder about is whether the regidity of the fix will make the welds at the pivot point of the wheel the "weakess point in the chain." I need to stop backing it into trees! :D
 
TennesseeTuxedo":z2l47rbe said:
Why no pics of the damaged wheel before you fixed it?

Brother, the third picture down will tell you what the damage looked like. It was not dramtic. But you can see that arm of the frame is bent up about two inches. That caused the wheel to travel at a tilt. Also, the frame was cracked at the center point and the braces of mild steel angle stock secure that.
 
You might cut those sharp edges of the brace in case you ever get typsey and bump into them. They will leave a nasty gouge on your leg. :)
 
Ron was it still connected to the tractor when you welded it? Did you undo the earth on the tractor? I have always been told to disconnect the earth lead from the battery when welding on a vehicle as it is possible to blow the diode in the alternator, today with all the computers etc I guess they would be vulnerable. Is this still the correct procedure? I am not game to try it otherwise.
Ken
 

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