Stuck backhoe pin

[RickB]

Just thought of another way. Weld a cap back on the pin. Weld both ends of the pin to the bucket. Heat the bushing and use the hydraulics of the bucket circuit to force the pin to rotate. Once it rotates, cut one of the caps off, cut the weld at the opposite end and drive the pin out.

 

[Big Barn]

Worst comes to worst he could cut the bushing from end to end. That would release the pin. Weld up the slice and install a new pin.
Or, given the apparent age of the machine, weld a cap back on the pin and run it as is. The pin bosses in the bucket are already worn from being the default pivot point for a long time. How much worse will it actually get given the amount of use it will see going forward?

Both viable options given the circumstances.

Hopefully the OP may prove me wrong but I’m pretty certain he won’t be able to heat properly and effectively with any type of propane or Mapp torch.

 

[fatjay]

Just thought of another way. Weld a cap back on the pin. Weld both ends of the pin to the bucket. Heat the bushing and use the hydraulics of the bucket circuit to force the pin to rotate. Once it rotates, cut one of the caps off, cut the weld at the opposite end and drive the pin out.

Tried to do that the first day. All I did was bend the cap.

 

[fatjay]

Worst comes to worst he could cut the bushing from end to end. That would release the pin. Weld up the slice and install a new pin.
Or, given the apparent age of the machine, weld a cap back on the pin and run it as is. The pin bosses in the bucket are already worn from being the default pivot point for a long time. How much worse will it actually get given the amount of use it will see going forward?

I'm taking the pin off to install a new bucket. I have an 8" trenching bucket, I'm installing a 24" foundation bucket to dig the foundation for my new garage. After that it will be used to dig a new driveway, take out some tree's, and who know's what's next. As long as the machine runs and the cost is cheaper than another backhoe to repair, I will keep running it. I've put probably 500 hours on it in the 6ish years I've owned it and it runs flawlessly aside from a few hydraulic leaks.

 

[RickB]

Tried to do that the first day. All I did was bend the cap.

[]

Both caps welded?
But not with any (or enough) heat applied to the bushing.

If you are changing buckets then the status quo obviously is not the answer.

 

[Diggin It]

What are we talking about here ... an inch or more diameter and a foot long? Maybe more? That's a lot of rust to break through. Is there any way you can rig up a way to soak that whole area in penetrating fluid overnight? Maybe a bag or bucket of some sort? Not sure what would hold the ATF/Acetone mixture.

 

[chim]

What are we talking about here ... an inch or more diameter and a foot long? Maybe more? That's a lot of rust to break through. Is there any way you can rig up a way to soak that whole area in penetrating fluid overnight? Maybe a bag or bucket of some sort? Not sure what would hold the ATF/Acetone mixture.

Looks like the pin could be cut off on either side of the boom to get the bucket out of the way. Then the end could be parked in a 5 gallon bucket with maybe 4-6" of solvent for a few days

 

[Diggin It]

Removing the bucket if possible would certainly make further work a lot easier.

 

[caver]

One trick I saw one AvE (youtube) do is take a can of air duster like for your computer etc. Heat things up and at least blast the ends of the pin with the duster can upside down to cool the ends of pin. More liquid comes out of the duster can and cools.

 

[Big Barn]

One trick I saw one AvE (youtube) do is take a can of air duster like for your computer etc. Heat things up and at least blast the ends of the pin with the duster can upside down to cool the ends of pin. More liquid comes out of the duster can and cools.

That’s interesting. What was the size and situation exactly?

 

[caver]

That’s interesting. What was the size and situation exactly?

Found the link. Old Mechanic's Trick: Freeze-Shrink Metal Parts WITHOUT Nitrogen. - YouTube

 

[stuckmotor]

You needed convincing??

It's a character flaw I have.

 

[fatjay]

Soon as i can get home from work I'll try some of the suggestions and report back. I'm confident that it'll come out one way or another.

 

[fatjay]

Heating and freezing and hammering and drilling and cutting and jack hammering i managed to move it a half inch. Which means with enough force, it will come out! I'm exhausted now so I put the whole thing in a bucket of pb blaster. Tomorrow I'll give it another shot.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Not sure why you cut the bucket. Could you not get a sawsall blade in there to cut the pin off? That's gonna take some fine welding to hold that together.

 

[fatjay]

I’ll likely never use the 8” bucket again once I have the 24” bucket on. It was the weak point of the machine, we have solid clay, it wasn’t tapered at all and it would pack with dirt and it wouldn’t come out, so I could only do demo with it, not actually digging. Plus I wanted to have as much pin to play with as possible, So I could mash it and then cut it off when I got it right.

 

[stuckmotor]

I've used mine many times to heat up thick flat bar very fast and then I use my HF bender to make a bend in the hot metal (also have used it with #8 rebar to bend).

It's much cheaper to heat item up then using my oxygen/acetylene tanks.

KC

KC,
If you remember what brand of weed burner you have (Was it an Ace Hardware brand?) and it's BTU rating, I'd sure like to know. If #8 rebar is 1" thick as I think, a weed burner like yours would take care of most of my bending needs.

 

[duramaxsky]

I hate it when problems like this come up. Good luck. I hope you get it out.

 

[fatjay]

It's out. What a job it was.

After soaking it in pb blaster overnight, i went and got the 8lb sledge and hammered the pin back and forth, each time it moved a bit further and a bit easier. At first I was taking full swings, but I only have so many of those in me before I need to take 5. After I was able to move it in 1-2 swings I switched to the 3lb sledge, partly because I couldn't swing the 8lb with any accuracy at that point. Worked it back and forth like that, every time putting penetrating oil on. Then switched to the jack hammer on one side. Eventually switched to the jack hammer.

Once I got it moving decently to the mushroomed ends I took my grinder and trimmed the mushroomed end that I used the jack hammer on, figuring it'd be easiest to push it through with the jack hammer. pushed it as far as it would go, then hammered it back, rinse and repeat a dozen times until it finally went through. I was spent but it was out and i was so excited I didn't waste any time, drug the new bucket over and hooked it up. New pins need shims but that's easy enough.

 

[TractorGuy]

Good Job! I know that is a relief. Looks like you need spacers and bushings for the new bucket.