Bent lift arms on a Frontier 1072

[Rockgod]

I would not, under any circumstance, stiffen up those A frame members. TripleR wrote it best: "The downside to reinforcing your braces is that force will then be transmitted to your tractor; may be a problem, maybe not, but one TBN member broke the 3PH attachment point on his tractor.
"
If something has to give, those straps appear to be both the cheapest and easiest repair.

I priced/ordered the straps today. $60 a side + $20 for the slotted link. Don't know if thats good or bad. Just can't see trying to straighting out the others, so it is what it is..

Good news is that all the hogging is done for the year. So I've got all winter to decide on chains or no chains.

 

[blueriver]

What Rockgod said in post #12 and RoyJackson in #15.

Got it ... sure am glad they where not suggesting a chain for the top link.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

That mower does (did?) have a sort of flexible top link mast. Not the usual U-shaped bracket that everyone is more familiar with , but instead, a "toggle" design more common to Woods medium duty mowers of a few years ago. (located BEHIND the point where top link pins to the mower's A frame...It allows the A frame to pivot at the 2 points where lower link pins connect A frame to lower structure of the mower.) Looks to me as if the problem may have been the result of forcing the right side of the mower to raise well beyond the height of the left side, creating a side "twist". I saw a Woods MD172 (mine.... ) twiisted in a similar fashion by one of my employees. No pictures, but the damage to my dearly departed Woods MD172 looked IDENTICAL to that mower..... Not enough structural integrity in the 3-point "A frame" IMHO.

IIRC, Woods makes (or did make) the Frontier line of rotary cutters for Deere.

 

[jenkinsph]

Rockgod,
You mentioned that you bent the tailwheel last week, now the front frame.

Seems you are using this to push down the trees, looks as if you need to raise the cutter higher to fold over the saplings. I would replace the bent metal and be alot more cautious next time. Don't get in a hurry doing this type of work.


After repairing the iron you might consider shortening the top link too which would raise the rear of the cutter higher when backing into this stuff. Other than that I often will use the front bucket to uproot small stuff and push it into a pile, you can still run over it with a brush cutter afterwards. If nothing else use the front bucket to fold these saplings over so that you can backover them and grind them up.

 

[Rockgod]

Rockgod,
You mentioned that you bent the tailwheel last week, now the front frame.

Seems you are using this to push down the trees, looks as if you need to raise the cutter higher to fold over the saplings. I would replace the bent metal and be alot more cautious next time. Don't get in a hurry doing this type of work.


After repairing the iron you might consider shortening the top link too which would raise the rear of the cutter higher when backing into this stuff. Other than that I often will use the front bucket to uproot small stuff and push it into a pile, you can still run over it with a brush cutter afterwards. If nothing else use the front bucket to fold these saplings over so that you can backover them and grind them up.

Sound advice, thank you! :thumbsup:

 

[Rockgod]

Update:

Well guys, everything came in yesterday. Got home and was pleasantly surprised. Turns out, Frontier has upgraded their lift arms from 3/8" to a full 1/2". This is just a guess but maybe others have had the same problem.

Here are a couple photos. The new ones look pretty beefy compared to the stock arms.

 

[TripleR]

That could very well be the case; glad you are well on your way back to mowing.:thumbsup:

 

[Deadman]

Any idea if the 5 foot Frontier is affected by this issue also? My 5 footer is not bent, but if its in need of updated steel, I'll be getting that ASAP!:thumbsup:

 

[Rockgod]

Any idea if the 5 foot Frontier is affected by this issue also? My 5 footer is not bent, but if its in need of updated steel, I'll be getting that ASAP!:thumbsup:

Does your 5' cutter have 3/8" lift arms?