Loader What to do with a bent arm

[ovrszd]

I've been using it with no apparent problems. No hydraulic fluid drip, no nasty sounds, apparently full power.

Then continue to use it with no attempt at repair.

 

[rustyshakelford]

It looks to me like the square tubing is what bent. Part of the self leveling design. The cylinder and ram appear fine, just the tubing got a little bow to it

Brett

 

[stingray1]

I'm with ovrszd if it's working with no problems just use it.

 

[Deere Dude]

If left the way it is, it will bend much easier and faster than if it was straight. I would take it off and find a shop to straighten it out but I had very good luck using a log splitter with a big chunk of angle iron as a backstop to straighten that stuff out.

 

[ovrszd]

To bend it farther one of two things must happen.

1. An outside object presses on it such as pushing it up against a tree or some immoveable object.

2. Putting the FEL in a situation where forces are exerted on the cylinder beyond it's hydraulic capability. This could be done by backdragging with the front tires of the tractor off the ground and moving in reverse. Or using a tree puller or grapple clamping onto an immoveable object with the attachment rolled forward and moving the tractor rearward.

If these outside forces are never applied it won't bend any farther. Outside forces were involved to bend it the first time. The cylinder, thru it's hydraulics, didn't do that.

 

[Arc weld]

It looks like either a poor design or not a heavy enough tube was used. I think it could be straightened fairly easily as it looks like the tube has the bend and not the cylinder. If the cylinder were taken off and the end of the tubing put on a block and a block also used under the cylinder maybe 1/2 way, then pressing on the end of the cylinder where it is capped would likely straighten the tube 5mm. The cap end of the cylinder is the strongest part of the cylinder.

 

[bigdeano]

With a long extension on the cylinder like that it's going to buckle easily under a compressive load.

Just put it in a press with a couple of wood blocks a couple feet apart and push at the end of the cylinder. It will bend right back to straight.

 

[ovrszd]

With a long extension on the cylinder like that it's going to buckle easily under a compressive load.

Just put it in a press with a couple of wood blocks a couple feet apart and push at the end of the cylinder. It will bend right back to straight.

That was the point I was making.

What circumstances put a compressive load on a curl cylinder?

 

[countrybumpkin]

That was the point I was making. What circumstances put a compressive load on a curl cylinder?

Back dragging with the bucket would be the big one that I can think of right off hand.

 

[ovrszd]

Back dragging with the bucket would be the big one that I can think of right off hand.

Yep.

Then add an attachment such as a Grapple or Tree Puller and the chances of that compression multiply dramatically. For example, tip the tree puller forward, clamp onto a tree and then move backward to try to pull it. The tree starts leaning toward the tractor and causing the puller to roll back. Many times more compression force than the hydraulic cylinder is capable of generating. I bent a cylinder on my previous L4400 doing that very thing. Very disappointed in myself for not realizing what forces I was exerting on the FEL.