New Holland 256 Repair?

[Bubbleboy78]

Hi! This is my first post on this particular forum, I hope perhaps I can get some help. I have just started to attempt to restore a NH 256 Rolabar rake, however there seems to be one major hang-up I've encountered- the hitch.

While the hitch is functional, it appears that somehow ( I honestly have no idea how.. ) it has become bent inwards, I believe if you stand at the hitch and face the rake it is bent to the right. I'm looking to overhaul this as a long term project and either use it on a small tractor I am planning to buy, or attempt to completely restore it to sell.

Is it worth messing with the hitch even though it is functional? I'm sure it has a slight effect on how the rake pulls behind the tractor, and to become oriented as such the two red frame bars seem to be slightly bent. Any ideas, hintt, or suggestions?
Thanks

 

[art]

Probably to tight of a turn caused the problem, can "you" live with the looks? The rake might last as long with it bent as it will live period!

 

[zzvyb6]

would help if you could post a picture or 2 of the situation. This is usually soft steel so straightening in out could likely be done. Is this rake equipped with a dolly wheel?

 

[Barry Bowen]

Almost all 256 and the like rakes get bent like that. Look the next time you see one that has some use on it. Usually from turning to tight. Rebuilding to sell is not worth the effort for the most part. If the gear case is bad, you can easily spend hundreds there. If the pto shaft from the left wheel to the gear box is loose it causes uneven rotation and uneven raking, and costs about 200, the bearings on the end of the roll bars, if one or two are bad just do them all, several more hundred dollars. I restored one three years ago. Not counting my time I had 1800 in it, 800 to buy it and 1000 in parts (gear, bearings, seals, safts, etc, etc.) Lost 800 and my time when I traded it in on a rotary rake. Sorry for the loose, but the rotary rake has been well worth it. I will never own another roll bar other then as a back up.

 

[RickB]

would help if you could post a picture or 2 of the situation. This is usually soft steel so straightening in out could likely be done. Is this rake equipped with a dolly wheel?

Straightening a fabricated steel channel that is formed in an arc then twisted out of shape is not an easy task. That's why there are hundreds, if not thousands of these rakes around with similar if not identical frame damage. If it had dolly wheels, the frame probably would be straight. If the frame isn't cracked, or isn't twisted too much to get a pin into the tractor drawbar, run it.

 

[Bubbleboy78]

@zzvyb6: No, there is no dolly wheel. And the damage is probably from it being turned too tight.

I think overall the gearbox is in good condition but I'm going to try to clean it up some and run it to check. The rake will fit on a tractor hitch still with no major issues, I was just wondering if it was worth fixing seeing as I'm considering selling it, and wasn't sure how a bent hitch would affect the price.

If I don't sell it I'll probably paint it up anyways so it looks nice, slap a weld over the bend and run it as a back up.

(I'll try to put some pics up soon, but not sure when I'll get a chance for that)

Thanks for the replies!