Replacing the ball in top/lower links

[bjorn773]

I notice my local Farm & Fleet has replacement balls for the links on the 3pt hitch. Mine appear to be crimped in place at the factory. Is there a trick or are the replacements only for certain model links?

 

[leonz]

I notice my local Farm & Fleet has replacement balls for the links on the 3pt hitch. Mine appear to be crimped in place at the factory. Is there a trick or are the replacements only for certain model links?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Its been along time for me but: I remember them being made so
they can only be installed one way to hold them in place or a set
screw is used.

If they (being the bearing races) are crimped in place
EEWWWW!!!!!!!!!, you may be in for some replacement upper
and lower links.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Most common are the weld on ends with the crimped in ball. Some-most JDs have ends where the ball gets turned 90* and will fall out of the ball socket. This is for the top link and the side link ends. I am not sure about the draft link ends. :ashamed:

 

[Jim Timber]

Draft link ends are swaged in on mine, as is my factory top link. If it ever needs new ones, it'll be torch and welder time. No biggie.

 

[bjorn773]

So in theory I could grind the swage off one side, replace the ball, then lay some weld back on the outside to retain the ball?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

So in theory I could grind the swage off one side, replace the ball, then lay some weld back on the outside to retain the ball?

Why?, Just cut the bad end off and weld on a replacement.

 

[stuckmotor]

So in theory I could grind the swage off one side, replace the ball, then lay some weld back on the outside to retain the ball?

If you're able to do that without welding the ball in place, please put up a how to thread. The technique might come in handy.

 

[Jim Timber]

If you're able to do that without welding the ball in place, please put up a how to thread. The technique might come in handy.

If you had a ring of steel the right size, you could fillet weld that over the ball and not fuse it to the ball itself. The heat and contraction from doing so would likely shrink the eye down onto the ball and seize it - so there's no up side to the concept. Just replace the ends as needed.

 

[bcp]

In case someone isn't familiar with a repair end:



CountyLine Lift Arm Repair End, Category 1

Bruce