lower link pin steel type?

charlz · Oct 31, 2007

3RRL said:
I don't think 4140 would be overkill.
If it was me, I would want it hardened, but pre-hard like 4140 or 4130 would probably do. What I don't like is that the pin is one length going through your tractor and those plates. If it bent you would have a heck of a time getting it off for replacement.

Which is one of my concerns as well. I don't know if the pin that came with the tractor is original but if it is 30 years later it is still perfectly straight.

Charles

charlz · Oct 31, 2007

Huskerplowboy said:
Did a little more digging... Most places I found online sell 4140, 4130, etc in an annealed or normalized state, basically about as soft as they can be. One option that should be readily available is "Stressproof" rod, which is an 1144 and comes with some heat treatment. A lot of places stock stressproof for use as shafting because it's strong but reasonably machinable. I'd look for either stressproof or some type of pre-hardened 4140, 4130, or 4340.

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...has stressproof. They also have a guide that shows some of the properties of the steels they have. For example, they list a yield strength of 100,000 psi for stressproof, but list a yield strength of just 52,200 psi for annealed 4130... Looks like the normalized 4340 would be good stuff too...

Thanks for the link! and the info! The other place I looked at didn't have anything beyond cold rolled.

I am assuming the harder the better but how hard is it going to be to drill the holes?

Next step is to mount up the hoe and see if the pin can remain in place while the hoe is on. If it can't I'll still have to remove a rear tire each time which is something I was hoping to avoid.

Thanks!
Charles

Renze · Oct 31, 2007

I dont think hitch pins are made of anything special:
The hitch balls are hardened and wear resistant. The pins themself are just recycled bean cans.

Huskerplowboy · Oct 31, 2007

Like I said, I can't speak for CUTs and other small machines, but "real" tractors use alloy steel and heat treat.

LAWALLSTRACTOR · Nov 1, 2007

Charles,
From what I see in the picture the 4 holes the pin goes through should support the center of the pin enough to keep it from bending. Is the pin that you have in there now, to short? If not try it. I don't think you will hurt anything if it does bend and if it does then go back to the drawing board. Good luck with it.

charlz · Nov 1, 2007

LAWALLSTRACTOR said:
Charles,
From what I see in the picture the 4 holes the pin goes through should support the center of the pin enough to keep it from bending. Is the pin that you have in there now, to short? If not try it. I don't think you will hurt anything if it does bend and if it does then go back to the drawing board. Good luck with it.

Yes, leaving those two backhoe support brackets in place will make the original pin too short. Today the 3pt arms etc. go right up to the 'tabs' from the rear end leaving just enough room to get the snap rings in the holes at the end of the pin.

I looked last night and leaving the pin in place while the backhoe is on is not an issue. Looks like I will go ahead and order some steel to make a new pin from that place Huskerplowboy gave me. Only other issue to address will be 1) seeing if I can leave the hitch on (not shown in the pics, goes in the middle of the pin and bolts up under the tractor) this has a 'keeper' bolt that would keep the pin from sliding sideways or 2) making some collars to go on each side of the pin when the hoe is mounted to keep the pin from sliding out sideways and jamming into a tire.

This will be great, changing over to the hoe and back will be almost as fast as swapping implements.

Charles