Compact tractor loader needs twisted back straight

[DK35vince]

Let the car drivers insurance pay for the damage and get it fixed right.

 

[azeller22]

I would, but i bought this tractor at an insurance auction. It was sitting on a dealership lot when this happened.

 

[airbiscuit]

So when it's all put back together, you'll have to let us what kind of deal you got :tractor:

 

[azeller22]

Next week I'll be meeting a service tech from Caterpillar who has some experience straightening booms. I called a frame straightening shop today and they didn't want to try. I'll try some others. Stripping it down some more today, I think it can be fixed by simply cutting the lower rectangular tubing and welding in a new piece. I believe that is the weak member and where the twist is. I work with pipeliners and the welder says he thinks it's an easy fix, but I'll go that route after I explore twisting it back into shape.

 

[Xfaxman]

I would mount it on the tractor, chain the high side and use a bottle jack on the low side.

The trick is finding something to chain it to and be able to get the correct angle with the jack.

You need to go past straight because it will spring back a little.

 

[DieselBound]

It was hit on the left front, yes? Can you tell what areas of the arm got stressed? I'm thinking that somewhere the paint is going to tell you where.

I have to wonder whether this really can be straightened, that the structural integrity might be compromised. With more square tubing I could see cutting and welding for correcting, but these arms look pretty rounded.

 

[azeller22]

The arms seem solid, I can see the twist in the lower box beam and believe that's the culprit and would be the weakest link.

It looks like the car ran into the left bucket wall and went airborne off it.

 

[Plantation Paul]

Check with a local body shop that has a frame rack . They can pull from all kinds of angles .

A good frame machine would work. They have jacks, blocks, chains etc to bind it down and make it twist. I used to operate one long time ago and it was strong enough to tear up some stuff if you weren't careful.

 

[buickanddeere]

Metal hardening , fatigue then breakage could be the result. Most people here have broken something when they had it bend back just about straight.

 

[Xfaxman]

Metal hardening , fatigue then breakage could be the result. Most people here have broken something when they had it bend back just about straight.

That won't be a problem with his loader, it isn't bent very much.

I have straightened a bunch of bent stuff over the years and haven't seen any thing break later on.