Anyone ever straighten a twisted FEL?

[Gale Hawkins]

When you get it square with the world again maybe some bracing could be added. I think the pump is now too weak on our backhoe FEL to bend much of anything.

 

[flusher]

This is setting on conrete ... no visable damage. She is obviously out of wack.

Cut it and reweld. I wouldn't waste time trying to ram it back into shape.

 

[PILOON]

My bucket was not level with my wheels either.

Careful checking, spirit level and measuring tape as tools I discovered that the cause was an elongated bolt hole (loose bolt) where the loader sub frame attached to to the actual tractor frame.

The minor oval-ed bolt hole (maybe 1/8" or less) multiplied by the distances (heights) made for a considerable misalignment at the cutting edge of the bucket.

While drilling an over sized hole and o/s bolt was the real solution, I simply welded as I can always grind away the weld if need be.

Might that be your problem as well?
I say that as from the pic shown I don't really see warping of the bucket.

A moral to this is check all attachment bolts from time to time!

From your posted pic, you have the same bucket design as mine and that is one tough bucket, for shure not a manure bucket!
I know as mine gets used more like a bobcat than a farm tractor.
Also I have a tooth bar installed and dig in tough dirt as well as move or roll many big rocks.

 

[blueriver]

My bucket was not level with my wheels either.

Careful checking, spirit level and measuring tape as tools I discovered that the cause was an elongated bolt hole (loose bolt) where the loader sub frame attached to to the actual tractor frame.

The minor oval-ed bolt hole (maybe 1/8" or less) multiplied by the distances (heights) made for a considerable misalignment at the cutting edge of the bucket.

Now that I have not looked at real close ... will let you know. yes 1/8" over
6' adds up quickly ...

 

[RoyJackson]

Now that I have not looked at real close ... will let you know. yes 1/8" over
6' adds up quickly ...

yep...1 degree error over 6 feet comes to a 1.224" deviation.

 

[blueriver]

yep...1 degree error over 6 feet comes to a 1.224" deviation.

I have not removed the FEL ... I have 75 round bales to bring in. I did however take some time this morning on the concrete to do more measuring. At the mid point, where the loader mounts there is a 15/16 inch difference from the left side to the right side with the left side being lower.

I spent time measuring and looking everything over ... I see no deviation from side to side. I am thinking at this time to loosen the loader frame mounts to see if the right side drops or if a hydraulic jack will raise the left side ... however ... both sides appear to be equal to the tractor frame.

 

[Ford tractor]

Hook on a chain to the high side and lift an un-liftable object while measuring the warp that puts into the loader frame (level on bucket will work). When you get to dead level, go an extra 1/4". Remove the load and check level. Keep doing that with an extra 1/4" until you get it to stay level with no load.

Then weld brace on the arms where they bend over.

Very common condition on light duty loaders used for heavy lifting.

 

[Car Doc]

I agree with ford tractor thats just what I was going to mention load the high side I have slightly tweaked my loader a couple times and fixed it like that.

A trick I use on my loader (my hooks are outboard) is cross the chain to the middle and use the hook on the other end of the chain to hold the lift area of the chain in the middle over the lower edge of the bucket and adjust it accordingly so as to even out the load by lifting in the center of the bucket if you follow me. (if I had a camera now Id demonstrate for clarity)

 

[rd_macgregor]

I agree with ford tractor thats just what I was going to mention load the high side I have slightly tweaked my loader a couple times and fixed it like that.

A trick I use on my loader (my hooks are outboard) is cross the chain to the middle and use the hook on the other end of the chain to hold the lift area of the chain in the middle over the lower edge of the bucket and adjust it accordingly so as to even out the load by lifting in the center of the bucket if you follow me. (if I had a camera now Id demonstrate for clarity)

I have a fairly long chain and nearly always use it in a "Y" configuration so the load isn't totally on just one of the bucket edge hooks.

I have managed to slightly twist the grapple on my new grapple rake, though. It works just fine, but is a bit like looking at a crooked picture.
Oh, well, at least it wasn't the lift arms.

BOB

 

[leonz]

About your loader,



Ick!!!!!! If you expect to keeep using it;

The loade arms are the big issue and the problrem becomesd many fold withe geometry and the inherent weakness in the design.

A tractor(s) front end loader is not designed and built for severe digging, it is only designed for loose materials or in the case of a heavy materials bucket heavy weight LOOSE materials only.


1.The loader will have to come off and go to a welding shop and have the steel heated with a rosebud if the welds are not cracked (of which I can tell you with certainty that they most likely are.

2. the loader has no cross bracing on the lower arms which is a no no, and it has to be corrected with even a small amount of stiffening that will clear the nose of the tractor.


leonz

 

[rus_geek]

At the mid point, where the loader mounts there is a 15/16 inch difference from the left side to the right side with the left side being lower (snip) ... however ... both sides appear to be equal to the tractor frame.

Am I reading this right that the left side loader mount is almost an inch higher than the right mount, and that the mounts line up with the frame? Without seeing where you're measuring, this sounds like the frame of the tractor itself is an inch higher on the left side. If that's the case, I would be checking everything between the rear axle and the loader mount points. Something has to be loose/moved/cracked/something for the frame to actually be off that far.

-rus-

 

[J_J]

Chain the high side, and put a hyd jack under the low side and adjust till it is straight.
You may have to go past level to account for the spring back.

Or, like someone said, just drive it into a frame shop, and they will straighten it, Of course it cost bucks, where as the hyd jack process is is free.

 

[Giles]

I had a similar problem with an older I.H. 3400 Backhoe. I did a lot of experimentation and I found an astounding result.
Mine had a large center oval shaped crossbrace and I cut this brace on one side. I was trying to raise the low side and lower the high side.
For some reason that I could not understand--I placed a timber under the HIGH SIDE, by mistake, and put down force on the loader and IT STRAIGHTENED UP
I welded the brace back and it was fixed.
I will never understand how that fixed the problem and I have thought of it many times.
This may be something you might want to try:thumbsup:

 

[sandman2234]

If you decide to do it yourself, the first thing you need to measure is the concrete itself. Having poured a lot of concrete, that is probably your first variable.
David from jax

 

[SPYDERLK]

Chain the high side, and put a hyd jack under the low side and adjust till it is straight.
You may have to go past level to account for the spring back.

:thumbsup:Do this. ...If the loader is strong you may have to use rear ballast to keep the tractor from tipping.
larry

 

[Gordon Gould]

Am I reading this right that the left side loader mount is almost an inch higher than the right mount, and that the mounts line up with the frame? Without seeing where you're measuring, this sounds like the frame of the tractor itself is an inch higher on the left side. If that's the case, I would be checking everything between the rear axle and the loader mount points. Something has to be loose/moved/cracked/something for the frame to actually be off that far.

-rus-

SOMEBODY SHOULD BE LISTENING TO THIS MAN !!!!!!!

 

[TGF]

Everyone expects the tractor is at fault. Are you sure that concrete's level?

Not only that are all the tires aired up the same and have the same level of tread ware? Several things can do this I imagine.

 

[blueriver]

I am not a Rocket Scientist ... heck sometimes I can't even spell ... Concrete levels, air pressure ... bottom line is no matter what surface or air pressure ... its out of wack. You can sit and look at the front of the unit ... its just not level with the Grill guard, the hood, the cab .. no matter the position.... its off. I am studying the frame, the axles ... tomorrow I am going to set up a transit level and take more measurements. Its somewhere I JUST AINT FOUND IT .. yet.

So far Ilke the crossbeam idea as well as the chain and jack.

Will keep you all up to date.

 

[crazyal]

As much as a do it yourselfer that I am I would just take the FEL off and see if it still looks twisted, if so bring it to a body shop with a frame machine. It'll take them less than an hour to straighten it and they should be able to tell you what bent. Then I would beef it up. Trying to straighten it your self could put a lot of force on parts of your tractor that aren't designed for that kind of force.

 

[ray66v]

It is important to establish some sort of datum line that you can measure off of. Our system holds the vehicle above a level surface, that all measurements are taken from.

If you level the tractor, at least side to side, and use a leveled laser on a tripod, or a transit, from in front, when you compare vertical measurements, you know the difference is real.

You can also use a string to compare horizontal distances, from a datum point in front of the tractor. Find the center line, extend it to a point out in front of the tractor, where you can stretch out a string and not hit anything coming back toward the loader frame, and compare from there side to side.

Keep in mind, sometimes things are made with dimensions that are not the same on both sides. This is done for no other reason but to frustrate the poor guy trying to repair them. :thumbsup:

Welcome to my world.