3-Point Hitch BX swing arm substitutes?

[SPYDERLK]

Winter snow removal requires me to occassionaly push with my rear blade, and the arms just fold. I having gussets welded in the new pair to beef them up, but I'm interested in any other solutions.

I too have had no trouble with mine. I can see how you could tho with a wide blade catching on one side - or combined with very good traction. I think the result from reinforcement would be better than extending several inches further to the rear in order to use straighter arms. That ends up with the implement having a lot of leverage on the small tractor and could prove an unacceptable tradeoff.
larry.

 

[kevinj]

Winter snow removal requires me to occassionaly push with my rear blade, and the arms just fold. I having gussets welded in the new pair to beef them up, but I'm interested in any other solutions.

I find it hard to belive the arms fold pushing snow. Many people push with the 3PH and do not bend the arms. Slamming into a solid object might bend them though.

 

[MarkV]

My thought would be that if you are using your tractor in a way that bends the lift arms once a year what breaks when you make stronger lift arms?

MarkV

 

[bp fick]

My thought would be that if you are using your tractor in a way that bends the lift arms once a year what breaks when you make stronger lift arms?

MarkV

My thoughts as well. Yup, what now will be the weakest link? A little scary to think about.

 

[ayelvington]

Here is a "before" photo of a new arm next to the bent arm. I'm taking the new arms to a neighbor tonight to have a gusset put in to cover the second bend.

For the information of all, you can buy a complete 3-pt kit for the price of two arms and two turnbuckles. That's like getting the top-link thrown in for free!

The turnbuckles are the next to go...

 

[Just2quickz28]

Are you hitting something solid when pushing? Are your turn buckles tight, stopping side to side movement when pushing? that looks like some leverage on the inside of the tire or frame helped with the bending when the implement moved sideways.

 

[ayelvington]

Turn buckles are snug, but not taunt. I have hit objects in the past, but this is the effect of repeated pushing of snow. I appreciate the risk of the gussets, but I'm sick of popping for new arms too. The arms are so soft that I'm pretty confident that they will still bend if I hit something hard enough.

 

[radioman]

OUCH! I see what you mean now of the arms being bent. you need a flat bar welded on the top of the arms so it forms a T to make it stronger. 3rrL did that on his tractor when he was using his boxblade as a dozer. You could've taken your old arms to the machine shop and have them put it in the hydraulic press and press back to shape.

I have used my back blade to push the snow back before, but I never bent the arms. It looks like you were hitting icy banks or something with it. If this is the case, perhaps its time for you to go front mount blade on the FEL arms so you can push snow up and over the banks like I do.

 

[ayelvington]

You could've taken your old arms to the machine shop and have them put it in the hydraulic press and press back to shape.

I plan to reshape the old arms and gusset them after the dealer shows them to the regional service manager. I'll paint them green and use them as "winter arms". My neighbors tell me they'll lift more if they're green:laughing:

 

[bp fick]

Those are some kinda bent!

The arms used by similar JD tractors are not that different in style and shape.
Again, not to be a broken record, but I just cannot wrap my mind around pushing hard enough with a three point to bend them that severely.

Let us know what your mod looks like when done. Interesting.