Thread: Earth moving machinery repair recommendations required

Originally Posted by Karl Robbers

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One thing for sure, the shaft needs a lot more weld prep before it gets welded up this time. If it were me, I would prep it down to a 15-20mm diameter point and then tack it up, preheat to 200 C weld it up and cool slowly.

Ta, I'll give that a go.

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

Trade practices says that they have to sell them at the advertised price.

Really? I was under the impression that no seller can be compelled to sell i.e. they have the right to refuse to sell to you.

EDIT : Here is a link that confirms my thoughts - https://www.qld.gov.au/law/your-righ...played-prices/

The wording is "Withdraw the product from sale until the price is correct."

Not many places will do that.

These blokes already know the price is wrong on the internet & they haven't been able to get it fixed.

They also knew that if they withdrew it from sale, I'd go elsewhere.

They had me there in the shop, they had the goods on the counter, they weren't about to lose me to a competitor.

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

The wording is "Withdraw the product from sale until the price is correct."

Which is very different from your original statement, which was

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

Trade practices says that they have to sell them at the advertised price.

I was simply clarifying that they do not HAVE to sell you the item for the advertised price, although as you point out it may still be in their best interest to do so.

OK, how about this then.... "Trade practices says that they have to sell them at the advertised price, if they want to sell them."

Perfect

OK, some progress.

Before I started, I spent a couple of hours before lunch practicing with the new rods.

I had some 12mm steel that I wanted to mount a couple of pieces of RHS onto so I clamped that up & heated it up & got stuck into it.

During the day while it was nice & warm in the sunshine, I found that 100A worked best with the 7016 rods.

I tried several different settings from 100A up to about 125A, too hot melted holes in the RHS.

I ground it back & did it again a couple of times til I was happy.

After lunch, I started on the real thing.

Yesterday I ground the shaft to more of a point leaving about a 12mm circle in the centre.

That allowed me to balance it on the ball joint cap & clamp it in place.

I heated it up with my gas blow torch & got stuck into it.

Again, I ground it back & inspected it as I went.

As the afternoon went on & the sun dipped behind the trees & the weld built up, I found I had to wind the current up.

Eventually I was running it at about 130A but every time I stopped to clean it up to inspect it, it lost too much heat.

I also found that each time I went for a new rod, it was very hard to get it started properly until it warmed up.

I gave up & called it a day, I have ground it back to inspect it & tomorrow, when it is warmer, I'll build it up a bit more.P1020814 (Large).JPGP1020817 (Large).JPG

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

I also found that each time I went for a new rod, it was very hard to get it started properly until it warmed up.

That's surprising. It would suggest not enough current to me. Are these the 4.0mm rods? Anyway, clamp a scrap piece of plate or sheet to the circuit and drag the rod over that so it's hot (or run a short bead). While still hot, switch over to your job.

I'm using 3.2mm Kobe LB52U rods, they are a 7016 rod.

They were fine while it was still sunny & warm.

I found that dragging the fresh rod along a bit of scrap warmed it up.

I noticed that the last time I tried to use low hydrogen rods too, that time I worked out that leaving a couple of rods in the sun to warm up helped as well.

Maybe I need one of those heated quivers.

When you have got it completed, I suggest that you don't grind the welds, as that creates something like scratches, that could cause it to crack through the weld. IMHO as it's something I'd always been taught.
I know this is going back half a century, but that is where the old pie warmer welders were great, pre heating rods etc. I made the Hand rail support for the free way overpass at Mt Barker, with one of those, all TIG welded. Sorry if this is a bit off topic.
Kryn

Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore

When you have got it completed, I suggest that you don't grind the welds.....

Oooo.... this shaft has to go through a hole in the goose neck on the front of the grader.

That part is about 990kms away from here.

I reckon there may be some grinding to make it fit after I have finished building it up.

Particularly since my welding isn't good enough to leave a nice smooth surface.

Originally Posted by .RC.

It is a pity 4mm is too big for you... I have about 400kg of 7018's to give away...

Arrived today, they are actually 2 x 1.5Kg packs of Lincon Electric Kryo 1P, E8018-G-H4R, thanks for that.

It may be way cheaper to find a spare part.

I doubt you will find spares as this machine is a custom modification of an original machine.
All in all this shouldn't be an expensive repair.