a tractor can break in half?

[sandman2234]

I would think that the size of the top link would only be to transfer that much more load to the tractor, theorectically giving it that much more chance to break in the middle.I wonder if a top link with a large, very large spring, calibrated to compress at an approximate load that is considered harmful to the tractor. Everyone would probably be trying to beef it up so it didn't compress and you could do that much more with the tractor.
David from jax

 

[Taiser]

The top link on mine is bolted to a thick steel bracket over the tranny that looks like it is attached to the back end frame of the tractor. For it to snap anything on the tranny it would have to snap that frame. I don't think it has the power to do it and would probably flip the tractor over first. That's a lot of steel that would have to let go.

 

[sandman2234]

Taiser,
I don't think you understand my point. From what I can determine, and I AM NOT AN EXPERT, what breaks a tractor in the middle has nothing to do with how well it is mounted to the rear of a tractor. It has to do with how well it is mounted to the front of a tractor. The bouncing and loading/unloading of the weight on the front end, causing torsional failures to the bellhousing when you are constantly loading and unloading the weight on the backhoe. Same thing goes for a FEL. When you pick up something, it puts a downward pressure on that end of the tractor, and when you let it down it unloads it, causing the stress to go exactly the other way. Constantly doing that fatigues the middle and that is where it breaks. The stronger a tractor is in the middle and the shorter it is between the wheelbase is what makes it stronger. Not saying longer isn't better, it just takes more metal in between to keep it from snapping.
A sub frame transfers this load further forward, thereby reducing the stress created by loading the very back (or front) of a tractor. Even though a loader is hooked to the middle of a tractor, the weight is still out front, and thereby causes the stress from up front,instead of the middle.
Hopefully I have explained myself to where you can understand me.
David from jax

 

[john_bud]

Actually, back around 2000 or 2001 there were a couple Kubota (gasp!) tractors that had the top mount for the 3pt pull out of the housing. That is, they cracked around the bolt holes and pulled out a 4x6" chunk of the rear end. After that there were a few threads about buying a 3pt top mount that wraps around and bolts to the top of the differential housing in addition to the rear. If memory serves there were pictures of the carnage and yes a 3pt BH was mounted putting the stress on the tractor leading to the failures. I ordered one of the stouter housings and installed it.

Also, even full size full framed TLB's crack housings. The owners manuals usually have a 600 hour or annual check for cracks and repair/replace as needed. So, don't think it can't happen to you - even with a subframe. Everytime you change fluids, do a 100% close up visual inspect of the mounts, bolts and housings. It's easier to fix a small crack or tighten a bolt than buy a new casting.

 

[D7E]

There's no rule , Tractors are built with attachments in mind ,With a frame/without a frame , They can take abuse , But you get the odd one that wont , Metal fatiuge , Poor steel , ( russian) ,High hours "Whatever sometimes it happens and it happens to $200,000 machines too nothing's perfect.

 

[Grrrr]

There's no rule , Tractors are built with attachments in mind ,With a frame/without a frame , They can take abuse , But you get the odd one that wont , Metal fatiuge , Poor steel , ( russian) ,High hours "Whatever sometimes it happens and it happens to $200,000 machines too nothing's perfect.

There have been a couple of pictures of tractors in a magazine I get of tractors snapping in half, and these were propper ag tractors.

One was a Doe Dual Drive tractor. For anyone who doesn't know what this is it was a tractor made by ford in the 60's (I think) which consisted of two tractors joined together. Neither of the tractors had front wheels and there was an articulation point in between the two tractors.

The tractor that broke in half was being used on very heavy clay pulling a 5 furrow plough. The back wheels had dug down really deep in the clay and had got rather stuck. However, the front wheels still had grip and literally pulled the front tractor off the back tractor.

Looked a bit like this one.

The second tractor snapping was a Roadless tractor like the one posted earlier with two ploughs mounted on it. It had been working on a big farm about 30 years ago and been ploughing. The owner thought it could work a bit faster so told the driver to up the rev's. This the driver did for a while until he completely sheared the rear wheel of the axle.

Just proves that tractors can break and are not indestructable.

 

[D7E]

There have been a couple of pictures of tractors in a magazine I get of tractors snapping in half, and these were propper ag tractors.

One was a Doe Dual Drive tractor. For anyone who doesn't know what this is it was a tractor made by ford in the 60's (I think) which consisted of two tractors joined together. Neither of the tractors had front wheels and there was an articulation point in between the two tractors.

The tractor that broke in half was being used on very heavy clay pulling a 5 furrow plough. The back wheels had dug down really deep in the clay and had got rather stuck. However, the front wheels still had grip and literally pulled the front tractor off the back tractor.

Looked a bit like this one.

The second tractor snapping was a Roadless tractor like the one posted earlier with two ploughs mounted on it. It had been working on a big farm about 30 years ago and been ploughing. The owner thought it could work a bit faster so told the driver to up the rev's. This the driver did for a while until he completely sheared the rear wheel of the axle.

Just proves that tractors can break and are not indestructable.

Hey GRRR

Being an ex brit and a ford/fordson/county/muirhill enthusiast im only too familiar with these , We once had a Doe triple D when they were new but i was mereley proving a point that some break some don't regardless of brand or work load .

 

[dfkrug]

Actually, back around 2000 or 2001 there were a couple Kubota (gasp!) tractors that had the top mount for the 3pt pull out of the housing. That is, they cracked around the bolt holes and pulled out a 4x6" chunk of the rear end. After that there were a few threads about buying a 3pt top mount that wraps around and bolts to the top of the differential housing in addition to the rear. If memory serves there were pictures of the carnage and yes a 3pt BH was mounted putting the stress on the tractor leading to the failures. I ordered one of the stouter housings and installed it.

I remember that, jb. I wish I had kept the pix.

One of the two broken toplink casting photos I saw posted was particularly
memorable to me as it was on a Kubota L2550, the same model tractor
I was using back in 98-2000. I was just a TBN lurker back than.

 

[tawilson]

I saw a 75hp New Holland break in half. It got plowed into by a pickup truck. Drove the tractor ahead and off the road about 75'. Truck didn't look so good either. Nobody got hurt but I think some underwear needed changing. Especially by the guy that fell asleep driving the truck. I have some pics somewhere that I'll try to find.

 

[irwin]

I remember that, jb. I wish I had kept the pix.

One of the two broken toplink casting photos I saw posted was particularly
memorable to me as it was on a Kubota L2550, the same model tractor
I was using back in 98-2000. I was just a TBN lurker back than.

I remebered this one, found it after a short search..
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...43-backhoe-3pth-v-subframe-mount-p1010003.jpg

This picture had me thinking about my own 3pt backhoe, it now has a subframe. (though this wasn't connected to 3pt hoe, still .... made me think)