Straightening Thick Bent Steel

Married2Allis

Well-known Member
I have a beatup toplink for an Oliver 1650, the fingers have been spread open about an inch. The fingers are about 5/8 thick and my guess is that it is cast steel. I went to my local John Deere dealer and noticed they were not busy, so I asked the shop foreman if they could heat it up and bend it back. He just shook his head and said "Naw, it'll just break". Then I told him it was from an Oliver and the guy's face turned beet red, got a crazy look in his eyes and he started sweating and shaking all over.

Just kidding! But he really was annoyed that I had brought an Oliver part into his shop.

I didn't believe what he said because I've seen parts like this heated and bent back before. Is there a certain way to do it ?



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Heating it red should work fine. It might break if you DONT Heat it. That Deere dealer is not asking for repeat business with that kind of attitude.
 
It's cast steel. Put it in a vice or clamp it good and heat it. Concentrate the heat where it needs to bend and work it back with a 2 or 3 pound hammer. Be patient.
 
Thanks and yes the service guy at the JD dealer was not too smart. I wouldn't go back there even I owned a Deere (gulp). Don't know how they stay in business. Do I need an oxy-acetalene or other serious gas torch?
 
Yes, a propane torch isn't enough. Use oxyacetylene or oxypropane with a large tip or a burning head. Don't quench it, let it cool slowly. I have one like that but the threaded sleeve is a little bent.
 
Give me an anvil and a 16 OZ crosspein hammer and 20 minutes and it will be FINE.
 
Yea, you don't want that guy working on your stuff if he can't fix that. I've made and repaired thick metal like that many times. I use my cutting torch to heat it up where I want the bend to be and then either hammer it back or clamp it in a vice.
 

Not sticking up for the mechanic at the Deere dealer, but if their hourly shop rate is over $100, and probably is, can you really afford to have him fix it?
 

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