cracked bell housing

[general J]

I just bought a 2003 tc 40 last week was cleaning tractor and found a 5 inch crak in the bell housing can this be welded or does it need to be replaced? I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WHATS YOUR INPUT THANKS

 

[JC-jetro]

I just bought a 2003 tc 40 last week was cleaning tractor and found a 5 inch crak in the bell housing can this be welded or does it need to be replaced? I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WHATS YOUR INPUT THANKS

do you have a loader or back hoe? any pics?

JC,

 

[general J]

i HAVE A 16 LA LOADER NO BACK HOE i have not been able to take any pics yet its on the left side of the bell housing aprox 5-6 inches long

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

If it was my tractor and I was paying for the repair I would take it to a profesional welder and see if itis repairable. If the seller is paying for the repair I would want a new bellhousing. I would check your loader mounts to make shure they are tight. Also check the bolts that fasten the bellhousing to the engine.
Bill

 

[general J]

I thought I would up date the thread . the dealer removed the bell housing and had it welded put it back together and it cracked again now they are pulling it back apart and replacing it I hpoe to have it back next week .

 

[jimmysisson]

THis is a little odd. I'd think the dealer would have a decent welder they go to. Iron isn't that hard to weld if you know what you're doing. Maybe there's some stress on this housing from a tweaked loader or a different casting that's broke and asking more of the bell housing than it was designed for? I dunno, seems a little suspicious...
Jim

 

[general J]

yes you are right it does seam strange that it did not hold they said the welder had to have the bell housing removed so he could heat the housing then weld it I have never welded cast before so it sounded as though he knew what he was doing I hope nothing is tweeked causing this piece to crack I guess Ill find out when I get it back

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

You are better off with a new bellhousing. If you do a search on the internet on welding cast one thing everyone agree's on is there is no good way to weld cast that is in a high stress aplication. Either the weld will crack or it will crack next to the weld.
Bill

 

[art]

I'd take it to a fab shop after you get it home and have them build a frame to the rear wheels from the front. Yours is not the first!

 

[jinman]

I'd take it to a fab shop after you get it home and have them build a frame to the rear wheels from the front. Yours is not the first!

Art, the Class III TC40 with 16LA loader already has a large subframe front-to-rear. The Class II tractors do not have the subframe. There is no way for general_J to know, but the former owner may have had the subframe bolts come loose as I did earlier this year. If I had not seen my missing bolts, I might be in the same situation.