Estimating fab/welding costs (fix or sell??)

[Breezeblock]

this is an easy repair drain the tank measure from the centre of the pin remove the cylinder or compress it to get it out the road cut of the horizontal plate gouge out the cracks with grinder fill up with weld grind flat with flap disc this helps stop cracks forming get a plate of weldox or similar spec plate make it bigger than the damaged area go for 10mm thick refit the horizontal plate removing 10 ish mm from the welded end hey presto job done after welding use low hi 7018 rods or if you want to mig aws 5.18 i think. hope this helps

[treequip]

Cheers. It's pretty damned tight under there. Can't even see for sure if the plate the flange sits on has failed or if it was welded into a slot and just the weld has gone...and if I try to manouevre it to the hoist to get a proper look underneath and the tank weld goes completely in the process, it's a big slick and 900kg of dead weight..

 

Any recent experience of ag engineers hourly charging?

 

Starting at £35.00 an hour depending on area

[gensetsteve]

That looks like a weakness in design from manufacture. I would search on the net and see if anyone else has had the problem how they got over it and if the manufacturer offered any help. Armed with a bit of info talk to the manufacturer the machine may be years out of guarantee but they may offer some help as good will. Machines falling to bits of any age dont look good and yours does not look abused. If I was repairing I think I would remove bracket and repair tank then fabricate a new assy with webs that spread the load under the tank as well as just one face.

[RichardT]

this is an easy repair...

 

I was with you up to there! No doubt it's doable, but not by me, and given the need for a total strip down etc. the repair cost/book value ratio is the problem. I'll use your comments for bluffing purposes when the estimates come in......

 

That looks like a weakness in design...

 

My money's on duff welding on the flange, I've seen harder worked machines with much higher hours. The articulation joint should be taking almost all the strain and the steering ram brackets should be good for far more punishment than 20hp worth of hyd pump can dish out.

 

Very annoying, it's been a really handy tool.

[PeteB]

I'd be tempted to talk to the supplier as well. It doesn't look an overworked piece of kit or very old....

 

My local ag engineer is massively overworked and understaffed so jobs can be with him a while - but, off memory, he charges about £45 per hour and is worth twice that really...

[drythropple]

Where are you based? If its in the northeast I could help!,

[RichardT]

Thanks all, on Friday I had a flying visit by a passing Arbtalk poster/ plant fitter and another, unusually prompt, by the local Deere workshop gaffer (my neighbour's a semi retired director) and both judged it fixable at sensible cost, so it's on the operating table at the moment and I hope recommissioned by next week.

 

I'll send photos and summary anyway to the generally helpful CSF after sales people, but doubt I'll get more than an Italian style shrug.