Fixing Cracks in a Backhoe - Big ! with pics
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JimR
Elite Member
Nice job fixing up the old backhoe. Someone surely abused that for years. I bet it is better than new when you get through with it. Nice welds by the way. I too am a hobby welder and have been doing it since trade school back in 1970.
Did a bit of touch up welding the other day. Just ground off some of the poor welds holding on a patch and zipped some good metal in to hold it together. Then today put the boom, box and swing post on a trailer and dropped them off at the machine shop. Getting 9 bushings put in, having 3 pins turned down 10 or 20 thousands, 4 swing links made and the lower bushing (that's currently crooked) cut off and welded on in the correct spot. I shudder to think what it will cost, but look forward to the smooth operation when it's back together. Should be done in a couple weeks.
Happy welding!
jb
Happy welding!
jb
JimR
Elite Member
It will be just like new when you are done with it. Nice welding too.
Sully2
Veteran Member
thingy said:
Pure newbie here...and have only ever used fluxcore so far...but whether Im practicing horizontal or vertical welds I do much better when I can SEE the puddle...dragging the gun towards me..
?? No idea how I could see a vertical weld by PUSHING the gun and puddle..but with the gun tipped at whats suppose to be the "proper" angles..I see it fine when Im pulling a verticle weld..???
Sully2
Veteran Member
thingy said:
Yep..we are talking the same way then. Nozzle headed UP...gun handle DOWN.
sandman2234
Super Member
- Joined
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- JD2555 and a few Allis Chalmers and now one Kubota
John
Your now running into what I have been waiting on to happen. I got started reading this post a little late and wondered with all the welding and heating just how you were going to line up the pins and bushings when it was all done. Seems now is the time, and it will probably be the hardest part of the job. Not as hot or dirty as some of the work you have been thru, but getting a pin into a hole that uses 3 decimal places of fit can be a challenge when you try to align them.
Wish you were closer, and we could trim some of those pins with my lathe or ream the bushings with the Bridgeport.
Check around and find some home shop guy with a lathe and a mill and see if he will trade out work with you. I know I would if you were here, as I would love to see that hoe working on a ditch I have out back.
Back to the armchair,
David from jax
Your now running into what I have been waiting on to happen. I got started reading this post a little late and wondered with all the welding and heating just how you were going to line up the pins and bushings when it was all done. Seems now is the time, and it will probably be the hardest part of the job. Not as hot or dirty as some of the work you have been thru, but getting a pin into a hole that uses 3 decimal places of fit can be a challenge when you try to align them.
Wish you were closer, and we could trim some of those pins with my lathe or ream the bushings with the Bridgeport.
Check around and find some home shop guy with a lathe and a mill and see if he will trade out work with you. I know I would if you were here, as I would love to see that hoe working on a ditch I have out back.
Back to the armchair,
David from jax
JimR
Elite Member
sandman2234 said:
You may be able to ream the holes out to align them using an adjustable reamer. You can have some oversize pins make to fit.
sandman2234 said:
Wow, now there's a good reason to move down south! That and lower taxes, warmer weather, no snow.... Got any jobs down there?
Actually, The main "box" part of the hoe was pretty badly damaged at some point. The lower mount was broken off and welded on with about 1/4" of mis-alignment. (See picture) The machine shop folks are going to cut off the bottom mount parallel to the box and weld it back on so it lines up correctly, then add bushings. I can weld, but I can't WELD!
By taking the boom, the box and the swing post AND all the pins to my favorite machine shop it should slide together sweetly. They are going to turn down the current pins 10 or 20 thou and match the bushings to the pins. Having a "buddy" with tools to swap chores with would be ideal, but my buddies only have small tools and no mills. (boo hoo, boo hoo)
I actually love to mess around and dig in the dirt and would gladly do the ditching for you - just move closer! Drove 8 miles to a buddies 40 acres and dug a pond. It isn't wetlands, but the water table is close to the surface and the pond was easily done in a day. I am heating my house with wood from him that we split and stacked. It's pretty much just being a good neighbor around here.
Did have a bit of an exciting few moments in the shop this afternoon. I was using the engine cherry picker to turn the dipper stick with bucket on it's side. Seems gravity intruded into the operation after the dipper was about 48 degrees tilted. It then flopped towards the cherry picker, which is on wheels, accelerating it back to the wall REALLY fast. Naturally, I was standing on it at the time and had visions of getting some portions of my anatomy much thinner. Fortunately, I was far enough away from the wall and that didn't happen, but I did get tossed off the cherry picker. Didn't fall, but I chose poorly in objects to steady myself on. In case you are wondering, the blade of a band saw isn't the best thing to slam into to avoid falling. I now have a cut on the outside edge of the pinky, tip to knuckle. Actually, it's 2-3 cuts but only one was drippy. Didn't hurt until I had to clean it out. Ouch! Why do I only hurt myself when greasy and grimey?
jb