Making Lift Arm Telescoping sway bars

[RobJ]

We've all seen them, we've all wanted them, some have ordered and installed them. But some of us can't afford them. So I'm starting a thread to make some. Not sure where it'll end because this is an in progress thread(the worse kind for the poster!!).

I fall into the can't afford them so I will attempt to make them...before my next trip up to the country...2 weeks. I'm not a welder by trade so it might not be pretty, functional I hope.

To buy the parts needed from Kubota, I need...

2 piece telescoping pieces - $85 (includes some hardware, not much)
1 piece that mounts to the ROPS - $15.00
1 piece that mounts to the lift arm - $20

This is per side so that $120 times 2 = $240 plus shipping and maybe tax. Prices at TractorSmart and Messicks are close to the same. Forget walk in dealer prices.

I'm going to try this with what I have. First looked at 16ga square tubing. Maybe a little light. 1" fits nicely into 1.25". It's easy to drill and work with, to bad. I have some 1"x1.5" 12ga tubing. This looks close to what Kubota is using. The other factory piece is solid bar. For this I have some 3/4" x 2" in house. The 3/4" will slide into the rect. tubing. I'll cut off 3/4" of the solid bar for the sliding piece, this will bring it down to 1.25" and it'll fit nicely. The hardest parts to make are the rolled pieces that mount to the lift arm and ROPS. Tonight I will try to heat and roll these pieces. I have to make 3 per side, lift arm, ROPS, and the piece that is welded to the solid bar and hooks up to the ROPS piece. This piece has to up and down and left and right.

What I'm starting with.....and the factory look.

[RobJ]

I took everything home and layed it out in the same position as on the tractor. Everything was in line so a flat work table worked fine.

[RobJ]

I always wondered why the ROPS mounts were angled in. I'm guessing because of the bolt that's close by. I heated one and straighted it out. It'll work better this way with either stabilizer system I end up with.

Also is a shot of the 2" flat bar I trimmed. This piece is only 12" long, I think that's going to be plenty. If I recall from my notes the "real" working lenght difference is only a max of 21" (lift arm pulled in) and a min of 19" (lift arm wide against tire). No 3pt attachment I have is less than 26" wide so the lift arm doesn't need to go in all he way.

So far the rect. tubing is 14" long. The brackets will take up some of that length.

[RobJ]

A shot of the tubing and solid piece.

[RobJ]

This is where I stopped last night. You can sort of get the picture here. That piece attaching to the ROPS and solid bar isn't going to work. I don't think it'll be strong enough. I'm going to try and roll some flat bar tonight.

Film at 11!!

Thanks for looking,
Rob

[RobJ]

I got about an hour in the shop last night. Decent progress. I formed up some of the connector pieces using 1/4" flat bat and some 3/8". Factory looks like 3/8", a little harder to form making a tight turn. The process wasn't that hard, heat up the piece cherry, put it in a vice and make the first curl, then lay it on floor with a piece of 1/2" plate and hammer it home. Still haven't decided which one to use. The nice thing on the 1/4" steel is it's 3 inches wide, so I can form it, then cut it in half and then have 2! The 3/8" bar is 2" wide.

I decided to weld the brackets to the lift arm instead of forming another bracket. It's easy and I can always grind them off later if it doesn't work out.

Rob

[RobJ]

Ok done with one side. It's just tacked together for the moment but the pieces are there and work. I'll work on the other side and maybe the stronger link pices in the mean time. I won't see my tractor until weekend after next. Bummer

Rob

[firemanpat2910]

looking good, I have a ford with that set up. I wouldnt want any other kind.

[3RRL]

Rob,
Those are nice.
lol ... By the looks of things, your drag links could've used them before now?
Be sure to add several holes for adjustment and also a slot in the outer tube so the pin can slide a little. That will help let your 3pt move around a little and not bind up. I really like your "U" joint attachment to the tractor. They whole thing looks very strong and should really help.

[john_bud]

One point. The tube should have about 6 holes and one slot. The slot is about 3/4 to 1" and there are 3 holes on each side. That will give you all the adjustment you could ever need or want. The slot is for the attachments that need to flop around during turns. Not everything is supposed to be dogged down tight.

jb