$300+ error... any thoughts?

[Dadnatron]

Was working on my road with my 12' drag blade Sunday. I wasn't going crazy, but was certainly unconventional. Anyway, long story short, blade dipped into a ditch, deeper than intended, and I snapped my drawbar. None in stock and over $320-340 at my local JD dealers.

I know it can happen, but no one I've personally known has ever broken a drawbar.

Anyone have any options other than just sucking it up and paying the "stupid tax".

JD 5100e

 

[Industrial Toys]

That's about the thinnest drawbar I have ever seen. Even my much smaller JD 770 had one at least twice as thick. I know, because I needed to fabricate a different sized one for some project.

Did you buy the tractor new? If not, maybe it had been stressed.

Maybe good fortune that it didn't happen under more critical conditions.

 

[bcp]

Does your blade have a rigid or swinging clevis and were you using a tight fitting pin?



Bruce

 

[4570Man]

I'd build one. Then you're out maybe $20 for a piece of steel.

 

[Dadnatron]

Does your blade have a rigid or swinging clevis and were you using a tight fitting pin?

View attachment 488902View attachment 488901

Bruce

It is rigid. The pin was not 'tight' but it was 1 1/4" I think, so wasn't sloppy. I used a 3/4" initially, and realized it was sloppy and ended up chewing up the pin.

 

[Dadnatron]

That's about the thinnest drawbar I have ever seen. Even my much smaller JD 770 had one at least twice as thick. I know, because I needed to fabricate a different sized one for some project.

Did you buy the tractor new? If not, maybe it had been stressed.

Maybe good fortune that it didn't happen under more critical conditions.

It's about 1 1/2" thick. I haven't measured it, but seemed pretty 'normal' for my expectations

 

[npalen]

Sounds like the blade being in the ditch put it at enough angle with the drawbar that it ran out of "travel". Something has to give.
The hitch pin hole in the drawbar appears to be elongated a bit which allows for front to rear angle between the tractor and implement but not side to side.

 

[TomSeller]

It's about 1 1/2" thick. I haven't measured it, but seemed pretty 'normal' for my expectations

I would sure think that 1-1/2" is thick enough.

 

[bcp]

With a rigid clevis and a pin with little clearance, the system becomes rigid when the slack is out going over a hump or dip.

One of these tries to happen, (exaggerated)





I would check with a machine shop about making a duplicate drawbar. And I would convert to a swinging clevis.

Bruce

 

[CalG]

Was working on my road with my 12' drag blade Sunday. I wasn't going crazy, but was certainly unconventional. Anyway, long story short, blade dipped into a ditch, deeper than intended, and I snapped my drawbar. None in stock and over $320-340 at my local JD dealers.

I know it can happen, but no one I've personally known has ever broken a drawbar.

Anyone have any options other than just sucking it up and paying the "stupid tax".

JD 5100e

View attachment 488887

The reason is called yield stress.

The economical solution is called a welding machine.