Built a quick and dirty thumb.

[npalen]

I'm wondering what actually caused the rod to bend other than simple column overload. Were the pins lubed so they could turn freely? I see that you have good provision for greasing but I sometimes forget to lube prior to prototype testing.

 

[aarolar]

OK here's V2, dad and I talked and he felt the rod failed because the mount failed and vice versa so I welded it up proper this time. Besides the repad I also changed the open width to 36" instead of 42" and that alone made a world of difference in the smoothness of operation. The gussets are a good idea and I may add that at a later date.



Thanks for all the input guys I hope it works out better this time.

 

[aarolar]

I'm wondering what actually caused the rod to bend other than simple column overload. Were the pins lubed so they could turn freely? I see that you have good provision for greasing but I sometimes forget to lube prior to prototype testing.

Yes it was greased I'm a nut about greasing stuff it's actually a job I enjoy.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm wondering what actually caused the rod to bend other than simple column overload. Were the pins lubed so they could turn freely? I see that you have good provision for greasing but I sometimes forget to lube prior to prototype testing.

The rod bent because more load was placed on it than the hydraulics had the ability to produce. Hafta think about that for a bit.

 

[ovrszd]

The mount failure happened second.

 

[npalen]

The rod bent because more load was placed on it than the hydraulics had the ability to produce. Hafta think about that for a bit.

So you're saying that the rod would not have bent if there was more psi available?

 

[ovrszd]

So you're saying that the rod would not have bent if there was more psi available?

Nope.

I'm saying the host tractor cannot produce enough hydraulic pressure to bend the rod under normal use situations. It bent because forces in excess of the hydraulic capability were applied to the rod.

 

[ovrszd]

Getting ready to check out for the evening. Don't want to leave with an open question.

If the tractor had the hydraulic capability to bend the rod, it could be accomplished by activating the valve to close the claw and holding it. The tractor does not have that hydraulic capability. So to bend the rod there had to be forces outside the hydraulic capability of the tractor. Pretty simple if you think about it.

I've bent three cylinder rods. Never once was it because of the hydraulic strength of the tractor......

 

[spursjingles]

Fix or toss? Ovrszd

View attachment 499802

Wow! That must have been some stress to bend like that. New cylinder should not be too much. I pay 75 canadian for those.

 

[aczlan]

So you're saying that the rod would not have bent if there was more psi available?

When you have the grapple in fully closed position, how much clearance was there between the bottom of the clevis on the rod end of the cylinder and the bracket on the grapple? Looking at your picture, it appears that there isn't much clearance there and if they touch that could have been what bent your rod.

Aaron Z