Top Link Arm

[TerryR]

When the implement is raised the top link is in tension. It cannot be bent from the weight of the implement, but could only be broken in two.

For it to be bent it would have to be in compression, as from backing the implement into a solid object, or there would have some direct sideways force applied to the link itself.

 

[shooterdon]

When the implement is raised the top link is intension. It cannot be bent from the weight of the implement, but could only be broken in two.

For it to be bent it would have to be in compression, as from backing the implement into a solid object, or there would have some direct sideways force applied to the link itself.

That makes sense.

 

[TheMan419]

When the implement is raised the top link is in tension. It cannot be bent from the weight of the implement, but could only be broken in two.

For it to be bent it would have to be in compression, as from backing the implement into a solid object, or there would have some direct sideways force applied to the link itself.

Well I know I didn't back into anything.....

I do not think it was the weight of the implement as I have used it numerous times both as a tiller and just as a counter weight when placing a lot of weight in the bucket or just as additional rear wheel weight when moving snow.

Why can it not be bent but just broken by the weight?

 

[rangerfredbob]

You cannot bend a straight object by pulling on it along it's axis, steel is very strong under tension plus there is no sideways forces acting while in tension in a straight link. Steel is weak under compression and any arc in the link will cause the link to bend (where in tension it will straighten out) once it reaches the limit of the material the link is made of.

Take a paperclip, straighten it, pull it apart and see what happens, it straightens out, push on the ends and see what happens, it will bend even with the slightest bow in it. Kinda like a string, pull on it and it's straight there is now way to bend it from pulling, push on a string and it goes all sorts of wonky, same thing...

 

[TerryR]

Why can it not be bent but just broken by the weight?

Because the weight puts the top link in tension. It tries to make it longer, not shorter. By bending it gets shorter, the oppose of what the weight would do.

 

[mapper]

Definitely backed into something, top link has lots of play side to side, the arms will be hitting the rear tires before the top link will bind. When I am using my tiller as a counter weight I have to shorten the chain on the rear cover, otherwise it can dig into the ground when reversing if the front of the tractor is up a bit (going up the side of a pile when stacking material).

 

[daugen]

sounds like a Cat 2 link being stuffed into a Cat 1 space...? if so, the Cat 2 likely has plenty of extra metal on it.
I've seen a lot of these top links built in India, heavy duty and impressive.

Now what caused this is a good detective story, the clues are being studied.

 

[TheMan419]

Definitely backed into something, top link has lots of play side to side, the arms will be hitting the rear tires before the top link will bind. When I am using my tiller as a counter weight I have to shorten the chain on the rear cover, otherwise it can dig into the ground when reversing if the front of the tractor is up a bit (going up the side of a pile when stacking material).

Ok so this sounds like a logical possibility. I have a manure pile as high as I can stack it. Since I was spreading it I was not too particular about going into the pile to grab material.

Quite possible this happened.

 

[TheMan419]

sounds like a Cat 2 link being stuffed into a Cat 1 space...? if so, the Cat 2 likely has plenty of extra metal on it.
I've seen a lot of these top links built in India, heavy duty and impressive.

Now what caused this is a good detective story, the clues are being studied.

It is def not cat 2. There were cat 2 top links on the shelf as well. Very clear difference in the size.