Broken drawbar... chances a 'pro' welder can fix it

[Dadnatron]

Yes, yes... I was working to make due with what I had available, and as often happens at those times, the 'specs' of the machine rebel. Its my fault, I was using my drag blade, and the blade dropped deeper into a ditch than I intended, just as my front wheels dropped over the bank of a road (grading across a road to clean up edges). All the forces decided to find a weak point, and thankfully, this was it. I have learned this lesson, but I'm sure there are many more on the list.

I recognize it will never be back to original, but can it be fixed to a point that you think I can count on it to not leave me stranded for another day? I know I can always do something stupid and break it again, but if 'used as intended' would you give it a go, given the chance of losing a day or two's work, in the future, if it fails?



The 'failure hole' isn't used. It sits at the very edge of the 'tractor connection' which is where the leverage was applied. I posted this in another forum, and folks there thought it would be worthwhile. But I hoped I could get a few 'welder' opinions on how well this would work.

Dimensions are 1-1/4 x 2-1/2 x 22-3/4"

 

[Streetcar]

I had a drawbar on my tractor welded. It lasted at least ten years when tractor sold

Ford 8n

 

[square1]

Used to disc with a welded draw bar on a ~60 HP IH 585. Was always careful to lift the disk before putting excessive side stress during the turn at the end of the field. It held for years.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Cant hurt to try. Especially if you did it yourself, you arnt out anything besides your time and the cost of the welding rod. Even if you paid for the repair, might still be less than half the cost of new/used bar.

 

[stuckmotor]

That's an interesting break. It looks like a lap joint.

 

[CCWKen]

That's an interesting break. It looks like a lap joint.

It looks like it may be hardened and tempered. It can be welded and the weld will be stronger than the rest of the drawbar but it will probably need to be preheated. If it's not, it will probably break again in the transition zone of the drawbar. (On either side of the weld.) Price a new drawbar so you know the breakeven point when you get a welding estimate.

 

[Egon]

Any chance to renenforce the piece when welding it up? Preheating in a charcoal grill may also help?

I'm not a welder.

 

[k0ua]

Lets see what some of the pro welders on this forum say, (I am not one of them) but I would stick weld that in a heartbeat with some 7018. Just V it out properly and put in a root pass and keep adding passes on opposite sides and checking alignment. It would take a few dollars worth of rod, and some time. I have no idea what a real welder would charge. I would charge you $50. But I am not a real welder either.

 

[Shaneard]

That thing is hard as a rock, that's why it broke and didn't bend. If you heat it to weld it that's going to weaken it then it will either bend or break again. You can try welding it but it will probably break again. Some draw bars aren't as hard as others that's why some people have had good luck welding them. Yours is hard, you can tell by the grain in the metal.

 

[yomax4]

Weld it. If you don't need that hole, Weld it shut. If the bar is hardened you can harden it yourself. Quick easy fix.