At Home In The Woods

[Obed]

She Fixed It
Some guys would be too embarrassed to let their wife fix the truck. Not me! For the past 2 or 3 years, we've had trouble with the batteries staying charged. I replaced the alternator; that seemed to help for a short while but not for long. Recently someone suggested that the starter might be draining the battery. My wife replaced the starter and the solenoid. Presto! Worked like a charm.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/projects/381451d1404352276-home-woods-img_0480-jpg

I did my part by taking pictures!

It turns out she didn't totally fix it. Replacing the starter definitely helped. However, the batteries still aren't charging well. We had the auto parts store test the 2 batteries; one was bad so we replaced it.

So this morning I decided to remove the alternator so my wife can take it to get tested. Normally, taking off the alternator on my truck is a pretty easy task, especially as many times as I've done it. Put a ratchet wrench on the spring pulley to loosen and remove the serpentine belt from the alternator pulley. Disconnect about 3 wires. Loosen 3 bolts and you are done.



Unfortunately, when I tried to disconnect the wiring harness from the alternator, the ring terminal connector broke into two pieces.



The ring terminal was crimped and soldered to the wire so I had to cut it off. In order to minimize the shortening of the wire, I used the Dremel to cut off the wire terminal.



I then removed the alternator.



My wife has the job of getting the alternator tested and buy another one. She also will try to find a replacement copper ring terminal. I could replace the entire wiring harness but that sounds expensive and more difficult.

Obed

 

[PhysAssist]

It turns out she didn't totally fix it. Replacing the starter definitely helped. However, the batteries still aren't charging well. We had the auto parts store test the 2 batteries; one was bad so we replaced it.

So this morning I decided to remove the alternator so my wife can take it to get tested. Normally, taking off the alternator on my truck is a pretty easy task, especially as many times as I've done it. Put a ratchet wrench on the spring pulley to loosen and remove the serpentine belt from the alternator pulley. Disconnect about 3 wires. Loosen 3 bolts and you are done.

View attachment 385912

Unfortunately, when I tried to disconnect the wiring harness from the alternator, the ring terminal connector broke into two pieces.

View attachment 385913 View attachment 385914

The ring terminal was crimped and soldered to the wire so I had to cut it off. In order to minimize the shortening of the wire, I used the Dremel to cut off the wire terminal.

View attachment 385915 View attachment 385916

I then removed the alternator.

View attachment 385917

My wife has the job of getting the alternator tested and buy another one. She also will try to find a replacement copper ring terminal. I could replace the entire wiring harness but that sounds expensive and more difficult.

Obed

Not for nothing, but if the connector was that fatigued and close to fracture, it couldn't have been passing much current very well or without significantly increased resistance.

Just saying.

 

[Larro Darro]

Not for nothing, but if the connector was that fatigued and close to fracture, it couldn't have been passing much current very well or without significantly increased resistance.

Just saying.

I thought the same thing. It might not be the alternator at all.

Larro

 

[tommu56]

View attachment 385914

The ring terminal was crimped and soldered to the wire so I had to cut it off. In order to minimize the shortening of the wire, I used the Dremel to cut off the wire terminal.

View attachment 385915 View attachment 385916

I then removed the alternator.

View attachment 385917

My wife has the job of getting the alternator tested and buy another one. She also will try to find a replacement copper ring terminal. I could replace the entire wiring harness but that sounds expensive and more difficult.

Obed

Have here take lug with here they should have a screw type lug to replace it with if they don't go to a electrical supply store and ask them for one I would avoid aluminum set screw connectors as they will corrode fast.

some thing like this

	ILSCO
	CP-4

tom

 

[Obed]

As you guys may remember, last year I found a crack in my box blade when I removed the bent 3 point hitch pins. I bought a cheap HF welder but found out that I was probably never going to be a very good welder. My little welder isn't powerful enough to weld this thick steel anyway.

When I my welder and accessories arrived, I decided to try out the new angle grinder and remove the 3PH pins on the box blade.

View attachment 311489

It took some trial and error but I was able to eventually cut off the first draft link pin. I started by trying to cut through the nut but failed miserably. I finally figured out there was enough slop in the pin installation that I had room cut of the pin directly.

View attachment 311490 View attachment 311491

Once I removed the pin, I found a crack where the pin attaches to the box blade. When I saw the crack I did not think, "Bummer, now I gotta take this thing somewhere to get it fixed." Instead I thought, "Wow, I have a welder!"

View attachment 311492 View attachment 311493

I found another issue. The plate where the pin is attached is also bent. That will cause the pin to not be parallel to the blade and will encourage more bending and problems. I would really like that plate straightened but I really don't know how to do that. That's got me scratching my head. I might just try beating on it with a sledge hammer and see what happens.

View attachment 311494

The second pin did not have enough slop to let me position the cutting wheel where I could cut off the pin. I was able to cut off the lock washer with some effort. I picked a piece of the washer off of the ground with my bare hands and got a little burn on the tip of my index finger. Cutting off the washer gave me enough slop that I could position the cutting wheel so I could cut off the pin. I learned my lesson with the first pin and used some clamps to keep the pin from spinning while I cut it off.

View attachment 311495 View attachment 311496

I am rather pleased that I am able to fix the pins on the BB myself. I wouldn't have been able to do it without the great suggestions you guys provided. I didn't know anything about an angle grinder. It was well worth the $22. I do wish I'd have spent an extra $7 and gotten the paddle switch.

View attachment 311498

So I finally got around to hiring a welder to fix the crack. I'm quite pleased at the result.

 

[Obed]

I put the pieces back together. The bushing below the top link pin holes was worn so I replaced it with the new shiny piece shown in the pictures.

View attachment 386719 View attachment 386718

Obed

 

[Obed]

Obed, I have a shelf welded to the back of my boxblade with a hole for a ball. You could just as easily weld a receiver on top of the shelf. This will get you nearly level and even allow you to easily drop the hitch ball below the hitch and raise it up to hook up and disconnect.

Jim, I had the welder create a mount for a hitch ball just as you suggested. I'm really looking forward to pulling my 5x8 trailer around without having to take off the box blade.

 

[PhysAssist]

Obed these picture links are dead ends.

 

[PhysAssist]

I put the pieces back together. The bushing below the top link pin holes was worn so I replaced it with the new shiny piece shown in the pictures.

View attachment 386719 View attachment 386718

Hi Obed,

I wondered what had become of your welding, but I was a little preoccupied with my knee replacement infection back then.

This is the post with the dead links...
T

 

[Obed]

Hi Obed,

I wondered what had become of your welding, but I was a little preoccupied with my knee replacement infection back then.

T

Welding seems to require a commitment to get good at it, something I just don't have I guess. I do have a bell clanger I may try to fix with my welder sometime.

Obed