Morkai
Bronze Member
CC makes a 3pt setup for ours? Yeah, that Johnny sleeve hitch was my first idea for project, it's why I bought the first actuator. It seemed the simplest and Lowes here had a box blade on sale for cheap. Well, I saw it one day, they'd had it forever, the next day it was gone. I decided a 3pt would be more versatile anyway.
Yeah, steel is the $$$ part. I ended up buying in 20ft from the local steel yard, 1" sq, 1x2" sq, and angle. Also had to get a full 4x8 sheet of 10ga even though I only needed half that. I have a few hundred bucks in the steel alone, but it's all like 10-11ga steel, so heavy duty. I'm not known for under-kill.
Well, before I knew about the issues with the steering, the only thing that concerned me was the main channel behind the engine where it's not boxed. I was worried a lot of weight or downward force on the front end might bend it there in the middle, so I made a support piece out of 3/16" thick 1" angle that runs to the open bolt hole just under the foot rest and bolts to the two main bolts in the side and adds a 3rd just in front of the frame for strength. It runs just under the channel and wraps around the bottom bend, with two tabs for the bolt holes by the front axle and under front rest. Any downward torque should cause it to try and twist up in the rear actually under the frame rail. I can actually lift the front of the tractor up with the bucket a couple feet to get jack stands under the front axle.
As far as the steering goes, I think it would've given me probs even w/o the loader stress. The horizontal metal that the housing bolts to only seemed to be attached with two spot welds on the upper right side behind the dash. It flexed a LOT. I think that is why my steering housing actually cracked in front of the shaft bearing. It won't now though, I just welded it in. I have a pic of it, I guess I should start another thread.
Yeah, steel is the $$$ part. I ended up buying in 20ft from the local steel yard, 1" sq, 1x2" sq, and angle. Also had to get a full 4x8 sheet of 10ga even though I only needed half that. I have a few hundred bucks in the steel alone, but it's all like 10-11ga steel, so heavy duty. I'm not known for under-kill.
Well, before I knew about the issues with the steering, the only thing that concerned me was the main channel behind the engine where it's not boxed. I was worried a lot of weight or downward force on the front end might bend it there in the middle, so I made a support piece out of 3/16" thick 1" angle that runs to the open bolt hole just under the foot rest and bolts to the two main bolts in the side and adds a 3rd just in front of the frame for strength. It runs just under the channel and wraps around the bottom bend, with two tabs for the bolt holes by the front axle and under front rest. Any downward torque should cause it to try and twist up in the rear actually under the frame rail. I can actually lift the front of the tractor up with the bucket a couple feet to get jack stands under the front axle.
As far as the steering goes, I think it would've given me probs even w/o the loader stress. The horizontal metal that the housing bolts to only seemed to be attached with two spot welds on the upper right side behind the dash. It flexed a LOT. I think that is why my steering housing actually cracked in front of the shaft bearing. It won't now though, I just welded it in. I have a pic of it, I guess I should start another thread.