bent front bar on Jinma 204

[rider10099]

I was out plowing snow by the barn, going down an incline - when I looked at my front wheels they were pointing in different directions - don't have to be a mechanic to know this isn't good.
Looks like a bar between the two front wheels is bent - what is it called and is it hard to replace - and is there anything I can do to move the tractor back to the shop without replacing the bar - would rather work on the concrete floor than in 3 feet of snow.
thanks
John

 

[greg_g]

They remove easily. Unscrew each end, and take just the rod inside with you for straightening. Be very careful of the female threaded ends though. Do not use any clamping or gripping force on them at all. Because if they get out-of-round, you'll never get it back on the tractor.

//greg//

 

[rider10099]

thanks Greg,
I will dig out the area tomorrow and try and remove the bar - you make it sound easy - I will let you know - I assume when I pull the bar it will be easy then to turn the wheels with the front end suspended by the bucket?
Cheers
John

 

[greg_g]

I assume when I pull the bar it will be easy then to turn the wheels with the front end suspended by the bucket?

Yes. But don't rely solely on the bucket to hold the front end off the ground. Use jackstands.

//greg//

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

#1 Looks like a bar between the two front wheels is bent - what is it called

#2 and is it hard to replace -

#3 and is there anything I can do to move the tractor back to the shop without replacing the bar - would rather work on the concrete floor than in 3 feet of snow.

thanks
John

#1 Drag Link.

#2 The drag link has a tie rod on each end (book calls it a Pull Rod joint). Remove the castle nut on each tie rod end. They have a press fit and will require breaking loose.

#3 Once they get bent they are considered junk to me and will require replacement. You could take a sledge hammer, pry bar or both to get it straight enough to half way steer it back to the shop.


It's hard to get a drag link straight with a hammer without putting flat spots in it (thats where it will bend next time). The drag link is where you set / adjust the toe end. If the tie rod ends have any play in them ??.... now is the time to replace them. Sometimes the threads are seized where the tie rods screws in the end of the drag link. One end has left hand threads & the other end has right hand. Set / adjust the toe after replacing part/ parts.



Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

 

[psj12]

I have straightened them before, just not on a chinese tractor, and they all worked fine afterwards. I used an acetelene torch to heat them and straighten them. On hollow ones I have then inserted a piece of solid rod to strengthen it.

Because length may change slightly due to the bending it may require putting the tie rod ends in slightly different positions to set toe in. However I don't think you will be going 90 mph on your tractor.

 

[Bob Rooks]

The appropriate sized schedule 160 pipe cut to the right length will make an excellent replacement.
It used to be that the drag link , having ball & socket joints on both ends and made with a taper & drawn up with a nut, went from the sector gear arm to the steering hub & spindle on either side of the vehicle (tractors included). The tie rod, which also has the same type of ball & socket joints on each end, goes between the two front steering hubs, across the front or rear of the axle. Toe-in is adjusted with the tie rod, and probably is less than 7°, depending on the built-in camber.

 

[GuglioLS]

John,

The drag link (tube that connects the two tie rods together) bent on my Jinma 354 similar to yours? does yours look like this:?



As mentioned it is very easy to remove. I was able to straighten mine using the bucket curl of my Back Hoe, you could use some other means to straighten it, be creative such as placing the two ends of the rod on blocks and use the FEL to push down on it in the middle.

After I straighetned mine out, I hammered in a solid rod to prevent it from ever bending again, it works fine just like PSJ12 (Parry) said.

I was able to get the tube bent straight, so it only took a few whacks of the hammer and punch to drive it into the tube, and have it evenly spaced at the ends:




This is an after picture of the drag link which is essentially now a solid rod vs a hollow tube:



Final touches - I got the Toe-in set so that the distance between the front of the tires is 1/2" narrower than the distance between the rear of the front tires. I locked the steering knuckle nuts tight against the tie rod.
All done :



Hope some of this helps...

Larry

 

[rider10099]

Looks pretty similar - getting light enough to go out and take a look - snow is melting except of course where the tractor is because it is in a drift! Isn't that always the rule.
Thanks
John

 

[rider10099]

I got the castle nuts off, along with the two washers - but can't pull the pull rods out - how much force can I use to break them free?

 

[Diamondpilot]

You can use a tool called a Pickle Fork or Ball Joint Splitter but if there is a rubber boot be careful not to damage. You can also just put the nut back on half way or so and then use a piece of hard wood like oak and place it on the nut to protect and give it a wack with a hammer. Be careful not to damage anything. This should loosen it up then remove the nut and it will fall out.

Chris

 

[rider10099]

That worked got it off - was able to straighten some - but not completely - think it would need heat to allow that - was able to get to the point to slowly get it back into it's house - big red doesn't like being outside. The rod and the ball joints look pretty rough - my guess is that I have whacked it before and the snow finished it, so will order new parts and throw them on.
Thanks everyone for all your help - parts source?
Cheers
John

 

[RonMar]

You know, I had the exact same thing happen to me snow plowing on Tuesday evening. the rod was bent back in a nice even arc and the front wheels were pointed outward.

I straightened mine in place using the little bottle shaped screw jack that comes standard in all the 80's-early 90's toyota pickups. I put the base of the jack against the crossmember for the FEL subframe, and the slight curve in the top of the jack matched and held the rod nearly perfectly. I used a small scrap of 3/4" plywood above the rod and below the front dif structure to keep the rod moving forward perpendicular to the ground and not up into the driveshaft cover. I had to go a little past center to get it to stay straight, but it straightened up pretty nicely, and only took me about 10 minutes on the garage floor getting rained on my melting snow I have bent it before on a stump and straightened it in a similar manner. It now probably needs to come off and be replaced.

The ball joints can be a real pain. Be carefull using the hammer on the end on the castle nut, as ALL the hammer force is borne by that cast iron arm in shear(weakest mode) untill the ball joint pops free. The pickle fork is the prefered method as any hammer force applied to the fork can be directed along the length of the cast iron arm in compression which is a stronger axis. The hammer blows will also force the two pieces apart equally like a splitting wedge on a piece of firewood. I don't think I have ever used one that I didn't damage the boot though. I have also had pretty good luck using a small puller applied to a well greased center punch mark right in the middle of the threaded end. I do this with the castle nut loosley in place so it can chase the threads if the screw rod should slip or distort the end of the threaded rod. Once it pops, you unscrew the castle nut and they usually lift right out by hand.

Good luck

 

[psj12]

It sounds to like the rod may need a little beefing up. A piece of angle could be welded lengthwise to the front or back side to strengthen it against future snow plowing jobs.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would be leary of beefing it up too much. You get it too strong and something else will break. I would much rather straiten the bar then replace a broken steering knuckle or steering cylinder.

Maybe a guard is in order. I use my tractor in the woods about 75 hours a year logging and have done no damage. I guess I am just lucky.

Chris

 

[rider10099]

I sent off an order to affordable - hopefully they have the rod and joints in stock. I checked later and must have nicked one of the threads - so the nut doesn't want to go on. They had enough play in them that I thought I may as well as replace them at this point.
Appreciate the ideas on taking the curve out - I measured the angle and it was 41 degrees so lots of bend.
I like the idea of a guard - I think beefing it up though would cause damage to other parts - I do think I will put a bar inside for a little bit of added power.
As always all of you are great, and made my day a whole lot easier.
Thanks
John

 

[RonMar]

The first time I bent mine, I was brushhogging. I use the FEL bucket down low as a feeler in the thick brush. I had lifted the FEL up a little to push some big branches out of the way and didn't put it as far back down and a short stump snuck under that was just high enough to catch the tie rod. I was thinking the same thing about a guard, somehow attached to the bottom of the front axle to protect that rod.

I am still not quite sure how I bent it pushing snow. I didn't hit anything as I was in driveways the whole time... I don't think I hung the right wheel up against anything, but I guess it would be possible to bow an already slightly bent/out of true rod with the steering hydraulic cylinder? Left wheel turns, right wheel dosn't, tie-rod bends under compression?

 

[Affordable]

John,we do have all the parts in stock and they will ship out on Monday,please call Jerry at the shop 979-865-4002 to confirm the length of your tie rod,some of the 20-22 hp tractors used a shorter tie rod..Thanks for the business


" Your Jinma parts Superstore "

Tommy
Affordable Tractor Sales
Home of compact Jinma, Foton, and Koyker Tractors and Parts, Wood Chippers, Backhoes - Affordable Tractor Sales Company

 

[3RRL]

lol ... I can't believe it.
All you guys who bent your tie rods and I've never bent mine.
Of all the things I've screwed up on my tractor, you'd think the tie rod would be #1. It's obvious I'm much more careful than you guys after all. Now I have broken the tie rod ENDS off before ... 2 times.

 

[greg_g]

lol ... I can't believe it.
All you guys who bent your tie rods and I've never bent mine.

They've got Jinmas Rob. I bent the same **** rod within weeks of owning my first Jinma. But our tractors are much less susceptible to this particular issue. I've never struck - much less bent - the steering rods on either of my current tractors. It's the high placement and the front diff housing that protect our pull rods.

//greg//