First Real Damage

[Big Bri]

Well i did it. . .Got my first booboo on my tractor, Today i was cutting my dads lot (hasn't been cut in a year) and cutting and stacking some brush, and trees that had fallen. well i got a little too close to one of the piles and put a branch through my head light. i also put one heck of a dent on the rear roller on my flail. It is now banana shaped with a softball size dent. Guess i'll try to straiten it, or i'll have to order a new one. . . although i don't know if it really needs to roll.
Will probably not worry with the head light right now but will get started on the mower asap.
I'll post some pic. later as it was raining when i got home.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Tractors are supposed to be used and may show it. Still it can't be any fun having to look at those kind of things on a nice tractor. Sort of like buying a new car and coming back and some Yahoo has door dinged you. That ticks me off bunches!

 

[Thomas]

Does make one feel tad guilty/depress etc. first time,but there shall be more to follow no matter how careful one try's to be.

 

[Champy]

You should focus more on the dents you're making against that list of tractor projects than the actual dents in your tractor. The dents/scratches on your tractor are directly proportional to the work accomplished...... or so I tell my wife!

 

[Big Bri]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, it does suck but i knew going in that i'd get some damage here and there but is sucks the first time it happens. any way as promised here are the pic's
as you can see i did one heck of a job on the flail,
i also noticed while taking the pics that on my head damage i also must have hit the hydraulic lines because they are all bent as well.

 

[tree farmer]

Brian, look at the brighter side. If the headlight didn't catch that limb, it probably would have been into the radiator.. Been there, done that....Dan.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

That is a heck of a dent in the roller. How did you do it? It does need to roll. If your top link is set right the roller should support most of the weight of the mower. It also helps level the ground.
Bill

 

[Big Bri]

Brian, look at the brighter side. If the headlight didn't catch that limb, it probably would have been into the radiator.. Been there, done that....Dan.

Thats what i love about u guys . . . ya'll always find the sunny side of everything. Thanks

 

[Big Bri]

That is a heck of a dent in the roller. How did you do it? It does need to roll. If your top link is set right the roller should support most of the weight of the mower. It also helps level the ground.
Bill

to be honest i don't know how it happened. the area that i was working is pretty swampy, and has lots of cypress knees sticking up but i thought i avoided them. there are also a few stumps but again i don't remember hitting one that hard. you would think that something like that would bring me to a stop. My dad asked if i might have backed into something but i thought if i did it would have dented the back of the mower as well.
I'm at a loss. . .
is that something i can fix by pulling out the dent or do you think i'll need a new one?

 

[mjncad]

I hate to say it; but I think you're SOL on repairing that roller. If someone knows how to fix it, I hope they chime in. If it were just bent, I'd say it's doable; but that dent compounds the problem.

As for the headlight, the nice thing about halogen lights is that with the lens cracked, the unit will still work until cold water hits the hot bulb. However the down side is that new lamp housings aren't cheap compared to old fashioned sealed beam bulbs. The price of style.

Regarding the hydraulic lines, I'd be concerned that trying to straighten them out will crack or kink them. Hopefully hydraulics guru KennyD will see this thread and give you his opinion on that.

 

[Skyco]

It owuld be very difficult to repair that roller. I'd price a replacement and also look into cutting the ends off and welding them back on a piece of pipe the same diameter, with a little thicker wall....for next time.

 

[Big Bri]

It owuld be very difficult to repair that roller. I'd price a replacement and also look into cutting the ends off and welding them back on a piece of pipe the same diameter, with a little thicker wall....for next time.

That is a great idea, i do have some pipe laying around so i'll look into doing that.
as for a new one, i priced one at agri supply $700 and when i called was told that they don't have any in stock
ROLLER FOR CARONI 73 FLAIL MOWER - Agri Supply

 

[Big Bri]

$700 bucks for a roller !?! I'm guessing they wear masks and guns as corporate uniforms.. nip the ends off, weld in some schedule 80 pipe and call 'er a day.

At least you didn't back over the cell phone on the loading ramps.. right?

Chilly

ya know after taking the pics i was walking to the house and viewing the shots i took saw my phone and walked back to pick it up. I have lost more phones by leaving them on dumb spots like that and driving away.

 

[TDVT]

I'll be interested to know how you solve your roller issue as I have the same mower. It doesn't seem to be a very thick walled tubing. Mine is fine for now but.........you never know.

I'd also be inclined to cut off the ends & re-weld as suggested. Both the roller & the scraper/cleaner are pretty low-tech.

$700 is pretty crazy. Keep us updated & good luck.

 

[mjncad]

I'd hate to see what Agri-Supply wants for shipping that gold roller!

I like the idea of cutting out the pop can tube and replacing it with real pipe.

 

[WayneB]

I know just how you feel! It's is material stuff and you will get over it. I did after putting a whole in the passangers front door of my wives new Volvo, while backing up my dump trailer. (I just knew I was getting close to the car and never even heard the trailer hitting it.

It had less than 200 miles on it. I got over it after replacement of the 1,800 dollar door! She hasn't!! just joking she accepted my failure rather easily.

 

[Mark P.]

I was in Agri Supply and asked about the roller and they have adjusted their price to $499 and they do have some in stock.

 

[jsygrovehpi]

I know just how you feel! It's is material stuff and you will get over it. I did after putting a whole in the passangers front door of my wives new Volvo, while backing up my dump trailer. (I just knew I was getting close to the car and never even heard the trailer hitting it.

It had less than 200 miles on it. I got over it after replacement of the 1,800 dollar door! She hasn't!! just joking she accepted my failure rather easily.

I can just picture how that went down:

"Alright, just a little more...little more...*CRRRUNCH*...Good!"

 

[Coyote machine]

I'd leave the hydraulic lines as is. I might get some of the pipe wrap to protect them somewhat from further damage and cable tie it on so you don't bang into them when working in the area around them. As to the roller, I too think you ought to try to straighten that out by cutting it and splicing in a ham sandwich, or whatever you may have lying around. You could do quite a bit of remake before hitting $400.
I'd get one of the lens repair laminate products on that headlight before any moisture gets into the lens assy.
I know how you feel- I dropped a log with stump attached onto my hood and caved it in BIG time! Cleared the brush bar, missed the headlights and radiator by inches and it still opens and closes. Dealer says $1200-1500 for a new one!
YIKES! I say I'll call up my body man and have him bang it out best he can and repaint for less then near what they want for a new one. Plus I figure if I put on a new one its done- won't take me much time to drop something else on it.:confused2: