SSQA frame repair

[jcliburn]

While using my grapple last weekend, it detached from one of the QA plates and ended up twisting the tractor's QA assembly cross-tube. Details of the experience are in the Owning/Operating forum.

After looking at things closely, I believe what happened is the weight of the grapple pulled the remaining still-attached QA plate forward, resulting in permanent misalignment of the plates. However, the cross-tube itself isn't bent; it's just twisted (but not visibly deformed). The plate is *slightly* bent, but not enough that it won't work. (It's the left hand plate in the first pic below.)

A new SSQA assembly is about $650, and if my proposed repair doesn't work, I'll just buy a new one.

My plan is to cut the tube, realign the plates, then weld a 1-foot sleeve over the cut.

The tube is 2.39" OD. About the closest sleeve I can find online is a 2.5" ID piece from MetalsDepot: 1020 DOM Structural Round Steel Tube 3 OD x .250 wall x 2.50 ID.

Anyone have a preferred source for this type stuff? Do you see any downside to my repair plan? Any other advice?

Thanks,
Jay

 

[Shield Arc]

Personally I don't think you need the sleeve. That pipe is more of a spacer than anything of real structural value.

Quite a few years ago I had to do something similar to a neighbors new Jinma tractor. He only had it a month and decided to remove the front end loader. He could not get the loader to pin back up to save his life. He came and got me, right away I could tell the loader support arms, (pipe) were welded out of rotation. I cut them with a port a band, beveled each side and made a full penetration weld in the correct rotation while bolted in position. Still working fine to this day!
Well the only thing working fine on that tractor! :laughing:

 

[2458n]

I would talk to the local auto body repair shop. Someone with a little know how and a frame rack will set everying straight in less then ! hour.

 

[Shield Arc]

You could try heating a ring around the pipe, and place the tractor close to a tree or wall and use the hydraulics to rack / rotate the mounting plates.
It would be my luck that one side or the other would move back towards the tractor tho! Then I would have a bend in the pipe to go along with the rack / out of rotation.

 

[jcliburn]

Sadly, I'm torchless, so heating is a no-go for me.

I called a relatively close-by body shop (15 miles) and sent them pictures to see if they might be able to straighten it. Unfortunately I'm on business travel until Thursday night, so the soonest I'll be able get it to them is Friday -- assuming they think they can do anything with it.

Worst case: I'll cut 'er in two with a sawzall, attach to my bucket to align the pads, and weld 'er back together.

Jay

 

[jcliburn]

The d@mned tube is bent.

It's displaced about 3/4" at the center. The bend appears to be where the tube meets the QA plate -- the left hand plate as you stand in front of the tractor looking rearward.

Second pic is with the (raised) bucket attached to ensure the SSQA plates are properly aligned.

Sledge hammer hasn't helped so far.

Jay

 

[jcliburn]

What do you guys think about this: Cut through the pipe on a slight angle at the green line, rotate the cutoff tube section and grind the ends to get the best fit under no stress, then weld both cuts.

Or would it be better to make a vertical the cut at the green line, then grind the cutoff tube section at both ends at an angle to fit?

 

[Shield Arc]

With out a torch you are handy caped severely! I think I'd weld the tube back close as possible to help the proper rotation. Rent or borrow a torch, and heat the tube enough so the hydraulics of the front end loader will force the proper rotation. Renting a torch has to be cheaper than buying a new quick attachment.

 

[rjmack]

i would put a straight edge across the mounting pads on both sides, and use that as a guide.

you do want them to end up parallel, right?

far as the tube, a good bessey clamp should pull that back together.

the question is, will pulling the tube back together result in aligning the mounting pads.

you can tack a snipe to either of the pads and then use whatever leverage you can find to bend the mounting pad assemblies individually. odds are one is bent worse than the other.

if you get the pads back where they are supposed to be, shouldn't the pipe get fairly close on its own?

edit; oops, missed some of the particulars. if the loader arm to pad mounting brackets are all good, why not just cut the existing pipe off both ends and put a new, slightly heavier pipe in its place?

 

[dstig1]

edit; oops, missed some of the particulars. if the loader arm to pad mounting brackets are all good, why not just cut the existing pipe off both ends and put a new, slightly heavier pipe in its place?

When I had my Farmi winch fixed, that is what they did. The main backbone was bent and they discussed bending it back, but in the end thought it was better to cut off the bent section, fab up a new one and weld it on. That may be your best solution - cut out the tube and all its weld completely and get a new tube welded in. Doesn't sound like fun...but bending that thing back to straight could be all but impossible.