Farmtrac Front End Loader Bolts Broken

[TwoBearBill]

I was using my Farmtrac 270DTC yesterday, and while pushing some brush into a ravine I noticed the right side bracket for the front end loader shifted suddenly. Upon inspection, I noticed all but one of the bolts that mount the FEL "bracket" had sheered off on the right side. I was able to get it back to my barn, and unhooked the FEL, which was hard to do with the right side holding on with only one bolt. Upon closer inspection, I found all but two bolts sheered on the left side as well. I've removed both the brackets, and have all but three of the bolt pieces out, but the rest of them are putting up a fight. It looks like I might be able to weld an extension on the mounting hardware and bolt through the holes in the front frame to strengthen the whole setup. Has anyone had this or a similar problem with their Farmtrac FEL?

 

[agequipt]

Not the first time this has been seen.

If the bolts on the front are broken they need to be replaced. These also support the engine mount.
Welding the extenton on to the bracket will help solve this problem. A bracket to the rear axels works best keeps the loader from shifting with pressure. Lock tight all bolts also.
If the bolts on the back side are broken off those come out when drilled with a left hand bit. (hardware store should have them.)

 

[TwoBearBill]

I have the rear bolts out, and found replacement bolts easily, but one of the front bolts is giving me a fight. I'll send photos of the extension brackets when I get them fabricated.

 

[cmuncy]

Thanks I'd like to see those pics.

 

[frank_f15]

I was using my Farmtrac 270DTC yesterday, and while pushing some brush into a ravine I noticed the right side bracket for the front end loader shifted suddenly. Upon inspection, I noticed all but one of the bolts that mount the FEL "bracket" had sheered off on the right side. I was able to get it back to my barn, and unhooked the FEL, which was hard to do with the right side holding on with only one bolt. Upon closer inspection, I found all but two bolts sheered on the left side as well. I've removed both the brackets, and have all but three of the bolt pieces out, but the rest of them are putting up a fight. It looks like I might be able to weld an extension on the mounting hardware and bolt through the holes in the front frame to strengthen the whole setup. Has anyone had this or a similar problem with their Farmtrac FEL?

Do you have any idea WHY so many bolts broke?

 

[TwoBearBill]

I think the bolts probably started loosening up, and broke one or two at a time. I had noticed some play in the FEL, but assumed is was just tolerances in the parts and now I realize it was probably the loose bolts. When I re-assemble the whole thing, I plan to use lock-tite and check the bolt torques on a routine basis.

 

[Ryan03]

My 270 did the same thing very early on in its life. I think the bolts were under torqued and defective. I changed my bolts with the metric equivelent of a grd 8 bolt, I think it was 10.9. I also applied a liberal amount of loctite 271, and tightenened with a 231 ingersol impact set on low, and a 19mm impact socket and impact swivel. I have since logged about 50 or so hard machine hours since and the bolts have stayed tight and are not showing any signs of distress. Before one bolt actualy broke, the loader bolts loosened up 3 times before, and each time I tightened them with the impact and reapplied loctite. I feel the bolts were actualy stretching, not backing out. By the way, I do not recomend using loctite and the factory bolts , It makes them real hard to get out when they snap, and they will snap. Thank god for rosebud torch tips and black engine paint in a spraycan!!!!

 

[TwoBearBill]

Here are some photos of my FEL mount repair, showing the bolts that broke off in the block, the stock forward mounting bracket, and how I modified it so I could utilize one of the holes already in the frame. I did both sides this way. I painted the new brackets JD green in protest of Farmtrac going under.

 

[beaner68]

i,ve got 400+hrs on mine and no broken bolts yet i guess its time to give it a good going overand do some inspections

 

[citytransplant]

First, nice job on the bracket mod there TwoBearBill!

I'm resurrecting this thread because after 370 hours and plenty of full buckets of stone, I noticed that the entire head of one (of 4 per side) of the rear loader bracket bolts sheered off entirely. I was partly relieved because not too long ago while using the bucket to move stone, I heard a crack. Nothing more ... just ... CRACK. I knew it wasn't good, but didn't know what the heck it was. Now I know.

Anyway, what I know about fasteners, including bolts, is just enough to be dangerous. Therefore I'm here asking for help. The 7 heads of the bolts that remain on the (rear section of the) loader bracket unit read "J D 10.9" Ryan03 wrote above: "I changed my bolts with the metric equivelent of a grd 8 bolt, I think it was 10.9"

Are bolts for this application categorized by both size and hardness? What exactly do I ask for when I go to the hardware store? I do have a set of bolt removers (E-Z out) and a counter clockwise cobalt drill bit. I may be getting back to you to determine which of the E-Z extractors I will need. I'm armed with:

-5pcs Multi-Fluted, Machined Alloy Steel Screw Extrator Size: #1-#5
-5pc Left-Hand Cobalt Drill Bits Size: 5/64", 7/64", 5/32", 1/4", 19/64"

Finally, I had to laugh when I read the following on the package: "Remove Broken Screws Easily"

They don't know who they are dealing with in my case.

 

[jonhanson88]

Same story on my 2007 Farmtrac 300DTC right side bolts and right bracket. Three broken bolts sheared off deep inside and support bracket broken in half.

I can't seem to get the bolts out.

 

[JIGBUILDER]

Probably 1/2" or 5/8" bolts.
Have you tried drilling a hole in the busted off bolt for a easy out broken bolts extractor tool ??

 

[jonhanson88]

Probably 1/2" or 5/8" bolts.
Have you tried drilling a hole in the busted off bolt for a easy out broken bolts extractor tool ??

i will this weekend. thank you. do they make a drill bit for grade 10 harden bolts ?

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I had the same problem with the broken bolts and didn't have enough bolt left outside of the threads to get an easy out extractor on, so what I did was take my wire welder and I kept building up the head of the bolt until I had enough to get the extractor on, it worked like a champ on every bolt.

 

[citytransplant]

i will this weekend. thank you.

How did you make out? Did you reinforce that busted bracket? Would love some "after" pics.

 

[jack707]

The bolt on the loader that's mounts to the frame shook out!!! ..it was a 3/4dia. 4 1/2 long but there maybe a 1" left to the new bolt I put in I like to put a weld tack but the diesel tank is above so I'll just put Se lot tight on it.

 

[1farmtrac]

My 2006 320 DTC did the same thing havn't replaced all the bolts yet the person that had the tractor before me welded the brackets back on. has since broken the welds and ruined a cylinder. this may be one of the reasons they went out of business. Parts are extremely hard to get. Thinking about getting rid of it and getting a Mahindra. I am now putting the engine back together, had coolant escaping and don't know where it was going, thought it was a blown head gasket, but we'll see.

 

[bones1]

Was it the head gasket?

 

[citytransplant]

Was it the head gasket?

Same question. Where was the coolant going? How many hours on your 320 DTC? Also, (anyone) please help me understand how a cylinder can be "ruined" by a busted weld on the loader bracket. While I don't doubt that it happened, I'm just not making the connection.

 

[Hunter123]

I realize this is an old thread but I have this issue reoccurring on my 360dtc and I has been redone with 1/2” bolts and 9/16 bolts and now I am doing it with 5/8 bolts. I drilled out the 2 most front holes in the frame on both sides to use them since the factory did not use all the bolts in the block and I fabricated plates to the loader frame out of 5/8 plate to also use the front 4 holes of the frame on the front as well as the 4 in the back and 2 into the transmission. The loader brake ts have broken before and have been welded and plated. My tractor never came with a support from the bottom of the loader frame to the rear axle like most tractors have so I am fabricating them and so the bolts don’t back out I am going to be using red locktight on everything and I think I’m going to tack every bolt head to the frame so they can not loosen up. I also have noticed a small loss of coolant and I can not see where it is going so has anyone seen anything on that?