Pin Won't Budge

[Mike in Dewey]

I know that this is an often asked question, but would like to know if anyone has come up with a new solution. In taking apart my backhoe, all but one of the pins on the swingframe assembly came out easily enough, but one is refusing all attempts. The five and ten pound hammers did squat; a twenty pound hydraulic hammer just annoyed the face of the pin, and the bottle jack chained to the assembly tightens up fine but that's about it. I did have a problem removing the retaining bolt, but a slide hammer finally persuaded it to come out; however, not until all of the bolt threads had been wiped off. Over a couple of days I have soaked everything in JB Blaster plus WD-40's similar product (Rust Release Penetrant Spray). Still, nothing. I guess the next effort will be to remove the hydraulic hoses and try some heat, unless someone has a better idea. I am almost resigned to damaging the swingframe assembly to the point that it will need to be replaced, so intelligent drilling alongside the pin might be an option, but I do not have the intelligence to know where I should drill.

 

[Billrog]

I was in the same predicament years ago heat, 20 ton jack , big hammers nothing would move the pin finally I took my cutting torch and burned it out. If you can get at it drill down the center of the pin then you can get a can of freeze it to shrink the pin and knock it out.

 

[CalG]

Is the pin rusted in? If so, oil and vibration with an air hammer can loosen the corrosion. Or heat and bees wax. Wax expands when it cools and pushes things apart.

If it's not rust, how big a lever did you put on that 20T jack? put on enough hydraulic oompf to but a seal in the jack if you need too.
You might need to buy a piece of 1/2 in plate for the jack base and redo those chains. Loose wraps like that are unpredictable.

 

[stuckmotor]

I've seen a jaw puller work where a jack and chain failed.
If a ridge has been worn into the pin, taking the pin out of the other end of the cylinder might give it some wiggle room.

 

[whis]

make sure jack is full of oil when its on its side

 

[Tractor Seabee]

The chain in the picture hides the pin and how it fits/works. New picture w/o the chain by trigger some more ideas. Heat usually works. Heat the outside surfaces then use hammer and punch. Punch needs to be close to the pin size for best force. Be careful banging with a hammer and punch; you may mushroom the end and make it worse. Final solution is to drill it out using increasing size bits till only a shell is left then collapse it. Try forcing

Ron

 

[whis]

also turn jack so pump handle is down or lowest point

 

[Raised on a Deere]

A sharp blow at the right point while jack is exerting maximum force, on opposite end of pin or the housing or such.

 

[joecdeere]

I'd either saw the pin on either side of the cylinder end if there's room for the blade (had to do that to my Ford earlier this year) or drill the pin, no way do you want to buy that swing post!
Another thought, how about going ahead and laying the hoe over on some cribbing so you can hammer straight down on it?

 

[dragoneggs]

I was in the same predicament years ago heat, 20 ton jack , big hammers nothing would move the pin finally I took my cutting torch and burned it out. If you can get at it drill down the center of the pin then you can get a can of freeze it to shrink the pin and knock it out.

I assume you have moved the swing arm around its range and tried at different positions? Otherwise freezing the pin might help as Billrog suggested.

 

[kevin37b]

That looks like a new machine ? Why ? Are you sure the grease zerk is not bound up in a machined groove on the pin ?

 

[Steave]

If all else fails you might have to get a reciprocating saw between the cylinder T and the swing arm housing and saw through the pin on both sides of the cylinder. "This will get the cylinder out of the way for further inspection. After repairs are made just insert a spacer to take up any slack the sawing might have caused. If the pin is bent out of shape as suggested earlier it might just fall out in 3 pieces.

 

[tcartwri]

I think you'll eventually find that the hammer blows mushroomed the pin by a few thousands, and that's where it's going to sit.

 

[dragoneggs]

I think you'll eventually find that the hammer blows mushroomed the pin by a few thousands, and that's where it's going to sit.

Yes this could be very true unfortunately. Before banging harder, try creating a freeze plug. I think I would try to drill out and freeze and then try a press vs. banging.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I had to drill mine out on my Bushhog PHD. I put a grease zert on the replacement.

 

[City Farmer]

Can you remove the other cylinder pin? If you can, it would be easy enough to push the pin out in an arbor press. Worst case, you could pull the cyl. rod and put lots of heat to it. If you decide to remove the cyl rod, take the cap off while it's still on the tractor. It's not a bad job, I've had to do it more than once myself.

 

[dragoneggs]

Can you remove the other cylinder pin? If you can, it would be easy enough to push the pin out in an arbor press. Worst case, you could pull the cyl. rod and put lots of heat to it. If you decide to remove the cyl rod, take the cap off while it's still on the tractor. It's not a bad job, I've had to do it more than once myself.

Not sure I understand the heat? Freezing a pin will shrink it.

 

[brown40]

Candle wax can sometimes do it when all else fails. Heat the area and it will hopefully draw in the melted wax.
For sure unless I've got the replacement for something I avoid whacking and peening things out and ruining things altogether.
Is all the force from the cylinder relieved? Can't tell from the picture, but that must have been done before removing others?
If a burr is all thats holding it up and you can get a pipe wrench on it some light "twist tapping" can usually find an exit for a pin. If its not accessible from the back side or is firmly rusted into place. I've seen heat and cold work to break apart bound fasteners, but usually heat is all thats available... I think the ideal is to get the male side cold and shrunk, and the female hot and expanded, but heats a lot easier to come by and apply and the goal is achieving mechanical separation of the parts/breaking corrosion/adhesion by expanding (or shrinking) the connection.

 

[City Farmer]

Not sure I understand the heat? Freezing a pin will shrink it.

The heat is just another option. He's been working at it for a few days. Freezing the ends of the pin "might" help but I doubt it. Unless he has carbide, he'll never get through that pin. HSS or cobalt bits won't do it. The easiest way is to just pop the cly. pin and press it out. I'm pretty sure he's taking it to the machine shop to get it sleeved for a new pin so I'd just let them deal with it the way they want.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Not to be stating the obvious but are you absolutely sure that it's not in a bind, has any weight on it or you missed a snap ring? I've experienced all those and one fixed, came right out. That machine looks brand new and I can't imagine it has any rust in there that would seize it up

Brett