Don't do crack!!

[Ryan03]

I am not intimatly familiar with the loader that you have, however if the tube just sits between the loader arms and is welded on only one side of each loader arm , I also would opt for replacement of the tube. If it was my farmtrac loader where the tube passes through each loader arm and is welded on each side of each arm, then I would go the fishplating route if at all possible. One thing that I feel needs to be mentioned, is that if you do cut this crossmember out, BEFORE YOU CUT ANYTHING, it is highly adviseable that you either build some kind of jig to hold it in alignment once you cut the tube, or do what I have done in the past which is tack weld a couple peices of 2x2 angle across the loader arms as close as possible to the tube that will be replaced. Three peices would , in my opinion be adequate for this task. Perhaps two on the top in front of and behind the tube, and one on the bottom in the relative area of the repair, or vice versa. Once the new tube is installed, simply cut the tack welds and remove the temporary bracing. As mentioned earlier, go over all your loader bolts with a fine tooth comb, also check your bucket pins, and be sure one is not missing or hammered out, likewise with your pivot pins on the loader. Also as you said earlier, it could be a blown cylinder, or defective tubing. If you lived closer to Chardon Ohio, I would tell you to load it up and bring it over this weekend, and we would get it dialed in, but you are way to far away for that to be feasable. Good luck, Ryan.

 

[LBrown59]

WOW, never seen that before! That piece is called the "torque tube"...Have you thought of contacting your dealer on this? looks like maybe a factory defect? *But now that you have attempted a repair yourself they may be unwilling to help.

this is why I would have
contacted the dealer first thing.

 

[keving]

WOW, never seen that before! That piece is called the "torque tube"...Have you thought of contacting your dealer on this? looks like maybe a factory defect? But now that you have attempted a repair yourself they may be unwilling to help.

I think kennyd hit it right on this one... I'd have the dealer and manufacturer all over this. Don't give them any slack.

 

[MaineTWLSB]

WOW, never seen that before! That piece is called the "torque tube"...Have you thought of contacting your dealer on this? looks like maybe a factory defect? But now that you have attempted a repair yourself they may be unwilling to help.

this is why I would have
contacted the dealer first thing.

I think kennyd hit it right on this one... I'd have the dealer and manufacturer all over this. Don't give them any slack.

Hindsight being 20/20 and all that. I bought this tractor used (though only 129hrs) and I'm not sure how long Kubota backs their products. But the damage is done in any case (both the split and self fix). Of course I won't be any kind of advocate for Kubota loaders now but other than that I'm not sure how/why the dealer would help.

Thanks again everybody

John

 

[Soundguy]

Perhaps there wasn't full penetration .. or the grinding weakoned it.

I'd regrove, and reweld.. and then weld a patch over it.. pipe or angle stock.. anything to add some extra support.

soundguy

 

[dfkrug]

That is the biggest question is "why?" is this happening. I just started a welding course two weeks ago and the instructor is very, very good, so I'll ask him too. Will also pass on everyone's advice here. John-bud I kind of like your "start from scratch" idea but all that welding is beyond me right now.

I have some rectangular tubing with a similar seam defect. It was purchased
at a surplus steel reseller. For the whole length of the tubing, you can see
the defect on the outside in only a few places. On the inside, it is clearly
visible.

Your FEL seems to have some shed 40 tubing with this defect and there are
lots of good fixes posted here. If you do not want to do as much welding
as a full replacement calls for, and you want it to look nice, you might
consider adding your reinforcement from the inside. I would do this using
a 1/4 lengthwise cut piece of tubing in the inside of the torque tube. If there
was a tubing or pipe size you could buy that fit tightly inside the torque
tube, you can use that, but I don't think you will find any. I would then cut
along the crack to open it up to 1/4" over its full length, then weld it full with
the 1/4 tubing backer. Do not grind off the weld....leave it just proud of the
tube surface.