Backhoe Identifying a backhoe?

[laurencen]

easiest way to tell if its hard or soft, use a angle grinder and observe the sparks, dull sparks say soft, bright is hard, take a piece of tube and try the spark test side bu side, one can also centerpunch and look at the indent compared t known material,

To have a effect on material I would expect to see distortion on the surface of the steel, also any white metal would have melted

 

[rbargeron]

.........I would have expected it to bend but not break.....The break looks crystallized.........
View attachment 127876

You're right the break is more of a brittle fracture, indicating the material was hardened. The darker brown line part way thru may indicate a crack that was there before, setting it up to fail. Is there a weld on the side not shown? Got more pics?

 

[gotrocks]

Dick, thank you for your reply.
Nope I do not have any other pics and the two pcs are at a shop waiting for some attention.
I appeared to have been bent to shape when produced, did not look like a weld.... unless it had been ground smooth and painted... which I doubt.

After owning for about eight years, I hesitate to take it back to the dealer and complain.

So guess I'll wait and get it welded and hope it holds.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

I think the edge of the attaching weld made a notch + stress concentration. It takes a lot of strain to bend such a thick section and it may very well be somewhat harder than mild steel in that application.

If the buster doesn't have a shear bolt you should be happy the point broke instead of pretzling the shank.