Rear Blade King Pin replace

[JakesDad1]

New to the forum, hope you guys can help.

25 years ago we moved to Connecticut. The driveway is 700 feet long, unpaved, up a 13% grade. My first purchase was a Ford 8N and a 6' heavy duty grader blade for summer and winter driveway maintenance. The tractor died and was replaced by a Nortrac 20HP, 4x4 tractor (chains and weights all way around).

Now the grader has died! At the end of the current snow storm the king pin broke. I've already tried to weld it once (flux core wire feed). It held for 1 storm.

The king pin is welded in.

The question is: can I just cut the welds and replace with another bolt, or am I missing something.

To replace this blade in todays market it looks like about $1K, too much for me. The other alternative is to get a cheap one. Any Ideas?

 

[nuffer460]

First, welcome to TBN. You'll like it here! Second, can you post a couple of pictures. May help understand both the welds and/ or bolts. That being said, was it welded to replace the bolts? If your welder does not burn hot enough. maybe you have a local welder that can come out and grind out the old weld and really burn in a new weld. I have a NorTrac 254 w/ FEL. They are stronger than they look.

 

[JakesDad1]

Thanks for the response. Being new to the forum don't know if I can post pictures. I'll go home at lunch and see what I can do.

The original pin is about 1 1/2" in diameter and welded into the frame top and bottom. When it sheared, I attempted to weld at the brake. I ground the sides of the bolt so I could build a weld from the middle and worked my way out. I am a lousy welder. As you suggest, my welder (or The Welder) was not up to the job.

 

[rankrank1]

I would think your blade should definitely be repairable. Pics would definitely help until then I can offer a few suggestions based around only having your little mig to work with. As you already know light duty 115V migs like you have are not good for heavy fabrication (I have one too but do like it - it just has limitations):

a) Assuming nothing is broken but only worn oblongish: I have had great luck using my little mig it to build up pins and holes in heavy iron holes that are worn oblonged and wallowed out. Build up the wallowed out hole with weld and then use a handheld die grinder with burr tool (either electric or air) to make it close to round again. You can also build up the pin in worn areas and then use your 4.5" handheld grinder to make it close to round again. If you do a repair like this then it should be possible to return everything back close to its original design and tolerances to work again.
b) Now if something is indeed broken: It sometimes possible to redesign a suitable repair adding metal stock where needed such that your little mig welds do not have to take the brunt of the forces applied - a design such that the little mig welds only have to hold things in place.
c) If it is not possible to redesign and something is broken: In depseration, I have had good luck repeatably layeringing and criss-crossing mig welds and of course cleaning slag between layers. Warning this method does lead to some terribly unsightly welds, but what is important trying to build strength with an admittingly undersized welder but if its all you got....you sometimes find a way.
d) If a bolt/pin is only sheared as indicated in your last post, you should be able to cut that out and then use a replacement bolt with double nuts to do the repair - double nutting would allow the bolt to stay a little loose for pivoting and allow easy repair in the future if needed. Finding an 1 1/2" bolt may not be real easy/cheap but it is possible. You could simply make a new pin from a piece of solid bar round stock which should be rather cheap and readily available from a local scrap yard/metal supplier. If you do not trust your little welder to hold the retainer pins on the new 1 1/2 pin then maybe cross drill them and use a 3/8 or 7/16" bolt for the retainers kinda like cotter pins.

(NOTE: I only utilize some of the desperation type approaches on items that are not structurally critical. In other words, if it breaks then neither me, anyone else, or my equipment would be adversely hurt or damaged in any way).

 

[Soundguy]

if it was built.. it should be repairable.. though maybee not with a 110v flux welder. A beefy crackerbox, torch and angle grinder may bring more joy...

soundguy

 

[JakesDad1]

Thanks for your input! I've been unable to log back in, now I guess I'm set. This is the situation:

Now I have ground off the welds as best I can. The pin came out of the blade half. I'm stll working on dremeling out the welds on the tractor side. I can see daylight through most of the welds, I just had to go to Home Depot for more dremel cut off wheels. When I can knock out the old broken pin I'll have a nasty looking hole.

My daughter's father in law has a stick welder and has offered to help. I've ordered a 1.5" bolt, nut and washers. I'll post my results.

 

[JakesDad1]

There has been progress. Last night I finished cutting the old king pin out.

and I'm left with some pretty big holes.

and at lunch time the UPS driver left a package for me at the end of my driveway. :cloud9:

I've got $75 tied up in bolts, nuts, and washers. Hopefully my buddy will be able to help me put this back together. :drink:

 

[Soundguy]

don't look too bad.. nothing a smoke wrench and welder can't fix!



soundguy

 

[mjncad]

Were you literally using a Dremel to cut those welds? If so, get a 4-1/2" angle grinder for future chores like that.

I have a Dremel, and it's a great tool; but not for that kind of work.

 

[Soundguy]

omg.. I missed that. for sure I would have used a 4.5" angle grinder or at least a die grinder with 2" wheels... doing ti with dremel wheels must have been time consuming!

soundguy