3-Point Hitch Oooops!

[mpham]

After using a rake and weight box all week I finally needed a powered unit on the 3 pt. When I finished I pulled the pins and forgot the shaft...This is what happened when I backed up to the rake to hook up.:The gaurd was removed to see the damage. Already booted myself in the butt and bought a new shaft at Tractor Supply for 200 and tax.Lucky I didn't break my pto unit off the back of the tractor.

 

[Roger2561]

You should be able to take sharper bends with it now.

 

[6011Artist]

experience comes from making mistakes.

 

[kebo]

You should be able to take sharper bends with it now.

LOL. It's only a flesh wound, cut out the bend, and weld the two ends together with a smaller tube inside for strength.

 

[DT86]

Can't say that I've ever done that. But it's just dumb luck!

 

[sixdogs]

Lots of us have done that. Welcome to the club.
Now you can go around corners better.

 

[6011Artist]

kebo, I thought about that too but would it still be balanced? Might cost ya a pto shaft seal. I'd do it but what chances would I be taking?

 

[Soundguy]

i bent a lift link arm on a tractor the first day I got it one time.

'stuff' happens.

glad no one got hurt.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Welding a new shaft to the U joint is SOP where I come from. Never had it cause a problem.

 

[sixdogs]

But if you can't weld it is morally acceptable to just go and buy a new one.
We have all done this kind of thing and it's actually not really dumb, it just an oops as you mention. And oops happen.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If it would still be long enough for the required overlap, you could cut out the bend and put the straight end into the yoke. It should be a square end machined into the yoke from the original install. If you have a rotary carbide bit, just remove the old weld and then drive out the bent shaft, install the other piece and weld. A better idea would be to buy a new piece of square stock, (looks like 1") remove the old shaft and weld it in. I think I would work on getting the old shaft out first just to make sure I could get all the weld off and remove the bent piece.

 

[The kid]

Heat that to 2000 degrees and a 6# sledge will straighten that right out. Or saw it in two and use about a half dozen tubes of JB weld.

 

[Spikes]

Just have a driveline shop or farm supply get you a new piece of tube. I replace them all the time at our shop. Less than $30 of tube, pull the roll pin out of the yoke, put the new tube in, drill for the roll pin and presto. 10 minutes MAX.

Only issue is when the tube is rusted into the yoke. Then I cut the tube off flush, use a sawzall to cut a slot in the piece of tube still in the yoke and it'll come right out.