How do I fix this - Rounded out holes

[woodlandfarms]

So, was wondering why I had slop in my steering. Saw the cylinder moving more than normal. Not a usual wear point on my machine so not often inspected except when changing hoses. Clearly someing must have been looser / more worn...

Well here I am now... Thoughts are to weld the hole up a bit and drill.. Ugh... This is a very difficult area to drill, let alone weld. I could cut the tabs off but the metal this is all attached to is the oil tank.

Was wondering, I saw something on the interweb that copper does not get effected by Stick or mig welding. Could I put a proper sized pipe in the hole and weld around it?

Any and all suggestions taken...

 

[murphy1244]

So, was wondering why I had slop in my steering. Saw the cylinder moving more than normal. Not a usual wear point on my machine so not often inspected except when changing hoses. Clearly someing must have been looser / more worn...

Well here I am now... Thoughts are to weld the hole up a bit and drill.. Ugh... This is a very difficult area to drill, let alone weld. I could cut the tabs off but the metal this is all attached to is the oil tank.

Was wondering, I saw something on the interweb that copper does not get effected by Stick or mig welding. Could I put a proper sized pipe in the hole and weld around it?

Any and all suggestions taken...

There is a thread on here now talking about this. A poster bought a Kubota TLB from a auction and the BH jib beam holes were catty wompus.

Edit, My bad just found it. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/356384-hitch-pin-hole-repair.html

 

[Rustyiron]

I have seen round carbon plugs for building up a worn hole.

 

[Creamer]

I would find a bushing that has the proper OD and then weld up the slop as well as you can and bore it to the OD size of the bushing - preferably with a light press fit. Then push the bushing into place and stake it into position. Doing it this way would not require a perfect weld job in a difficult place and would give you a good wear surface when you are done. Plus you can line bore the top and bottom to to have them properly aligned for a good fit. I would not try to drill it - I would plunge an end mill through it in short steps. this means you do not have to weld the hole completely shut - in fact it would be preferred not to - just enough to have the bushing OD surface in good contact.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I would cut it off and weld on a new piece. It will be so much easier than trying to fill in the one you have. Ask me how I know. Ed

 

[ponytug]

While I'm generally with Ed of all trades on the idea of cutting it all off and starting over, given that this is on your hydraulic tank, I wouldn't in this case.

I would second the thought of welding in a pair of bushings. (I'm assuming that the bottom and top are both worn.) I would add to it that you put a jog (e.g. a bolt) to align the top and bottom bushings when you do your initial tack welds. What I don't know is how you are going to bore this out. Can you use your plasma cutter to open up the hole large enough to accept the bushing?

If you want to go whole hog, you could add a small bore for a grease fitting.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would just weld on another tab end. You wont have to cut off the existing weld, just move out a bit from the tank, just a bit before the bolt hole (normal position without wear), make a new piece with correct size hole and weld it in place. Ideally it would be a double V but I don't know how well you overhead welding skills are. It will be hard to weld it from one side without it drawing upward during the weld. You might start with the tap piece angled slightly down to account for the upward drawing during welding.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I wonder if this would work.

Make a replacement top plate a bit smaller than the existing top tab, with the correct size hole drilled in it. Weld this (from above) to the top of the existing tab.

Then make a replacement bottom plate a bit larger than the existing bottom tab. Weld that to the bottom tab (also welding from above). This would then require a longer pin which could also be used while welding to hold things in alignment.

 

[Egon]

Cut of the tabs, weld on new tabs with bushing. ( bushing in a bushing so it's easy to replace.

 

[5030]

The question is, can the OP generate a workable weld? Thats not a buzz box job by a long shot.