Question for welders/fabricators.

[Nolo263]

I have a ford 1710 that I need to adjust clutch. My problem is to get to clutch I have to remove a boat load of stuff. Mainly bucket and frame for bucket to get to adjustment inside of inspection hole. The hole is half covered by the FEL frame.

Is it possible to cut FEL frame to have inspection hole uncovered permantly. I was thinking cut it and weld another plate on top of it, (double it up).

Do you guys think that it would weaken the frame even if doubled up with another plate?

 

[Ritothebull]

It should work as long as it's engineered properly to still support the force applied to the frame, some FEL frames are overbuilt to begin with but some of the newer ones are pretty cheesy.

 

[Nolo263]

I would cut it with a plasma cutter and like i said put another plate that matches oval cut doubled up, welded on top of it. I figure that way I can adjust clutch anytime now without removing FEL.

 

[Ritothebull]

I would cut it with a plasma cutter and like i said put another plate that matches oval cut doubled up, welded on top of it. I figure that way I can adjust clutch anytime now without removing FEL.

Sounds like you have it figured out, have fun and be careful with that hot stuff.

 

[Nolo263]

I sure hope so!!! It will not be to funny if I am using bucket and it snaps off!!

The FEL frame should have been made with the cut out already in it.

 

[atsah]

If anything you will probably strengthen it..

 

[Stimw]

The adjustment should be on the outside in the linkage from the peddle. ??

 

[fried1765]

I have a ford 1710 that I need to adjust clutch. My problem is to get to clutch I have to remove a boat load of stuff. Mainly bucket and frame for bucket to get to adjustment inside of inspection hole. The hole is half covered by the FEL frame.

Is it possible to cut FEL frame to have inspection hole uncovered permantly. I was thinking cut it and weld another plate on top of it, (double it up).

Do you guys think that it would weaken the frame even if doubled up with another plate?

Does your 1710 have a Ford "quick attach" loader?
My 1920 Ford loader is "QA" and very easy to remove.
I would NOT cut the FEL frame.
You will likely need to inspect/adjust your clutch only this one time.
Next time you may need a split, and you WILL need to take the loader off then.

 

[yomax4]

Does your 1710 have a Ford "quick attach" loader?
My 1920 Ford loader is "QA" and very easy to remove.
I would NOT cut the FEL frame.
You will likely need to inspect/adjust your clutch only this one time.
Next time you may need a split, and you WILL need to take the loader off then.

I agree totally..

I have a low dollar Koyker FEL and it pops off faster and easier that any 3pt implement I have..

 

[dieselcrawler]

Most likely, the small amount you cut out will have little to no effect on the strength of the loader bracket, by comparison to other weak links in the loader fabrication. However, its simply a guess on my part, and of others, without at least some pictures of the bracket in question, and some idea of the amount needed to be removed.

Myself, I'd likely be cutting it out, and probably trying to figure out how to cut it with out removing it first!

Post a picture or two if possible. Good luck!

 

[Nolo263]

Yes sir it has the quick attatch loader, 1)I dont have the stands which I can make them. 2) I am more afraid of snapping the bolts that attatch the frame to the tractor. I wonder how much they are torqued to?

 

[Nolo263]

Most likely, the small amount you cut out will have little to no effect on the strength of the loader bracket, by comparison to other weak links in the loader fabrication. However, its simply a guess on my part, and of others, without at least some pictures of the bracket in question, and some idea of the amount needed to be removed.

Myself, I'd likely be cutting it out, and probably trying to figure out how to cut it with out removing it first!

Post a picture or two if possible. Good luck!

I looked at it again today, It is a 1/4 plate that is about 6 inches wide. The cut i would have to make is more than half the width. I guess I am just probably going to take it off. I also noticed that it had cracks in the welds. It is probably better if tye frame comes off and I clean it up and reweld and reinforce.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Wouldn't bother me much to move a bar on a loader for access - but cutting one I would need to see a picture.

If it's a main frame it may need to be widened to have an access hole through the middle of it instead of notching a side.

 

[Nolo263]

Wouldn't bother me much to move a bar on a loader for access - but cutting one I would need to see a picture.

If it's a main frame it may need to be widened to have an access hole through the middle of it instead of notching a side.

That is what I was thinking, it would be better if it was 9 inches wide with a hole in the middle

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

That is what I was thinking, it would be better if it was 9 inches wide with a hole in the middle

If looking at the placement of your loader and access hole makes a wide beam with a hole in the middle the safest, then I would widen it and have at it

 

[sdef]

I like all of the answers from the various viewpoints. Initially I was a proponent of cut the hole out of the loader frame with a plasma torch and weld in/over a supporting piece. Pretty easy. However, I then got to the post of some bad welds on the loader frame and that changes everything in my mind. I think it is time to remove the loader where you can see and fix any structural issues with it. And would also fix the access point at the same time.

 

[Nolo263]

I like all of the answers from the various viewpoints. Initially I was a proponent of cut the hole out of the loader frame with a plasma torch and weld in/over a supporting piece. Pretty easy. However, I then got to the post of some bad welds on the loader frame and that changes everything in my mind. I think it is time to remove the loader where you can see and fix any structural issues with it. And would also fix the access point at the same time.

Yep I found some stress cracks in the welds. Its time to remove and reweld everything. Hopefully bolts will come off! My whole reason for cutting was of fear of breaking a bolt. Now I have to find out what is the torque on those bolts.

 

[Ritothebull]

If you know the size and grade of the bolts you can google up a standard torque chart.

Bolt Depot - US Recommended Bolt Torque Table

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Yep I found some stress cracks in the welds. Its time to remove and reweld everything. Hopefully bolts will come off! My whole reason for cutting was of fear of breaking a bolt. Now I have to find out what is the torque on those bolts.

Air impact for best chance of not breaking bolts.

But breaking them is nothing to worry about really. Just replace as needed.
I just put them back with the impact too. You can feel about how tight they go in really well.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I have a ford 1710 that I need to adjust clutch. My problem is to get to clutch I have to remove a boat load of stuff. Mainly bucket and frame for bucket to get to adjustment inside of inspection hole. The hole is half covered by the FEL frame.

Is it possible to cut FEL frame to have inspection hole uncovered permantly. I was thinking cut it and weld another plate on top of it, (double it up).

Do you guys think that it would weaken the frame even if doubled up with another plate?

When I worked for FNH, I got sick of replacing clutches on 1710's and 1715's with front end loaders and 4wd. Average lifespan was about 25 hours when used hard . On the other hand, I had it down to about an hour and a half if it had a loader on it to RandR. Split it and you'd see little cords of string that looked like a rat's nest. It was part of the clutch material that would disintergrate. If you cut a hole, find a busing to weld in it that matches the diameter of your hole.