Original 8N lower lift link hole spacing

JCP NC

Member
I'm planning on welding new ends on my old lift arms and I'd like to get the length right so my stay bars will work.
Looking at new ones the list distance anywhere from 31 1/2" to 32". I know it's just 1/2" , but that enough to prevent using both stay bars.

I was planning on getting new ones but have read to many horror stories about them bending easily.

Thanks
Jack
 
first thing I would do is go measure the width of pins on the implement you are going to use when using the stabilizer bars.

I have a Ferguson factory plow, aftermarket one row cultivator, lift platform, boom pole
john deere corn drill,
do not know if any of them have the same width of lower pins.

so if your rotary cutter is where you plan to use both bars, then that is the width I would build too.

do not get mad at me asking this question: are you a certified welder, cause you do not want these lower arm ends breaking off your lower arms, could be a disaster,

lower arm end broke out on my friends tractor, bush hog started crawling up the other side tire coming after him before he could get it stopped,
he did not get hurt, but ruined the tire, tore the fender all to pieces, bent lower arms and bent the bush hog frame .
he was lucky, lucky, lucky,


when mine worn to the point I was concerned of them breaking out, I just bought new lower arms. worked for me.
 
Their is a big difference between stay bars and stabelizer bars . Stay bars are adjustable , stabelizer bars for the N fords are 31 1/2 inches from center hole to center hole. Stay bars keep the drawbar at a specific height . Stabelizer bars keeps the lift arms from swaying from side to side.
 
Thanks for the clarification Steve. It would be stabelizer bars .

Now how about the lower lift arms. Is it 31 1/2" or 32"?

Thanks
Jack
 
I agree with Wellmax99.
Build to the width of your implements for stabilizer
bars.
The width will set a certain length on your stab bars.
In my situation I bought new lift arms and could not
use the original stab bars (too short to wallow
holes).
So I cut my own steel bars and used a Mag drill on
very slow with oiled hole saw to drill the holes.
Good luck,
Greg
 
(quoted from post at 12:38:40 11/16/16) I'm planning on welding new ends on my old lift arms and I'd like to get the length right so my stay bars will work.
Looking at new ones the list distance anywhere from 31 1/2" to 32". I know it's just 1/2" , but that enough to prevent using both stay bars.

I was planning on getting new ones but have read to many horror stories about them bending easily.

Thanks
Jack

Just for the record, they do make adjustable stabilizer bars. I have an adjustable on one side and a solid bar on the other. Makes hooking up implements a lot easier.
 
I've seen the adjustable stabilizers and would go that route but my lower arm ends are worn out and need to be replaced. A bush hog is band to bend the arms when it swings to one side and the check chain stop it suddenly.

Jack
 
(quoted from post at 17:38:52 11/16/16) I've seen the adjustable stabilizers and would go that route but my lower arm ends are worn out and need to be replaced. A bush hog is band to bend the arms when it swings to one side and the check chain stop it suddenly.

Jack

I know your ball arm ends need to be replaced. You seem to be worried about getting the spacing just right so you don't have trouble hooking up your stabilizer bars.

That's why I suggested an adjustable stabilizer bar if you do have any trouble after your lift arms are repaired.
 
Well, you are going through a lot of effort/time and expense for this project. Good for you. You would be well advised to make a jig with 3/4" bolts drilled through a 2 x 4 at the correct spacing ( in you case 31 1/2 ") put the new ends on the bolts with a nut & washer THEN cut the lift arm to fit. You can then weld one side (or tack weld, turn over and tack weld ) then finish weld off the jig. HTH
 
I bought new ends at TSC. I put the new ones on top of the arms and marked the arms. cut off the arms at that point and after "Ving" the arms, welded them on. Not rocket science if one's 1/8th or a 1/4 longer or shorter it won't make a bit of difference, the arms will swing from side to side and you can still attach your sway bars to them. Check it out, the distance changes with side to side movement. Keith
 

Thanks for all the info.
I'm not going to any trouble at all. It needs new ends anyway because the old ends have been cut and re-wrapped around the balls and welded a long time ago and worn out again. It's just as easy to make them the correct length as wrong so why not make them correct so everything works as originally designed?

Thanks again
Jack
 
(quoted from post at 09:58:30 11/19/16)
Thanks for all the info.
I'm not going to any trouble at all. It needs new ends anyway because the old ends have been cut and re-wrapped around the balls and welded a long time ago and worn out again. It's just as easy to make them the correct length as wrong so why not make them correct so everything works as originally designed?

Thanks again
Jack

Even with good lift arms, sometimes when hooking up different implements you can run into some that are a PIA to get both the stabilizers on. That's why I recommend using at least one adjustable stabilizer. No problem trying to get everything to line up.
 

I've seen the adjustable stabilizer bars at TSC. I might give them a try. They are a little pricy but would be great to have at least one of them.

Jack
 
As Greg 2N TX said, the stabilizer bar length will depend on width between lower pin attachment points of the implement being attached (distance C to D in photo). This distance does vary, since ASAE only set the CAT I, II, III standards in 1959 and we are talking tractors/implements before that. Looking at the photo, and thinking about the A-B-C triangle, it is clear that only when C is mid way between A & B will the length of the stabilizer and the lower lift link be the same. Use a wider drawbar (C to D length) and in order to attach, then the stabilizer will need to be shorter than the lift link. Conversely, use a narrower draw bar and in order to attach, the stabilizer will need to be longer than the lift link. I may be stating the obvious and you may be fortunate enough that all your implements have identical C to D dimensions. No comfort on the 31 1/2 vs 32 dimension of lift links, as the spec I found is 32, but my old worn out originals measure 31 1/2.
 

[i:9571862f44][b:9571862f44]"my old worn out originals measure 31 1/2."[/b:9571862f44][/i:9571862f44]

when i was prepping to make my own, 31 1/2" was the measurement i was told.
 
Maybe everybody does it this way, but I just hook up the lift arms without putting the lynch pins in and just raise the equipment off the ground. Then I swing the equipment to one side and attach one stabilizer then swing it the other way and attach the other. Then put the pins in.

I also think some folks don't know that the stabilizers have a very slight bend on each end. The bend goes in to the tractor and out to the equipment.

I know that's pretty basic stuff, but necessary information.
 
(quoted from post at 21:53:58 11/20/16) Maybe everybody does it this way, but I just hook up the lift arms without putting the lynch pins in and just raise the equipment off the ground. Then I swing the equipment to one side and attach one stabilizer then swing it the other way and attach the other. Then put the pins in.

I also think some folks don't know that the stabilizers have a very slight bend on each end. The bend goes in to the tractor and out to the equipment.

I know that's pretty basic stuff, but necessary information.
cott, that has always worked well for me, too.
 
(quoted from post at 08:46:45 11/20/16) As Greg 2N TX said, the stabilizer bar length will depend on width between lower pin attachment points of the implement being attached (distance C to D in photo). This distance does vary, since ASAE only set the CAT I, II, III standards in 1959 and we are talking tractors/implements before that. Looking at the photo, and thinking about the A-B-C triangle, it is clear that only when C is mid way between A & B will the length of the stabilizer and the lower lift link be the same. Use a wider drawbar (C to D length) and in order to attach, then the stabilizer will need to be shorter than the lift link. Conversely, use a narrower draw bar and in order to attach, the stabilizer will need to be longer than the lift link. I may be stating the obvious and you may be fortunate enough that all your implements have identical C to D dimensions. No comfort on the 31 1/2 vs 32 dimension of lift links, as the spec I found is 32, but my old worn out originals measure 31 1/2.

I removed mine today and worn out twice they still measured 31 1/2" so I made my jig for weld spacing at 32" and they worked perfect.

Thanks
Jack
 

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