Lost my steering today, tub failure

[MuncyBob]

I remember a thread some time ago with pics showing how the single steering piston on the PT422 tore away from the tub and advice was given to not wait too long to have that area reinforced. Well, it's something I was gonna get around to but never did and right in the middle of a big job today(putting in walkway down a hill and french drain around house) I lost my steering and I now have the same problem.

A guy is coming over tomorrow to look at it for repair. What would be the best way and what materials should be used to reinforce the tub to prevent this from happening again? While he has it at his shop are there any other areas on the 422 that I should reinforce? I know next to nothing about welding.

 

[Marks481]

The reason for the failure is that that drain hole right next to the hydraulic cylinder mounting posts concentrates stress, which leads to the failure. I would have him weld in a circular patch in that drain hole, and then reinforce it with a 4"x4" 1/4" steel plate underneath.

But if he is a welder, I am sure that he will come up with a good plan for reinforcement. How about some pictures?

Here is SwampmanLA's picture for reference:



Please give Terry a call, and report this failure to him and let him know that this is at least the 4th failure of this type you have heard of. Power Trac really needs to rethink the PT422 steering philosophy. I wish I had paid the extra $$$ and got the 425, just because of the steering system alone.

I have been thinking about how to redo the floor plates, since that area always ends up filling up with debris, and it is a pain to remove the floor plates for cleaning. I have been thinking about putting 1" diameter aluminum posts permanently screwed to the tub bottom, with studs on top flush with the floor. No screws, just friction and gravity to hold the floor plate in place will make it easy to get it off for cleaning. More cleaning, means less likely rust will cause that hydraulic cylinder mounting post to fail.

 

[SwampmanLA]

Update, the repair I did lasted a couple of months then the whole thing tore loose. What I did next was to figure out the position and angle of offset the bracket had, cut a square in the floor where the bracket was, cut a piece of 3/8" plate about an inch bigger than the hole, trim up the brackets ragged edges, weld the bracket to the plate, position the bracket and plate over the hole, and weld it up. Something else is going to break before this does!

 

[MossRoad]

Sorry to hear of your steering failure. Please take some pictures of the before and after so others with 422's can heed the warning.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I have pix of my 1850 torn as well. I have lost one hydraulic side as well as the center coupling. I lost the steering piston because the weld between the side and the floor of the tub was non existent. My repair was a fresh square where the other tore free, and then I added another 1/4" plate inside the tub.

 

[MuncyBob]

Swampman...So, if I am reading your fix correctly the result is that the bracket will be 3/8" higher than original position as part of the original tub or did you weld the new piece from under the tub?? This has not affected the steering piston?
The cut out of the tub included the drain hole or did you close that up in a different way? I plan to call my welder today to hold off on anything until I'm clear....don't want to have to fix this again.

 

[MuncyBob]

In my haste to get the PT to my welder I forgot to take before pics but def will post the after ones. From memory I think my tear out area is very similar to pics previously posted. I wish I would have stopped to take at closer look before it ripped out as I could feel the steering a bit spongy but though maybe I was slipping in the wet grass.
Tim, while it's not a big deal to me to remove the foot plates I kinda like your idea although I think I would like something more than gravity/friction to hold them in place...let us know how it works out.

I really need it back in service ASAP as I'm getting tired of the wheel barrow routine with all the rock and dirt/clay mix I'm having to move in this project.

 

[woodlandfarms]

You didn't ask for it but here it is. Tear and the repair...

 

[Marks481]

Tim, while it's not a big deal to me to remove the foot plates I kinda like your idea although I think I would like something more than gravity/friction to hold them in place...let us know how it works out.

I might also just make it with screws in the top of the standoffs to hold the foot plate on. At least it would make it easier to get them on and off.

Something like below, but longer and larger diameter.



Mine his 1" tubes with 3" bolts that sandwich the tube between the foot plate and the bottom of the tub. Removal requires a wrench above and below.

 

[MuncyBob]

Tim, like that idea. May be in the works for me after this repair.

I called my welder but he didn't get my message until after he did some work. I'll be picking it up tomorrow and will post pics. Not sure what he did but I asked him to at least be sure that drain hole is taken care of.