How do I fix this - Rounded out holes

[bigdeano]

You may have to remove the oil tank so you can work on it. Looks near impossible where it is. Can't really tell from the pictures. If you take the tank out I would cut part of the tabs off and weld on new pieces with the hole in them.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Hey guys, yeah I can post better pix I guess...

The oil tank is what the tabs are welded to. Its thick metal, and I can drain the tank (although someone told me not to as it is more likely to catdh fire empty with residue than full with oil).

I am mulling over a tab welded on the top and bottom with holes cut in it (overlay) than removing the existing tabs.

My neighbor is a heavy machine repairman, sent him pix today and he loves a good struggle so we will see what he says.

Those welding rods, can't find a source (the inserts that do cannot be welded to).

On top of all this misery, it turns out the bolts are custom. Go figure my bad luck.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I can remember my dad fixing a wallowed out hole in the steering linkage of a water truck. He just got a longer pin and welded it into the wallowed out hole. Only took a few minutes and lasted forever after. In this case you might want to make sure the cylinder is in good condition first.

 

[SpringHollow]

Could you use a plasma torch or carbon arc rods to gouge out the hole for a bushing instead of drilling?

Ken

 

[OkieDave]

On top of all this misery, it turns out the bolts are custom. Go figure my bad luck.

Can you get the next larger (standard) size tap and cut new (standard) size threads? Seems like it'd fix two problems.

 

[ThomasH]

That is a difficult spot to drill and keep the center of the drill in the center of the old hole, so you could put in a bushing. If it were an option, I have done dozens if not hundred of those kind of repairs using a drill bushing of the correct inside diameter, and those have always turned out to be permanent repairs. I put a bit of weld on opposite sides of the bushing and it's done.

That said, yours looks like it would be difficult to reach with a drill that was fixtured, such as in a mag drill or a similar thing. And without that it would be difficult to keep the bit from drifting way off center. So the other thing I have done, is to get a carbon rod the correct size (made for welding/brazing fill in of holes) and build it up with weld. I have done the build up with 7018 stick and ER70S2 MIG and both have worked fine.

 

[MossRoad]

Order new tabs from PT.
Make a cardboard template of the originals.
Cut off the originals about 1/2" out from the tank with a sawzall.
Use the template to adjust the new tabs' length allowing for the cut off material.
Weld on the newly adjusted tabs.
You won't be welding directly against the tank and you might not light up the unit on fire.

 

[MossRoad]

If you want to go the bushing route, you'll still have to weld the missing areas back up to fill it in and then drill out the hole to the proper size. If you're going to be welding the hole shut, you might as well weld on new tabs. :confused3:

 

[ericher69]

Here is a repair I made on a 3pt blade.

You could use this method for a permanent fix

Shared post from 'TractorByNet.com' by ericher69 from thread 'Fixing a 3pt blade':

Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

 

[SpringHollow]

If you want to go the bushing route, you'll still have to weld the missing areas back up to fill it in and then drill out the hole to the proper size. If you're going to be welding the hole shut, you might as well weld on new tabs. :confused3:

Hi Moss, I was saying to make the hole big enough for the bushing with a plasma cutter and then weld the bushing in place filling in where necessary. I would trust that more than welding the new tab on. My welds have never failed but I am always worrying about them.

Ken