I picked up a disc harrow to go with my TC30 a few months ago, and I finally got a chance to use it. Here is the problem. The right lift arm likes to bend at the point the sway bar is bolted into it. I'd say it bends inward a quarter inch or so from that point. I took it off after I first noticed bend and beat it back out straight. On second use I made sure the sway bars were tight so that when I lifted the harrow and spun the tractor around there would be little room for give. However, it just bent right back as before. The harrow weighs at like 700 lbs. And I've been using tractor like the old utility tractors I've always had. (Plow to end of row, lift, hold down inner or outer brake to make quick turn, drop harrow and continue on my way.) These flat steel style lift arms with a big stablizer hole bore right through the middle of them don't seem to be up to the task. Any ideas on where to look for beefed up arms? I tried TSC, but didn't see much of a selection.
Bending Lift Arms
- Thread starter HRS
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jinman
Rest in Peace
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- Feb 23, 2001
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- 20,387
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- NHTC45D, NH LB75B, Ford Jubilee
I don't think 700 lb should cause a problem like you are having, especially if it is in the air when you spin around. You may have more luck welding on reinforcement for your arm, but I think I would check with my NH dealer to see if there might be an ASIST bulletin that addressed soft metal in lift arms. There was one on my TC45D (don't have number...) and I got a new set when my right arm bent downward under maximum weight lift conditions (see attachment).
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Soundguy
Old Timer
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- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
I agree with jinman. if there is no factory ( warranty? ) option.. then i'd look to welding some stiffeners on.. like angle iron.
700# shouldn't bend those arms.. My 8n lifts 700# easilly...
My 1920 lifted an 800# disc -fine- and i disced many pastures with it till the bearings wore slap out ontheback gang.
Soundguy
700# shouldn't bend those arms.. My 8n lifts 700# easilly...
My 1920 lifted an 800# disc -fine- and i disced many pastures with it till the bearings wore slap out ontheback gang.
Soundguy
Nice pics Jinman. As yours have bent down, mine is bending to the left. I called the dealer today. He hadn't heard of anyone else experiencing this, so he looked up arms and saw that there is only one for the TC30. It is interchangable for left or right. There is not a heavier set. Now on you picture, I see that there are several holes bore through the arm. Mine has three. In the first the stabilizer is fastened. In the second in the forked arm. several inches behind that there is a third. Dealer wants me to move the stabilizer to that third hole. this will put the torque point closer to implement. If this works, which I dought it will, then great. If it doesn't, I've already spied a much heavier straight bar arm at TSC. It's red though. I'll have to repaint. I think it had an India sticker on it. Will soon see if it is better than the one with a Japan sticker on it.
Soundguy, I thought about welding also. I've been letting my brother do all my welding until now. This could be a good reason for me to buy a welder and start playing.
Soundguy, I thought about welding also. I've been letting my brother do all my welding until now. This could be a good reason for me to buy a welder and start playing.
Soundguy
Old Timer
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- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
That red arm at TSC is a ford arm.
make sure it will fit your machine.. it is designed for the N/NAA/ and can fit the hundred and early thousand series on some models.
See if the mounting point and lift link arms points will match up. Does the tc 30 have straight arms? or ones bent to clear tires?
And yes.. having stuff that needs welding is an excelent excuse for purchasing a welder. When i bought my batwing mower.. that pretty much spurred me on to get a real arc welder as well.
Soundguy
make sure it will fit your machine.. it is designed for the N/NAA/ and can fit the hundred and early thousand series on some models.
See if the mounting point and lift link arms points will match up. Does the tc 30 have straight arms? or ones bent to clear tires?
And yes.. having stuff that needs welding is an excelent excuse for purchasing a welder. When i bought my batwing mower.. that pretty much spurred me on to get a real arc welder as well.
Soundguy
Soundguy
I thought I'd take my arm with me when I go check it out. The one I have is straight (or suppose to be). The idea of extending the stabilizer arms is a no go. They are not long enough when screwed out to touch the back hole. I really would like to rig up an old style stabilizer bar. This would not be as "cute" as the way they have them set up now, but when I'm working, I'm working, and I'm not interest is walking aroiund and seeing my arms bent to heck and back. The dealer is of little help. If it isn't in the NH catalogue for the TC30, he doesn't know what to do.
The TC30 is one strong little machine. I really enjoy it and work it. I don't baby it. But the swinging harrow is too much on those little arms.
I thought I'd take my arm with me when I go check it out. The one I have is straight (or suppose to be). The idea of extending the stabilizer arms is a no go. They are not long enough when screwed out to touch the back hole. I really would like to rig up an old style stabilizer bar. This would not be as "cute" as the way they have them set up now, but when I'm working, I'm working, and I'm not interest is walking aroiund and seeing my arms bent to heck and back. The dealer is of little help. If it isn't in the NH catalogue for the TC30, he doesn't know what to do.
The TC30 is one strong little machine. I really enjoy it and work it. I don't baby it. But the swinging harrow is too much on those little arms.
jimmysisson
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The previous owner of my 2120 welded some 1/2" x 3/4" bar stock to the bottom of the lower arms. It looks like he did that before they bent, maybe he was worried they would. I've had no problems with them, and about 1400# on them. My 135 Massey had much spindlier 3-point parts than this 2120 and had no trouble either, with the same disc on it. Maybe the metallurgy was real good on that Massey. I'd try the reinforcing routine.
Jim
Jim
Soundguy
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I think I'd get a set of better fititng chain and turnbuckles. no need to have an implement swinging around on the back..
Soundguy
Soundguy
HRS said:
OK, this is what I'd done/decided on at this point. I've removed the lift arms and beat them back straight. They did not twist (thank goodness). So now they both seem pretty strait.
I've removed the stabilizer rods, and discovered that the turnbuckle is attached to a mount on the underside of the rollbar. This mount is a piece of what looks to be 1/2 inch steel. It is welded to the Rollbar. The hole running through it is 1/2 inch. This hole is too small to allow me to use the stabilizer pins as often found on the older tractors. The shank on them is 5/8. So I'm considering drilling out that 1/2 to a 5/8. That would be removing what (1/32 in) from each "side" of the hole. I think this should work. If not, I could use a grade 8 bolt and create a pin in the smaller hole. I did this the other night. I even found a cat1 spacer that makes the fit on the new stabilizer a more snug fit, but it still isn't as good as the pin I'm going for.
The stabilizer I'm interested in using, I picked up from TSC. It is adjustable and created much like the top link for the 3ph. It has a jam nut and all. Anyone with a TSC have probably seen what I'm talking about. It has a cat1 eye on either end, thus the need for that pin as oppose to a little 1/2 inch bolt.
So, I've drained water from tires at this point. That is all I had in them. I flood my own tires. No chemicals or anything. I'll tell you of my progress later as I make some.
I've removed the stabilizer rods, and discovered that the turnbuckle is attached to a mount on the underside of the rollbar. This mount is a piece of what looks to be 1/2 inch steel. It is welded to the Rollbar. The hole running through it is 1/2 inch. This hole is too small to allow me to use the stabilizer pins as often found on the older tractors. The shank on them is 5/8. So I'm considering drilling out that 1/2 to a 5/8. That would be removing what (1/32 in) from each "side" of the hole. I think this should work. If not, I could use a grade 8 bolt and create a pin in the smaller hole. I did this the other night. I even found a cat1 spacer that makes the fit on the new stabilizer a more snug fit, but it still isn't as good as the pin I'm going for.
The stabilizer I'm interested in using, I picked up from TSC. It is adjustable and created much like the top link for the 3ph. It has a jam nut and all. Anyone with a TSC have probably seen what I'm talking about. It has a cat1 eye on either end, thus the need for that pin as oppose to a little 1/2 inch bolt.
So, I've drained water from tires at this point. That is all I had in them. I flood my own tires. No chemicals or anything. I'll tell you of my progress later as I make some.
Surgery is going well. I have spun all four tires out. This gives me a between the tracks span of 3ft 1 inch, which is just right for my garden. I create 3 ft wide beds. Here I do not care to have pressure on the beds themselves. With the tires "in" I only had 2 1/2 feet between the tracks.
The rollbars I had to take off. Even with tires off I could not get to the mount to brill it out that extra 1/8 inch. Both have now been tapped and the pins are being inserted. I'm torqueing these boys on at 300 ft/lbs. Additonally, I taking pictures as I go. Unfort. I have to have these developed. Don't have that dig. yet. So I'll post some pics in a day or two once everything is reassembled and pics are developed.
The rollbars I had to take off. Even with tires off I could not get to the mount to brill it out that extra 1/8 inch. Both have now been tapped and the pins are being inserted. I'm torqueing these boys on at 300 ft/lbs. Additonally, I taking pictures as I go. Unfort. I have to have these developed. Don't have that dig. yet. So I'll post some pics in a day or two once everything is reassembled and pics are developed.
