Costly Weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sarge]

Well I Dunnit now /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif While brushing I ran over a steel fence stake. It was laying flat on the ground and the front tire went over it and the pressure caused the stake to point up towards the back (underneath the tractor). It wedged against the transmission case (after breaking the steel line going to the tranny filter) raising my B1700 back end off the ground /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. The stake bent until the weight of the tractor finally caused it to snap forcing one end of the shorter piece about 8" into the ground and the other end punched a hole in the tranny case /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. HOT OIL shower anybody.. I made it to the Kubota dealer Saturday and got a rough estimate to fix it. The new tranny case was only $217.00 but they told me that with labor it would be around $1,500. They were up front with me and that's great and also recommended trying to use JB Weld 1st?? I've never used it but everybody seems to swear by it. If that doesn't work I may try tapping it out and making like a oil drain plug. Any suggestions?? Pictures to follow if I get it right.

Sarge

 

[Glenn9643]

Without seeing it, my first thought is to weld it.

 

[RedRocker]

If the hole is small enough, I'd weld a female npt nipple and put a plug in it. If you slather JB weld on it, any future welding will become twice as hard to get clean, especially if it's aluminum.

 

[Sarge]

Pic #1 of the culprit (Larger portion before it snapped)

 

[Sarge]

Pic#2, sorry for the blurred picture (trying to dodge hot oil)

 

[Sarge]

Pic#3. The shorter piece that had to be removed from the ground/tranny case.

 

[ByronBob]

Which dealer are you working with? I see your in my neck of the woods.....

 

[Sarge]

Niagara Implement, Good group of people there.

 

[Sarge]

I know nothing about welding but I didn't think you could weld aluminum /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Bates]

http://www.muggyweld.com/

 

[RedRocker]

</font><font color="blueclass=small">( I know nothing about welding but I didn't think you could weld aluminum /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )</font>

Absolutely you can weld aluminum. If you can pull that part off it would be better. You should be able to fab a patch and weld it on, should be good as new!

BTW, DO NOT put a bunch of JB weld or epoxy on there if you hope to ever weld it, aluminum has to be really clean to weld properly.

 

[EddieWalker]

For the amount of money you were quoted, I'd check all my options first.

JB weld would be last on the list. I've used it to fix a hole in my oil pan of my backhoe. It seems to work itself loose about once a year. Next time it happens I'm pulling it off and having it welded.

The problem with JB weld, or the other brands, is it must be absoulutely clean to adhere. Any oils of any kind in the most minute amounts will cause problems. I've used sandpaper and emory cloth to get it totally clean with varying results.

If you can, I'd try taking the whole tractor down to a very good welding shop and see what they say. I bet they could weld a patch over the hole for a couple hundred bucks and you'd be as good as new.

Eddie

 

[ByronBob]

I'm with Eddie,

It looks like a clean break. A good welding shop should be able to get you fixed up ok.

 

[Sarge]

Thanks all !!!!!!!!! I'm glad it rained yesterday and didn't get the chance to try the JB Weld stuff. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[chevyorange]

Hello,
That hole in your case can be fixed. Take the tracker to a good welder that welds alum. When you call around to find this welder tell him this case is alum or it could be cast alum. You shouldn't try to clean the the hole yourself let them. Thiers alot of chem. that react with welding like break cleaner and other cleaners.They'll have the right alum cleaner,just wipe clean with rages for them.Hope this helps you.

 

[tinytractors]

Thanks for the link...
I've used the "county fair" repair rods and have had some fantastic repair jobs. I watched some of the videos and was really impressed. Keeping the link and will be doing business with them in the future.

Pete.

 

[Bates]

</font><font color="blueclass=small">( Thanks for the link...
I've used the "county fair" repair rods and have had some fantastic repair jobs. I watched some of the videos and was really impressed. Keeping the link and will be doing business with them in the future.

Pete. )

I've used the cast rods to repair exhaust manifolds with great results. The Muggy aluminum rods are supposed to work just as well.
I don't really sweat long term parts availability for any make of tractor. Metal repair technology is really getting good. Metal spray welding for worn shafts, cast iron/aluminum crack repair, re-toothing gears, etc.
Small, obsolete parts can be easily made by companies like E-Machine shop. It's really a great era to be in if you're into restoring / repairing stuff. I've drifted a bit from the original topic. Sorry!!

 

[vetteman]

I just noticed your post. My friend is a mechanic at Niagara Implement , I have known him for about 20 years when he was a mechanic at another dealer, hes a very good and thourough mechanic.

 

[Cactus]

I was running my JD in the brush a couple of years back and I had a stick push a cap in on the bottom of my transmission case in. The cap was a metal cap that was IE: a punchout for other accesories/add ons etc...I was able to push the cap back in place and then liberally put the JB weld on it and it has held up just fine, but no doubt a good welder would be the best.

 

[redalrt]

If I'm not mistaken, can't you weld aluminum with special equipment in the presence of an inert gas (Argon, I think) to keep the metal from burning up?