Mowing To weld or not to weld: busted MX6 follow wheel

[econometrics]

Howdy folks,

So yesterday I was doing a little bit of mowing and I backed my MX6 into a pine tree. DOH! What stinks is that I was in neutral with the power reverser just about to start going forward. I have actually done this a couple of times in the past, and nothing has ever broken.

Anyway, this time it did break. I snapped the heavy steel pin that drops down and connects to the follow wheel assembly. It sheared it right where it welds to the top of the follow follow wheel bracket.

I'm wondering what your guys' opinion is on welding it back?

Or do you think I just need to get a new assembly completely?

Here is a picture of it:





Sorry that I don't have a better picture of a close-up, I can take one later when I get back home.

Let me know what y'all think.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

If you can weld it why wouldn't ya? Unless that part is cheap (which I tend to doubt since its green), its certainly worth the time to try and fix it once.

 

[econometrics]

If you can weld it why wouldn't ya? Unless that part is cheap (which I tend to doubt since its green), its certainly worth the time to try and fix it once.

That's what I was thinking. And as you'll see in the picture that I will post later, I think I can get a pretty good tight weld on this thing.

I just wasn't sure if any of y'all had confidence in welding this part of the mower since there's so much weight and pressure on it all the time.

 

[k0ua]

If you can weld it why wouldn't ya? Unless that part is cheap (which I tend to doubt since its green), its certainly worth the time to try and fix it once.

Agreed, I would be making sparks. You have nothing to lose from an attempted repair. You have money to lose from buying a new one.

Proper prep, and cleaning and start welding.

 

[k0ua]

That's what I was thinking. And as you'll see in the picture that I will post later, I think I can get a pretty good tight weld on this thing.

I just wasn't sure if any of y'all had confidence in welding this part of the mower since there's so much weight and pressure on it all the time.

Some 1/8 7018 rod at about 120-125 amps, get-er-done. Be sure to bevel and clean well first. Probably be a lot stronger than when it left the factory.

 

[dusty3030]

Looks like too if you need to dress up the area you are going to weld you can take a little off the bottom of the bushing with a grinder, it looks to be wallowed out a little anyway at the bottom. I would weld her up and rock on.

 

[econometrics]

Thanks for the reply so far, guys.

I just called up my neighbor, who is a welder, and asked him to come over and give this baby a nice good hot strong weld.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Thats even better, better atleast buy him a beer for the work!

 

[beenthere]

Looks like just under $120 for the part from Deere.
I had to have mine straightened, and it doesn't run as true as before I bent the support yoke. But it just flips back and forth when moving fast so still functions -- just annoying.

 

[MH8675309]

I bought a brush hog last year and wound up making a whole new fork assembly including welding the old pin on. I used my stick welder with some heavy 6013. It has worked just fine ever since - and I've used it for more than it was designed for,,,