There are two kinds of bolts on a Tractor....

[k0ua]

I have decided that there are two kinds of bolts on a tractor. Bolts that have loosened up and fell out, and Bolts that are in the process of becoming loose. Well, OK, maybe not ALL bolts, but it seems like every time It turn around something is loose or has fell off. I check tightness of wheel and Loader bolts frequently, but some things you just don't "get a-round-tuit". Like today for instance I was using the leaf blower to "clean" the tractor (safer than intense water washing) and a spacer about 13MM wide and about maybe 25MM long came rolling out from under the seat and hit the ground. I picked it up and said to myself, Hmm I bet this had a purpose at one time on the tractor, now where does it go? I quickly found its 3 mates under the seat pan, holding up the seat and my ample behind. I did not see the bolt anywhere, and I knew it would be metric so I took out its diagonal mate up front, and measured the Metric bolt at 8MM x50MM with a 13MM head. I was going into town to get one, when I decide to run the seat all the way forward and Lo and Behold, it was still lying there:dance1:. So that all went back together without incident and I tightened all of them.


A few days ago, I was Bush Hogging with my little tiny King Kuter rotary cutter, and happened to be backing up a bank and looking backwards, when I noticed the tailwheel was flopped over... "what the...." Off to the shop area I went to see what was wrong.. This is what I saw when I inspected it...

Oh well no real harm done.. I didn't find those bolts and Nuts though
I guess routine maintenance is part of tractor ownership? I hope you are having a great day!

James K0UA

 

[murphy1244]

Thanks for sharing, really funny stories.

 

[timster2]

Locktite thread locker and Never seize are your friends. Seems that hardware needs one or the other or, skillfully applied, both

 

[rankrank1]

I have started drilling and putting cotter pins in the excess threads of those bolts that would be very bad for me if they were to fall out. Other less critical bolts, I try to check at least visually. Lots of time you can tell a loose bolt visually if its in a dirty/dusty environment as the dirt/dust will have a seam gap in it. I am not against using the "blue" removable type Loctite either for those apps where a cotter pin is not possible.

By the way: I like those front deck wheels on the rotary cutter. Nice fabrication and modification if that is your home-brew addition.

 

[RaydaKub]

Nope. I maintain there 3 types. Those that are loose, those that are gone, *AND* those that are so tight you'll twist the head off before it lets go...

 

[Soundguy]

and ya never find them without something like a spinning mower throwing them into some expensive siding or piece of glass.. tractor tin..e tc.

 

[murphy1244]

And there's two kinds of tractors. tractors that are stuck and those looking for a place to get stuck.

 

[Soundguy]

i've been stuck more times with a 4wd than a 2wd.. go figure!

4wd just lets you get deeper in, thinking you can get out, than 2wd.

 

[murphy1244]

i've been stuck more times with a 4wd than a 2wd.. go figure!

4wd just lets you get deeper in, thinking you can get out, than 2wd.

more better stuck with 4 wheel.

 

[/pine]

Nope. I maintain there 3 types. Those that are loose, those that are gone, *AND* those that are so tight you'll twist the head off before it lets go...

Then there must be at least 4 types...adding the ones that won't come off without twisting/shearing off...

i've been stuck more times with a 4wd than a 2wd.. go figure!

The main difference between a 2wd and 4wd is when you get a 4wd stuck...it's really stuck...!