Cast iron front pedestal repair

mcrow4117 · Dec 24, 2018

I have a cracked pedestal on my A John Deere I am about to start restoring. Wanted to get opinions on repairing it compared to what I have thought and researched. My plan was to cut/grind a V or U groove at least 1/4-3/8” deep and mig weld with nickel wire making short welds with low current and allowing to cool to prevent the cast from getting to hot and cracking elsewhere and peening the weld before it’s cooled. I have never welded castiron that is this thick that’s why I am looking for opinions to whether this will work.

Mark-Ia · Dec 24, 2018

Scrap,just get another pedestal. they should be cheap and plentiful. That pedestal will unbolt from your frame.

jeffcat · Dec 24, 2018

Wow...I would agree. You are messing with a perpetual time bomb. You should be able to junk yard that front and it will be complete!

FBH44 · Dec 24, 2018

First thought that comes to my mind is I'd look carefully at whatever else might have been damaged by the slam-bam that caused that crack.

DeltaRed · Dec 24, 2018

don't bother with fixing. As was said,it can be a time bomb. Not IF,but WHEN.There are a bazillion 'junkers' out there for Parts.

mcrow4117 · Dec 24, 2018

btw I didn’t crack it. It was already cracked when I got the tractor it was covered in 1” of dust dirt and debris and didn’t see it until I pressure washed it. I have looked everything else over and haven’t seen anymore damage. After sandblasting more may show up.

PJH · Dec 24, 2018

In 1970, I drove a new to me John Deere B with mounted cultivators home on the gravel back roads from Pinckneyville, Illinois. I wondered why the steering shaft was sliding forward and backward through the rear support when I hit a bump, but being young and invincible, didn't take time to stop and check. I looked it over good when I got home, and it was busted like yours on both sides, and the sheet metal was wrinkled from the stress on the nose piece. I traded a big sack of turnips to an old local welder to come out and fix it for me. We used that $50 tractor around here for years with no issues.

As to how he fixed it - all I can remember is that he had a Ford flathead V8 powered welder on his truck. He probably vee'd the cracks with a grinder, but I can't remember it. That is what I would do today, if I couldn't find a good replacement, and I'd look pretty hard for one before I broke out the grinder.

C.Amick · Dec 24, 2018

Your proposed method seems good, but it's still going to be a weak point. It's not going to look very
good, but maybe you could weld some steel plates on as reinforcement in addition to welding the crack.

DPittman · Dec 25, 2018

PJH, do you go to the ATA show in Pinckneyville every year? If you do we'll have to set up a meeting place. DP

Cast iron front pedestal repair

mcrow4117

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Mark-Ia

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jeffcat

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FBH44

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DeltaRed

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mcrow4117

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PJH

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C.Amick

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DPittman

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