John Deere 4100 3ph mount point broken

tarbash · Apr 9, 2017

A piece of the 3ph upper mount point broke off on my tractor.
I am considering the following options. I would like the least expensive way but it has to be safe to use.
1. weld it my self with my lincoln arc welder
2. have a machine shop remove the broken piece and weld a machined piece.
3. get aftermarket part and have it installed by a tractor shop. I don't feel I can handle it.
4. get the dealer to fix. most expensive I presume.

Billrog · Apr 9, 2017

Not sure but maybe you could clamp it in place then drill and tap it then bolt it there.

Egon · Apr 10, 2017

New piece.

How did you break it?

KYErik · Apr 13, 2017

If that is cast iron, it will be hard to make a strong weld without preheating it- if you go that route, post on the welding forum and ask for advice there.

Are there any obstructions directly behind the broken area? Is it rounded or square on the other side? If you were wanting to go cheap and safe and there are no obstructions behind the broken area, get a long piece of 2" wide by 1/2" thick steel and use heat (from a torch) and/or a press to bend it so that it comes around behind that whole "tower" area. and ends just outside the existing unbroken ear (shaped like a big "U"). Lastly, drill a hole in both ends of the steel "U" for the top link pin. It would be tricky to bend the metal to match the profile of that part, but the closer you got it, the better.

DFB · Apr 13, 2017

Wow did you see list price on new case from Deere over $1k :shocked:

I would definitely look at weld repair first obviously get some competent advice can ask the weld forum guys here

or maybe a salvage yard part but if worse comes to worse have to pay the piper

Pretty straight forward to remove it from the machine though

To much sideways pressure on the toplink mounting ear maybe too much sway in the adjusters. I noticed last Spring at the start of our planting season my toplink was at an odd angle when I mounted up my BushHog tiller on closer inspection showed me the link arm mounts on the tiller whole gearbox assembly had moved almost 2 inches over the years. Good thing I noticed it when I did or I could have been in the same predicament.

boggen · Apr 13, 2017

if you do not think you can weld it yourself.

contact local repair shops even a mom / pop car shop.

look up phone book, and you might find some folks that travel with a portable welder that can come out

remember to disconnect battery, before welding.
if you take it some place else. hit the pieces with a grinder, were weld would end up going. less time for them possible. and perhaps cheaper to you.

make sure you are around when they weld it if possible. so they do not end up tossing ground clamp some place odd and causing sparks to fly and fires to start, and killing any electrical sensors and like.

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worst comes to worse. and needing to take the piece off of tractor, that itself going to hurt with all the seals and gaskets that run through the given entire piece.

M5farms · Apr 13, 2017

Personally I would drill and tap it and try to build a strap to attach over that

Leejohn · Apr 13, 2017

If it were me I would cut both flush grind the rockshaft part flat. Get 1/2" plate say 4" wide X ? long then weld some of that heavy wall pipe with no weld on the ID of pipe. Drill and tap the rockshaft with about 6 or 8 bolts and then bolt the peace you just made to the rockshaft. Just make sure the rounds are out enough so your top link has about 1/2" of room when in place. Hope that you can understand what I'm trying to say. Well look something like this.

RitchElbe · May 10, 2017

DO NOT WELD!! if anything.. braze weld it!! can't imagine how that broke.. I've used my 4100 since 98 pulling logs.. never had a issue with that area..