Tiller "Broke" my Tiller Moving

[DappleDoxieStaff]

This forum was so helpful last time, I am hoping to tab the brain trust again
We've (the horses, dogs, and I) moved to ten acres, so I am tending my own pastures and loving it. My late husband would be so proud ... I think LOL
When I moved the attachments for his ... my ... The Tractor (A Mitsubishi 4wd w/fe loader) I bent the fork where the lift attaches. Folded them over with the loader putting it on the tractor. I am not the most skilled in the world with a tractor, still learning!!
So ... how do I fix this?? It is spring and I want tomatoes and other yummy veggies.

Any tips on the box blade and grading the driveway would be welcome as well.

Thank you so very much!!

~Anne

 

[zzvyb6]

A picture of the bent or broken parts would be very helpful in making suggestions.

 

[DappleDoxieStaff]

A picture of the bent or broken parts would be very helpful in making suggestions.

Oh ... of course!! There is a "well, Duh!" moment! :laughing:

 

[DappleDoxieStaff]

This is the top of my tiller, where the lift attaches.
Thank you!

 

[jel1988]

Any welding shop will be able to straighten it. A little heat, leverage and maybe a hammer and you"ll be good as new!

 

[whis]

put crestent wrench on it with cheater pipe on it and bend it back or use big hammer and beat it back

 

[CobyRupert]

put crestent wrench on it with cheater pipe on it and bend it back or use big hammer and beat it back

^Yep. A BIG crescent wrench, and BIG cheater pipe to go along with that BIG hammer (5 lb min and/or 10lb sledge). As said above, heat would help out too. Also, you can substituting a pry bar ("alignment bar", the kind with 1 pointed end) and put one end through the pin hole(s) on the tiller, then slide your cheater bar of the other end of the pry bar to extend its length for more leverage.

 

[DappleDoxieStaff]

^Yep. A BIG crescent wrench, and BIG cheater pipe to go along with that BIG hammer (5 lb min and/or 10lb sledge). As said above, heat would help out too. Also, you can substituting a pry bar ("alignment bar", the kind with 1 pointed end) and put one end through the pin hole(s) on the tiller, then slide your cheater bar of the other end of the pry bar to extend its length for more leverage.
View attachment 366888

I actually have all of that ... my hubby adored tools, and when my FIL passed, I got a few more tractor sized things
I have a propane torch ... enough heat? or let the welder take a stab? My main worry, I suppose is weakening the metal.

 

[joshuabardwell]

That is not a terribly high-stress part, and the way it's bent is more or less exactly perpendicular to the way the stress is usually going to be applied. I second what others have said. Get somebody with a torch to heat it up and bend it straight again. You can do it cold, but it's going to require a lot of muscle. Down-side of the heat method is, you'll probably need to take out that bolt and bushing to get at just the bent pieces.

If you put an ad on your local Craigslist, including some pictures, you can probably find some good ol' boy with an O/A torch and a strong arm to come out and do it for you, vs. you having to take it in to a welding shop. It aint rocket science...

 

[joshuabardwell]

I actually have all of that ... my hubby adored tools, and when my FIL passed, I got a few more tractor sized things
I have a propane torch ... enough heat? or let the welder take a stab? My main worry, I suppose is weakening the metal.

Dang, our messages crossed in the Internet.

If you have a propane torch, whether or not you can heat it up enough depends on the tips you've got, but yeah, propane is plenty hot for heating and cutting if you have the right equipment. Heating before bending will do a better job of not weakening the metal, but I don't think you need to worry too much. This isn't high-carbon steel, so it's not like you're going to make it brittle. The key will be to use a tip on the torch that concentrates the heat where you want it. Get the bent section nice and red, and it'll bend back without too much trouble. Then just let it cool on its own--don't throw water on it or anything to hurry it up.

 

[DappleDoxieStaff]

Dang, our messages crossed in the Internet.

If you have a propane torch, whether or not you can heat it up enough depends on the tips you've got, but yeah, propane is plenty hot for heating and cutting if you have the right equipment. Heating before bending will do a better job of not weakening the metal, but I don't think you need to worry too much. This isn't high-carbon steel, so it's not like you're going to make it brittle. The key will be to use a tip on the torch that concentrates the heat where you want it. Get the bent section nice and red, and it'll bend back without too much trouble. Then just let it cool on its own--don't throw water on it or anything to hurry it up.

Then I will give it a stab!! May not be above my paygrade afterall!
Thank you all!!

 

[2458n]

I am a fair sized guy and you are going to want more heat then a small propane torch is going to supply. You are not the first and will not be the last to do something like this. Take the picture with you To a welding supply place and ask them to recomend someone.

 

[Baby Grand]

As Joshua said - you can do this with propane if you have the right tip for the torch. You want to get the steel dull red hot in overcast light. If you're working in direct sunlight, then move something to put the work in the shade the better to judge the color. With propane you will need to be patient and play the tip of the flame in a line along the path where you want the metal to bend. A long pipe wrench applied to the bent "ear" or a close fitting pipe through the hole should give you enough leverage to move the ear back to where it should be. If you can get you hands on a MAP gas or an oxy-acetylene torch, your chances of success will be better. Remember, wear heavy leather work glove and eye protection. There's a good chance you can do this yourself and you will get a great feeling of independence if you can pull it off. If not, then ask for someone to help - that's what I do.
Good luck and let us know how you make out!
-Jim

 

[/pine]

If you can dismantle the pieces you can use a few pieces of charcoal and a bellows/compressor and get it more than hot enough...(use the propane torch to get the charcoal white)

 

[joshuabardwell]

I'm surprised to see so much reservation over whether propane can get the job done. I'm sure a "weed burner" style propane torch wouldn't do the trick easily, but I know propane is used for cutting and heating the same as O/A. DappleDoxie, maybe you can clarify whether your torch is a propane or oxy-propane? That's the key criteria here. To put it another way, does it run off of just one propane tank, or does it have both propane and oxygen?

 

[Baby Grand]

I'm surprised to see so much reservation over whether propane can get the job done. I'm sure a "weed burner" style propane torch wouldn't do the trick easily, but I know propane is used for cutting and heating the same as O/A. DappleDoxie, maybe you can clarify whether your torch is a propane or oxy-propane? That's the key criteria here. To put it another way, does it run off of just one propane tank, or does it have both propane and oxygen?

I think when people hear "propane" they think Bernzomatic blue bottle from the hardware store like you'd use to sweat copper pipes, not something that's operating at higher temperatures with an oxygen tank. I've done some steel forming with a blue bottle, but heat times are painfully long and it's difficult to get a decent sized area up to temperature long enough to do much before it needs another heat.

 

[newbury]

I'd vote for the MAPP or Map-Pro gas solution for a DIY attempt.

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

This is a much easier job with two people, one to heat and one to bend. I find I often loose to much heat while changing tools to bend.