drawbar update

pomester · Dec 10, 2017

A while back I posted a thread about my drawbar failure while pulling an offset mower - - http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=1321657&highlight=

A couple of posters suggested I get it repaired - I was/am skeptical and don't have anyone close-by I'd want to attempt it. I kept the pieces and recently needed to make a delivery to Amish country about 25 miles away - right around the corner from the delivery is a welding shop - I've known the proprietor for several years but have never had Elmer do work for me. Looking at the machines setting around the business for repair I figured this repair would fit their experience. I dropped the pieces off and got a call a few days later that they had 'glued it back together'. Last week I made the drive and did the pick-up - $35 -

so - here it is - how can I ever trust it?

Destroked 450 · Dec 10, 2017

Looks good, without that hole it should be stronger than before.
I'd pin it up short, put's less stress on it that way.

riveroadrat · Dec 11, 2017

That hole wasnt supposed to be there, you can see its torch cut. It took the temper out of it. On another note, does anyone know if it would be better to heat up the repair and cool it with oil to re-temper it?

Welding man · Dec 11, 2017

May or may not hold, Good drawbars are high carbon steel that require the right electrode,
preheat and post heat to repair. It may hold forever and it may break in the heat affected
zone right beside where if was welded. The welding may have softened it to the point it
will bend. From what I see, I see no evidence of post heat treatment. Time will tell.Be
careful on your first load.

tractorguy2 · Dec 11, 2017

Half the drawbars around here have been welded. Makes no
difference what color the tractor is. I would not be worried.

Row crop drawbar are hard to find. I've been watching for one
for dad's 62 4000. Lots of 8n drawbar on auctions. Never any 900
series.

RDobbs · Dec 11, 2017

Weld looks ok to me but agree with what others have said.
My 6OO drawbar has never broken, but if it did I would have
fixed it my self. I'm no expert welder but have done my share.
I would have welded a support piece on the bottom and also
on top if you have room. That's just me talking and my tractor
looks fine but is not a show tractor.

cowdog · Dec 11, 2017

Well, at some point in time you have to trust someone. The man did a first class job of it so put it on and forget about it. It will hold just fine. I have had several of them welded up, never had one come apart. One I used in a tractor pull the next day.

DoubleO7 · Dec 11, 2017

Would not a post welding heat treatment look the same as not done if the grinding was done afterwards?

pomester · Dec 12, 2017

I'm near certain there was no heat treatment, and I have the same question as Riveroadrat whether if would make any sense to heat and quench the whole unit -

I've given this a lot of thought as I've read the replies - I think the bottom line is that I can never really trust this repair - I'd never use it to pull a hayride -

I think I'll paint it some obvious color and use it in light duty/non critical situations until I can afford a non-compromised original unit , altho I'm having a hard time thinking of the particular pull where it's OK if I lose the load...

Dollar Bill · Dec 12, 2017

I'm near certain there was no heat treatment, and I have the same question as Riveroadrat whether if would make any sense to heat and quench the whole unit

I'm pretty sure the draw bar was originally heat treated. Could be that whomever burned a hole in it ruined the heat treatment by quenching it.

I'd use it without hesitation - Repair looks healthy to me. No way a hay wagon could over stress the repair. Even if it did break, how fast will you be going?

drawbar update

pomester

Member

Destroked 450

Well-known Member

riveroadrat

Well-known Member

Welding man

Well-known Member

tractorguy2

Well-known Member

RDobbs

Member

cowdog

Member

DoubleO7

Well-known Member

pomester

Member

Dollar Bill

Member

Similar threads