Broken Lift Arm - Fix or Replace?

[tlb]

I noticed today while greasing the lift arm of my 425 that grease was coming out from a new place. Close inspection (translation: oh, that don't look good) showed a crack all the way around on the center piece. My question is whether this can be fixed or do I have to replace the entire lift arm? I do not have a welder. Also, this lift arm assembly has been repaired (welded) twice on one side and once on the other over the past 2 years. Another crack has started to appear on the side that was welded once before.
-Tim

 

[tlb]

Pic of the side that has been welded once before.

 

[BobRip]

Check with PT on a price, or see if they will replace it free. This could be pretty expensive. That might determine your next step.

Bob Rip

 

[tlb]

BobRip,
Do you think they would replace it on a 2002 year machine with over 600hrs? If so, I will definately call!
Thanks,
-Tim

 

[Spiffy]

I'd certainly get the quote, but bet that a local welding shop will be able to fix it much cheaper.

 

[J_J]

I am a little confused here. Is this a picture of the tilt arm that rotates around the 2 in pin? Is it also the left tilt arm?

 

[tlb]

JJ,
Here is a better pic of the broken piece. In addition, the 2 ends of this same piece have broken once on one end and twice on the other. The end that had broken once, is again starting to crack.
-Tim

 

[tlb]

pic of end that had previous repair and now has a "new" crack starting to appear.
-Tim

 

[BobRip]

I doubt it, but there is little cost to ask. It seems to me that this part should not fail. You have to call anyway to get a price.
A better approach might be to have them rebuild it. They might do this for less.
Another option is to send you some of the parts and have it rewelded locally with the new parts.

Just some thoughts.

Bob Rip

 

[toy]

My pt 425 had the same problem when it was new[I think less than 50 hours] fortunatly I don't live but about two and a half or less hours from Tazwell so I took the machine back to them and they fixed it under warranty. I asked them how much the repair would have cost if it hadn't been under warranty and for the life of me I can't remember what they said but if I remember right there was someone else that had the same trouble maybe pabjoube and he took his loader arms off and sent that part back to them to get the repair done. I beleive that there is others that have had the same problem maybe you could do a search on the forum and get more information. The warranty is for one year on the machine and I think two years on the engine. I have heard others say that pt was reasonable on their repairs, but considering the cost of shipping it might be cheaper to get it repaired locally. I also remember someone else talking about reinforcing their rollover pin. The problem with mine was that it needed three weld passes and they only run one pass around it. I hope you get it fixed without too much trouble and expense. After you get this fixed a new toy should be on your list ,[a welder] and the toy list grows again.

 

[stray]

There was an earlier tread on this and as I recall someone said that PT is now making that piece out of a thicker pipe. I had this same problem and as you I caught it while greasing. A good thing because others have broke and bent this as to where it would be much more trouble to fix.

All I had to do when mine done the very same thing that yours did was to weld it in place. I welded several beads around all four places in the middle while being careful not to penetrate the weld so deep that it would fuse the inside rod to the pipe. I was concerned about this but had no trouble.
I think that the easiest thing for you to do would be take the whole tractor to a Welder and have them weld several beads around these places. While he welds these places be sure to operate the tilt to be sure the rod doesn't stick to the pipe.

Of course you could remove the arm assembly and this would give the Welder an easer time in welding it. In the future if mine gives more trouble I will add few pieces to reinforce it. Maybe a strap 10" long or so bending back to the pipe across the bottom and top of these places. You might for insurance have the Welder do this. He should know what you're talking about and what to do. Also, while you have it at the Welders look the arm assembly over and have him go over any places that might need it.
Please let us know how your repair turns out.

 

[pajoube]

I had the same problem and shipped the arm to Tazewell. They repaired and returned, it was still under warrenty.
They did beef up the new pin and weld.
Those that have had this problem do you own a mini hoe?
PJ

 

[J_J]

My comment on the welding.is that it doesn't look like factory welding. It looks like that they did not get good penetration . I had to replace my tilt arm assembly last year. The roll over tube froze to the 2 in pin some how and would not move . Even after cutting it out, I could not press the pin out of the tube. The tilt arm and pin were about $215.00 for my 1445 I cut through the tube and pin with a cement saw with metal cutting blade. I then ground out the weld on the end pieces, and installed the new parts. There are some pictures on the site if you do a search for tilt arm. You might also wire brush those weld joints where the other tubes are welded to the lift arms and use a magnifier glass to see if there are any other cracks. You might even reweld those joints. There appears to be a twisting action on the lifting arms, maybe caused by lifting unequal loads,

 

[tlb]

jj,
$215 seems reasonable to me. Was shipping expensive? I think you are correct about unequal loads causing twisting action. I have pushed out several hundred stumps over the past year and was sometimes pretty rough on the green beast. I've also moved alot of large rocks that were heavy enough to cause pucker when not steering straight. With the LMB on the lift arms there is a noticable tilt to the left.
-Tim

 

[J_J]

You can check the arms on a level driveway. Check same air pressure in front tires, and measure the tip of the arms to the driveway. They can be reset when welding.

 

[tlb]

Called PT and got the following price quotes: Pivot Arm $146 + $18 Shipping. Rod inside pivot arm $37 +$18 shipping. They suggested I try to get it welded locally first.
-Tim

 

[J_J]

That's not to bad a price, cheaper than mine, but yours is a smaller unit. If you get the new parts, find yourself a good welder that does it for a living., and has some good equipment. If you decide to just weld it again, have them grind it back a good bit . I believe someone makes a fluid that will find hairline cracks that the eye can not see. In the Navy, I remember they used some stuff called magna-flux. They used it on all aircraft, and it would probably work on any thing metal.

 

[toy]

When I asked them at Tazwell how much it would cost to repair this seems like the price for them making the repair was about the same as the total cost of parts plus shipping maybe a little more. Hope you get it fixed soon and without too much trouble. Maybe the one that posted that they were going to reinforce theirs can chime in and describ what they did to reinforce it. I wouldn't have shipping charges since I live close enough to take mine back in to them.

 

[catsco]

A few days ago I replaced the rollover assembly (that is what PT called it) as mine had cracked (and been welded) numerous times.

My PT is a 425.

The assembly and shipping was about $210 total (to Colorado), and I paid our local high priced welder $65 to reweld after after grinding the ends where the pin is welded into the lift arm and removing it. Also had to cut completely through the bent 'tube' and pin to get the old pin out as the pin was bent.

The new part is a much thicker wall 'tube'; I believe the pin is the same. Hope this works.

My PT has 350 hrs., and this has been a problem since 275 hrs., but PT offered no repair, discount, etc. I thought they should give some concession on price, since this appears to be a design flaw, but that is not the case.

Still watching the new welds and parts about 15 seconds of every operating minute. Paranoia seems to creep in after things break that shouldn't!

Mark H.

 

[KentT]

I want to repeat PJ's question above...

For those who've experienced this problem, have you been using a mini-hoe?