How to fix this crack

[woodlandfarms]

So I have had this crack in my tractor since I bought it. After a couple of years I took it to a machine shop, they slapped a weld on it and within a year or so it cracked again.

This crack is over top of the corner of the oil tank, and goes into the engine tub. When I am on steep slopes, oil will weep out.

Not completely sure why / how this crack formed, its in an odd area. Probably a bad weld which happens with my type of machine now and then.

So, when I took it to the machine shop to weld, they guy popped the top of the oil tank and welded away, saying there was no issue, it would be very hard to catch the oil onfire.

Now I am going to probably attempt the repair myself. I have some 2" angle iron that I think is 3/8" thick. I am going to just weld it down overtop of the crack (doing it to both sides and for a distance for rigidity). I will, of course, grind down the old weld and apply a new weld underneath.

My questions are this:

Is there a better repair you guys can think of. There is stress in this area, typical tractor flex.

Can I do this weld with the oil tank full (it is not at the top, it is around 3" down). I do not want ot drain the tank as I am afraid of more contamination in the oil, as well, it may make the whole situation more flamable.

Should I drill relief holes (If I do, then I am probably going to have to drain the oil due to contamination falling in the tank).

So basically, how would you experts do this?

 

[jack707]

I would grind out the old welds clean it up good and re weld it

 

[jack707]

There no way around it you have to drain the oil tank before welding

 

[George2615]

I'm no expert welder but you were right about the machine shop slapping on a weld.

 

[Shield Arc]

Who ever welded that should be shot!:shocked: I would grind that terrible weld out, and re weld it correctly. If you do add a reinforcing plate over the repaired weld, make it round or at least an oval. DO NOT have 90-degree corners!

 

[Farmer2750]

When you weld do not drain the tank fill it to the very top. Fumes are explosive not liquid gas so by not allowing the fumes a place to accumulate by filling the tank full, it is safer than a partially empty tank

 

[truckdiagnostics]

When you weld do not drain the tank fill it to the very top. Fumes are explosive not liquid gas so by not allowing the fumes a place to accumulate by filling the tank full, it is safer than a partially empty tank

I would agree! Issue he has when he gets done grinding the old weld out, chances are the crack is going to leak. I wouldn't want to weld on that tank empty. Then what does he do. So, be careful the fix isn't worse than the original problem. So, if it only leaks a little when it is stressed...... so you add oil every now and then. Chances are if it was easy to fix correctly it would have been done already. Just something to think about.

 

[MossRoad]

This first photo is where the stress is.



If it were me, I'd first put jacks under the rear of the tractor as far back as you can get to help use the weight of the tractor to close up the open joint. OR, lift the front off the ground with the FEL. Same thing. Then I'd weld the crack closed, after cleaning and prepping it, of course.

Then I'd put a large fish plate on the side of the tractor, across the stress line that I drew in the first picture. Then, I'd repeat it on the other side of the tractor, as it's gonna break over there as well eventually.



As for welding with or without oil in the tank.... that scares me either way! Sorry, no help on that one.

 

[MossRoad]

Then, I'd weld a couple gussets across the corners like this...

 

[Shield Arc]

MossRoad great ideas! For the fish plates I would not use 90-degree corners! The frame is already stressed. I would use large ovals. In this situation stress riser will be a huge problem!