Go Bottom Go Bottom

Can a Weld Save my Tractor

View my Photos
auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2009-04-18          162156

If your tractor's bell housing (or clutch housing) breaks, you have a front half held to the back half by a thread. As I just found out.

No new housings, nor parts tractors. are available for the model in question. So I have the broken one welded or I scrap the tractor.

I've heard it's a kind of metal that can't be welded. What are your views on asking a top-notch welding shop to seal the split and to add lots of reinforcing gussets or butresses to the outside. And on installing a subframe to take the strain off the housing when I'm next lifting a heavy load in the front bucket.


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Can a Weld Save my Tractor

View my Photos
hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2009-04-18          162159

Auer; That's a nasty way to start your summer, sorry to hear of your problem.
I've welded an engine block or two and some other cast iron things, but not knowing what the housing is made from, it would be hard for me to advise on welding it.
First is the housing a dry chamber or contain transmission fluid?
My father never owned or operated a welder but could fix most anything with strap iron, rivets, bolts,(used), and whatever else he had around. So to your point about adding a subframe of some sort to support the two halves in good enough alignment to make the tractor work might be an option. Being no parts or salvage tractors are available you have nothing to loose by trying most any method to repair. Frank. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Can a Weld Save my Tractor

View my Photos
greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2009-04-19          162162

The bellhousing is almost certainly cast, but you should be able to get it welded. The catch is that it's gotta come off the tractor so it can be cleaned well, before being welded inside and out.

Since you have to go through that much work just to get it off the tractor, it might not hurt to have one freighted in from a Yanmar graveyard somewhere down here in the states. I don't have the details anymore, I gave all this info to the folks that bought my YM240. But there's a Yanmar boneyard right here in western KY, another one up around Indianapolis, and yet another down in Tennessee. That suggests that there may be one or more closer to you as well.

Google is your friend.

//greg// ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Can a Weld Save my Tractor

View my Photos
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2009-04-19          162165

According to my Lincoln Electric Arc Welding Guide, it's entirely possible to weld it if it's cast iron. There are two ways to weld it:

1. If you CAN heat the entire, removed bellhousing to 500-1200 degrees F you can weld it all at the same time.

2. You can weld it using the "backstep" method where you weld a 1/2" at a time, let it completely cool before welding on it again.

Either way--slow, even cooling is critical (either surround with warm sand or lime in a metal container, or place in a metal container and keep covered until cool to the touch.

The rod they suggest is a E7024-1 "Cast Iron Electrode" good for 1/4" and thicker, set at 125A on Low Range. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Can a Weld Save my Tractor

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2009-04-20          162173

It doesn't matter what it is, it can be welded, but boy can it get expensive, compared to scrapping a tractor probably not bad though.

Get a good welder, a fabricator, to have a look at it. If it's a strange composite that's been cast there's a way to grind away some material to make a bevel, then use those grindings as filler material with a TIG welder to put it back together again.

IMHO I think Greg has the right idea though. From where you are Lexington is probably only about an 8 hour drive. Pretty country in the spring for a long weekend parts trip.

Best of luck.

....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Can a Weld Save my Tractor

View my Photos
auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2009-04-20          162189

Given your encouragement, I found a shop that specializes in welding cast iron, so I guess we'll resurrect it. Thanks; after 3000 hrs over 30 years, we're used to each other.

Both dealers I contacted about a replacement housing said Yanmar doesn't have any, they don't have that parts tractor, and if they did, they have several customers in line ahead of me. So I'd welcome some more info on locating those yannie bone-yards.

It failed during a maximum full-up on the loader chained to a stump. It's a dealer-installed Yanmar loader working off just the factory pump. I've applied full-up pressure hundreds of times, including back when the pump and cylinders were presumably stronger. Could this be metal fatigue? ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Can a Weld Save my Tractor

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2009-04-20          162191

Quote:
Originally Posted by auerbach | view 162189
I've applied full-up pressure hundreds of times, including back when the pump and cylinders were presumably stronger. Could this be metal fatigue?


Without knowing any more than that bit, I'd say it was the straw that broke the camels back........

Best of luck. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo


  Go Top Go Top

Share This
Share This







Member Login