Top arm connecting plate woes...

[rockyridgefarm]

My 186D was doing a fine job today. I was moving dirt to my daughters raised bed garden with my pond scoop. This had always been a little unnerving before, but I added wheel ballast and was doing fine.

Until I notice the scoop hanging at an odd angle. On inspection i found that the top link on the three point attached to a plate bracket which is bolted to the transmission housing. Three of the bolts were loose, the cast housing had sheared.

I thought that it would be best to weld the bracket back on, but there is very little area to attach it. I am thinking now of welding all thread into the broken spots to make studs, and then attach the bracket with nuts. I am not a welder and would have a friend do the job.

Any ideas?

 

[lens12]

I'd recommend a different approach. I don't like the idea of welding on it. I'm not sure if it is cast or aluminum. If it is cast, it needs to be preheated. To do it correctly it should be disassembled . I'm concerned about cracking & damaged seals, if it isn't. If its aluminum, you weed a good welder. I'd recommend tapping the holes the next size bigger.

 

[Thomas]

If can get a easy out to remove the rest of the bolt than run a same size thread tap thru,but if there to much damage drill and tap the next size up...maybe welding should be the last thing to try...

My 2 cents worth

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Thank you for your suggestions, but I'm afraid my description wasn't clear enough. I will try to post a picture, later.

well, there are no bolts left in the holes, because there are no holes (well there is half) Basically the cast iron casing is broken clear off where the bolts were. So there is only half a hole, and tapping still wouldn't give anything to grab onto....

Your concerns about welding are well taken.

It is hard to believe how this little thing could be so crippling to my little tractor...

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Belly mower

Is it possible to get a belly mower for the 186D? Without a top link, it seems that might be the best use of the tractor

 

[JeffRey30747]

Re: Belly mower

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. The first thing I thought of was to check to see if the equivalent part off of a YM1500 or YM1510 would fit as I would think that you would probably be more likely to find one of those being parted out. But then I went out and looked at my tractor and the YM186 parts book. If I understand you correctly, the part that you are describing as broken is the top of the transmission housing [censored]'y(either # X-194446-24100 or X-194446-24101 not intechangeable or a newer rev. #). This would be a major project to change out or remove for welding.
If you decide to go the MMM route, you may also want to know that there was an optional front PTO w/ electric clutch on the YM186. Mine doesn't have it but yours might or you might be able to find one.

 

[JeffRey30747]

Re: Belly mower

Here is a scan from the parts manual of what I'm talking about. The housing [censored]'y is #1 and the broken area should be in the vicinity of CAP #19.

 

[JeffRey30747]

Re: Belly mower

I guess you have to spell out "assembly" to escape the automatic censor.

 

[pennwalk]

Re: Belly mower

When the Kubota guys add a back hoe there is a optional heavy duty top link plate that spreads the load to a lot more parts of the transmission case. I wonder if there is some way to have a welder make a new plate that bolts to other places on the transmission housing? Your tractor is so much less useful without the 3 point.

Chris

 

[normde2001]

Re: Belly mower

Mike, you originally said 3 of the bolts were loose. Does that mean that only 1 bolt is broken out of the housing, or all? I suspect that 3 bolts worked loose and the one that was left couldn't hold it. Post a pic. of the break if you can.