Bending steel back on a box scrapper

[gmason]

I made a slight mis-calculation on the location of a snow covered curb last week and bent the arm on the box scrapper that has the 3pt pin bilted to it. The pin wasn't even 1/8" out of alignment, but the impact bent the 3"x3/8" arm about 15 degrees out.
I tried to take a long piece of pipe slipped over the pin and coax it back but just succeded in bending the pin.
I don't think hitting it with a heavy mall would bent it back. I was thinking of wedgeing it against a tree and using the FEL to straighten it back.
Would applying heat be for the better or worse?
thanks
gary

 

[PaulinSD]

Just heat it up with a torch and bend it back into place. It's just mild steel.

Paul

 

[JJT]

Even with the heat you will probably have to pound on it. I slightly bent a plow mount a few years ago and was surprised how much pounding and heat it took to get it properly alighned, (out of spec by less than .5 inch).

 

[skent]

I was using my 5' box blade to grade an area for a 24' above ground pool. An hour into it I hit a point of a boulder that was just under turf level. Bent one of the arms and broke a weld as well as snapped the top link. Some heat from a torch to get the metal cherry red and a hew swings from a sledge hammer set everything back where it needed to be. Then I beefed up the two arms with some extra 3X3" angle iron. It's better than new.

 

[jimmoore]

Gary, I also bent my box blade the same way, after hammering it back I bolted and welded a heavy piece of steel to the arm and also welded on a gussett. see arrows. I haven't bent it again.