Broken Steering Knuckle in the Woods

3RRL · Oct 16, 2006

I got stuck this weekend while trying to push in some new trails. In doing so, there were a million rocks and boulders I loosened up and had to get out of the way. With bucket full of dirt and rocks, I backed out over some smaller boulders when suddenly I lost all steering? I looked down to see the front wheels look back at me cross-eyed. I jumped off the tractor to see what happened and found the steering knuckle ball joint had sheared off.

It left me stranded on a section of my property in the middle of the woods. Luckily, I have a tool box mounted on the Kama so I took it off and radioed Loretta to come and get me. When I got to my workshop at the property, I took it apart.

The ball joint shaft had broken in two. I figured out what happened when backing out over the boulders.... I got the wheels to straddle a couple of big ones and they were being wedged apart. It was too much for the shaft. Here's a close up of the broken shaft and ball.

3RRL · Oct 16, 2006

This picture shows how rocky the terrain is where I'm trying to push in a new trail. The whole area is like that. Trying to avoid the rocks and boulders was not easy. Even cutting on what looked "smooth" soon revealed rocks underneath.

Anyway, I figured I had no choice but to try to fix it. Otherwise I would be stuck for who knows how long? I ground big chamfers on the 2 pieces and fixtured them together in my big grinding vise.

3RRL · Oct 16, 2006

I decided to try and arc weld the pieces back together. If I got good enough penetration, the weld should be just as strong as the parent material. I tacked it all around first at a pretty hot setting, then ran a good bead all around with 6011 rod and filled the rest of the chamfer with 7018 rod.

Then I ran my bench grinder and tried to "fake in" the original shape to match what it used to look like. In doing so, I recalled that the hole in the front wheel casting had some play in it so I was not too concerned that it needed to be centerless ground and fit perfectly. Looks like it's gonna work for me.

3RRL · Oct 16, 2006

After trying the fit into the ball joint, I re-assembled the whole thing, including the rubber grease boot. Now I was pretty sure it would work like new. The part that is repaired is inside the casting where the Zerk fitting is. The other thread pointing down screws into the steering connecting rod.

I asked Loretta to give me a lift back to the woods where the tractor was. I started to put everything back together again and eye balled the "toe-in". Then cinched up all the nuts, bolts and cotter pins and then greased it some more. Here is what it looks like back on the tractor. I was able to keep working for 2 more days until it was time to go home. I finished all the rest of the trail work and rock moving.

Thanks for looking...

bx23barry · Oct 16, 2006

Good job! No need to replace it, buy a new one and throw it in the tool box just in case. But I'd call it a tie rod end rather than a knuckle.

3RRL · Oct 17, 2006

barry,
Thanks for the correct part description. I hate it when I can't think what the part is called! Seems to happen more and more as I get older?

jinman · Oct 17, 2006

Great field repair, Rob. I think there were a lot of tractors that old farmers used to keep going by doing the kind of thing you did. I've heard that some of them used to make all their repair parts.

shvl73 · Oct 17, 2006

I'm envious!
You should be proud of your ability to asses and repair these things that would leave a lot of us stranded. Good job!

scott_vt · Oct 17, 2006

Mornin Rob,
Nice field repair job

Just curious, can you easily get a new tierod end from Kama without a significant wait ? I would think you might want an extra !

BTW,. you dont have a CNC lathe at the camp ???

With a heat treating department ?

3RRL · Oct 17, 2006

Thanks guys,
I thought sharing a little field repair might encourage more of us to keep our tractors running in a pinch. I once threw a chain on my old Triumph 650 coming home from Las Vegas and fixed it by doubling over a bobby pin. I forgot about it and rode the bike out to Tuscon before I changed it!
And no, I don't have a CNC or Heat Treat at the camp, other than my fire pit and then pee on it. Hahaha. I don't know how hard it would be to get a part for this, but Bluechip, Ranch Hand, and Affordable here all services and supply for them, so I'm sure they might have some available. At this point, I don't intend to replace this one. I'm also glad the ball shaft broke and not the casting of the wheel housing assembly. So keeping the ball shaft as the weak point is probably a good thing.

Thanks,