3-Point Hitch Bent Telescopic Stabilizer using box blade

[Porchfan]

Bent the right telescopic stabilizer today on my 3pt hitch. Did not notice it until I was almost done for the day. I was ripping up some roots and leveling a road that runs the back of our property. I tilted the box blade to the left most of the day. This allowed me to cut into the high side incline. The road has never really been level. It is now- although I now have a bent stabilizer. Was wondering what caused the bend? Was the tilt the cause? Was the top link not adjusted correctly? Or did I just over do it. Some of those roots were brutal. The tractor did a great job. However, this was essentially the first job it's done. Below is a couple pictures of the stabilizers.

 

[jeff9366]

B2650 is a great tractor but at 2,300 pounds you were expecting too much from it.

Certainly pulling on a tilt increased the stress on the lower link.

If you have a good welding shop nearby it may be repairable.

 

[Porchfan]

The link is OK, it's the much lighter stabilizer. Yeah - Maybe so on the size. I have a loader with a QA 60 in bucket on the front. I was really workin' it today. It could have been when I was backing up with the rippers down in the dirt. Not sure. I'm pretty sure the stabilizers are meant to bend if you push it too much. The box blade I have is also 6in wider than recommended (54 vs 60). Weight it ok. (395lbs vs 500 limit). For now, I bent the stabilizer back in my vise. I can heat it up with my mig welder with a bead around the stress point, grid it off and then quench in oil. That's work in the past on other things like this. One thing I noticed is I had the left stabilizer pinned in the slot, and the right side in a fixed hole. The slots allow for a little sway in your implement. I probably should have had both fixed with a tilted box blade. Not sure if that put too much stress on the right side fixed position. With the box tilted to the left, I would have thought most of the stress was on that side. Anyway, when it gets light out, I'll post some pics of the road. I still have more work to do as well as put in a few drain pipes under it. Good news is most of the roots are gone now and I have good weather the next 4 days

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

Try to find some one with a press to straighten try not to heat it as this will weaken link.

 

[jeff9366]

Stabilizers are much weaker when the tractor is in reverse, pushing a Box Blade.

Fundamentally, tractorS are designed to PULL.

 

[PHILIP8N]

You did all this with turf tires? And most people say turfs are useless

In my experience, I have never bent a stabilizer pulling an implement. I have bent them by being over aggressive in reverse. Taking a 3000# tractor, backing up at speed, and dropping a blade into a snow bank, bent the stabilizer. My guess is that you did this while in reverse. Philip.

 

[Porchfan]

Yup - Turf tires. The wife convinced me to get those instead of R4. I have to drive through the yard to get to the back of our property. When you have the 4x4 engaged it can make a mess of grass even with turf tires. Also - the ground is not too wet and had some gravel on it. I had good traction most of the time. The road is also a little down hill when I had the box blade down. On the bent stabilizer - I'm almost convinced I did this going in reverse with the rippers down. No more of that. As a far as heat and strength on the steel - if I heat and quench it right, it can actually make it stronger. I'm not convince I want to do that (make it stronger). I suspect they are designed to bend. Better that than breaking an axle or something more expensive. Whether I do the steel conditioning correctly or not depends on how much I educate myself on that. Maybe a torch would be better than a bead of Mig Weld. I'll probably get a replacement anyway.

 

[jeff9366]

I believe you will shudder when told the cost of the factory replacement stabilizer.

With the old-style factory turnbuckles, they were only available as a pair.

 

[Porchfan]

Yeah...Probably so on the cost. Below is the stabilizer straightened and re-installed. I also added a few pics of the road. I need to cut a ditch on the high side today. No backing up this time. The road is less leveled than I thought after looking at these pics

 

[kcender]

Glad to see you got it fixed.As far as heat treating the steel,I wouldn't think it would have a high enough carbon content to allow any appreciable difference.