Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles

   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles #21  
This has worked for me on other models with FEL. Lower FEL to raise front axle. Chain off broken side to FEL. Raise FEL to clear ground and pivot good side down to carry load. Drive away slowly. Depending on how yours is set up - your mileage may vary.
 
   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles #22  
First… I’m truly sorry about your crippled new tractor… now just don’t do anything to exasperate the situation and turn it into a “non-warranty” issue…

I like a combo approach of the above suggestions… get a couple “wedges” of wood and place on both sides of the front axle to prevent from oscillating back and forth (make as rigid as possible), use a HD truck type rolling floor jack under disabled side (keep it low), secure floor jack to front axle with HD strap or chain to prevent from falling off, now back the tractor up on the trailer and balance the load appropriately… (the steel wheels of the rolling floor jack is your temp front wheel) (check your trailer ramps, so the jack wheels won’t fall through/get hung up on the grate if that type)

Worst case… call around locally and get quotes from car haulers to flatbed it to your dealer’s location to prevent any further damage and for piece of mind… (I feel a furniture dolly would snap with that extra weight or the wheels won’t move)

18-35197-JD5205JFMsignaturelogo.JPG
 
   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles #23  
Speaking from a position of absolutely NO experience with this problem, I'd ask for field service, especially if axle replacement is fairly "simple" for their service crew. I assume you have no power to the good axle, due to the differential design. Is it O.K. to move the front axle without doing further damage?


We do, however have experience with moving heavy stuff. I liked the blocking under the axle, feared overloading a standard "dolly", or driving it into the ground, and feared toppling the jack even more (but the bucket would keep it up).

If you can get the trailer to the front of the tractor, I'd set a jack stand under the axle, lift the bucket, and back the trailer under so the bucket is on the bed. Then elevate the tractor, and slide/drive/winch it on. Might have to fiddle with the ramps - they should slide apart or be removeable and let you get closer, then go back under for the rear wheels. A little water on the flat bed works wonders, even if it's metal.

Otherwise, we make HD dollies out of doubled 3/4" plywood with store bought wheels (Home Depot, etc.). It's easy to divide a lot of weight by four smaller wheels. You must be looking at supporting less than a ton on the front, right (1/2 tractor weight)? Need a handy dolly to set implements on around the place, or to convert into a rolling wood rack for the stove? You can take it apart, make it another size, or whatever, too, because everything is screwed together.

Get four 300-500# dolly wheels (the ones that rotate in any direction) and a sheet of 3/4" exterior grade plywood (or make up a "raft" out of 2x4's), double up the plywood to your preferred dimensions (we use 16" x needed length a lot, because we get six pieces out of a 96" sheet). Secure the pieces together with bugle heads, a.k.a. sheetrock screws - 8" to 12" spacing an inch back from the edges will do. Screw the dollies to the bottom with 1" or so heavy screws (drill first and size all screws not to protrude through top). In this case, the plywood is just holding the wheels in one place - you don't even need it, but you probably don't want to bolt the wheels to your bucket, do you /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif?

Put that under the bucket, retained with a couple of those 1500# nylon ratchet straps. Keep the bucket level so you don't load the front or back set of wheels more. Lay a piece of plywood on the ground for a "road" to your trailer, and keep the other front wheel down a bit for a slight amount of steering. The tricky part is getting on the trailer, which a sheet of plywood makes easier. Boards work if you can keep on them. You can keep moving the plywood or boards by setting the good wheel back down and sliding your road forward or backward as needed, and angle the bucket to roll smoothly up the ramps.

We love playing with our dollies /w3tcompact/icons/love.gif. If you put another one under the back, you could push that <font color=blue>Big Blue Beast</font color=blue> to the dealer! This is how we lived without a tractor all this time /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif.
 
   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles #24  
Dave, I guess I will add my suggestion to the many good ones you have already received. I think you should consider spot welding the hub back in place just good enough to get the tractor on a trailer and back to your dealer. As crazy as it may sound, you might even try JB Weld. It's amazing how good epoxy will hold if it's not heated too hot. But of course, if you can get help from your dealer, that's the way to go. John Miller raised good points about not doing any more damage.
 
   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles #25  
If you can't wedge a 2X4 under axle, how about a chain on the other side? Maybe from the axle to the FEL frame? Some extra weight on the rear would further lighten the front end /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
 
   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles
  • Thread Starter
#26  
Talked to NH customer service and they reiterated the warranty issue that NH does not cover transportation. The dealer has the option, at their discretion, as to where the service is performed, in the field or in the dealer's shop.

When I bought the TC40D I paid a premium over others because the service from the dealer was great. They came out and repaired a hydraulic hose on the steering once, the day after it broke. However, they went out of business. Now I am stuck working with a dealer that I did not purchase from. They are very professional and congenial but have little incentive to go "above and beyond".

NH, at my request, contacted the dealer to ask the dealer to do what they could. The dealer called back and said they would be willing to pick it up for nothing or next to nothing if one of the sales reps was out in my area. The sales reps have no plans to visit my area. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

Now wish that I had shopped around more and saved the extra money at purchase time.
 
   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles
  • Thread Starter
#27  
Thanks for all the suggestions. Would like to respond to each one but due to having some sort of nasty cold/flu or something its hard to sit at the computer much less get out and take care of the tractor.

The dolly ideas, and the concerns about light weight dollies make sense to me. Don't have dollies at my disposal and am not sure if I want to invest the time/energy/money in making one for this purpose. Of course if one was built it would be useful for other projects as well but haven't had much use for one up till now and my wife will probably appreciate my not accumulating more "stuff".

The 17LA loader on the NH units have a sloped frame. This would make it challenging to chain the axle to the FEL frame and not have the chain slide, scraping paint off and possibly damaging hydraulic tubing. This is probably option 4.

The three options I will attempt are:
1) Drive it using the FEL bucket skidding on the ground, won't be really easy getting up the ramp but may be able to use the FEL bucket curl to "walk" up the ramp.
2) Try using that JB Weld stuff. Forgot all about it. Heard about it once before, probably here on TBN but have never used it. As long as it can hold for the drive on the trailer, the trip to the dealer and back off the trailer at the dealer I'll be happy. Now to just find a local place to buy it. It seems cheap enough, internet sites list it for $5 but don't want to wait days for the shipment.
3) Have a flat bed auto hauler/wrecker do the honors. Would be cheaper then the $300 but don't know how much.

Guess that as the warranty period gets closer to an end I will probably purchase the shop manuals. It doesn't seem that this job would be all that difficult or take very long.

As soon as it stops raining and I feel better I'll attempt driving around using the FEL and see how it goes. But then that JB Weld stuff might be nice to have around (and due to its small size this "stuff" it wouldn't be as noticeable to my wife /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif)
 
   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles #28  
Take care of yourself, Dave. It'd be nice if some of us could get over there to help. I'm sure we would just for the challenge/moral support.

So you've decided to transport?
 
   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles
  • Thread Starter
#29  
<font color=blue>So you've decided to transport?</font color=blue>

I'm too cheap! Gotta at least give it a try before handing over $300 or waiting, who knows how long, beforea sales rep would be in the area. Besides it might be a short interesting project /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif and the CFO is all for saving $300 by investing a few hours.

If we were all closer instead of a "barn raising" we could have a "tractor loading"./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
 
   / Found the weakest link on Boomer Axles #30  
Where is the tractor now? In the dirt or on concrete?

If it is on solid ground something I have done before with cars not tractors but should work the same is If you can get a large A frame on wheels and use the loader to raise the front of the tractor up and chain it to the A frame. Then you could lift the loader and back the trailer under it until you get to the rear wheels and you can drive the tractor on using the A frame as the fron wheels.

I have not used this technique to load onto a trailer before but I should work as long as you get the front end high enough in the air to clear the trailer....It sound like it would be a lot safe than some of the other ideas like the car jack...

Just an Idea.....Hope it helps.
 

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