MF weak drop arms

[James]

This tractor has the drop arm pins under the links, which is bad practice, and which bends the lift rods on some models is links are moved inappropriately.

I do this when using the baler or slurry tanker to keep the arms clear of the PTO shaft. I never leave them like that when lifting.

 

[Cowabunga]

I do this when using the baler or slurry tanker to keep the arms clear of the PTO shaft. I never leave them like that when lifting.

I leave my links right down on the tankers and lengthen the lift arms until the hook ends just clear the ground, leaving the pins where they are meant to be.

 

[mf7480]

I leave my links right down on the tankers and lengthen the lift arms until the hook ends just clear the ground, leaving the pins where they are meant to be.

Leaving all the threads exposed and the arms dangling in the dirt.

 

[Dave6170]

I leave my links right down on the tankers and lengthen the lift arms until the hook ends just clear the ground, leaving the pins where they are meant to be.

Not much use doing that when baling

 

[Farma Parma]

I leave my links right down on the tankers and lengthen the lift arms until the hook ends just clear the ground, leaving the pins where they are meant to be.

id never do that but i dont use tankers nor balers.
Why not just wind the same arms up as far as they will go? will that be high enough ?

 

[Cowabunga]

Leaving all the threads exposed and the arms dangling in the dirt.

Threads only exposed at the top and well greased. Dirt? Who cares if the hooks get a bit dirty? Not me. I do care when breakages hit me in the wallet though.

 

[Cowabunga]

Not much use doing that when baling

The Same does my baling

 

[Cowabunga]

id never do that but i dont use tankers nor balers.
Why not just wind the same arms up as far as they will go? will that be high enough ?

Yes, that is often an option.
What I have found over the years, once to my cost, is that whether at the top or bottom of travel, it is rather important to isolate the links at that end by dialling the wheel to the top if links are parked at the top, or lift height dial at the bottom when, you guessed it, they are parked at the bottom. This stops the links being inadvertently moved by accidentally moving the rocker switch, which on 64 and 7400 series is rather too conveniently placed. In the 7400 the rocker switch is behind the SV1 and SV2 buttons which are used regularly to attain a set speed and once in a while the rocker may be moved without noticing.

 

[CPF]

Can you zoom out a bit to provide some context?

At first glance there has been some serious thrusting going on to cause a fracture like that. Not sure whether it is a front or rear link from that picture. Looks like the tractor has been turned with an equally large implement still soil engaging rather than with lifted links, forcing the link against the limiter plate seen, rather worn at bottom right, rather than properly adjusted external stabilisers which should stop sway before links engage with that plate, but context is all. The plate is there not as a stop for working linkage but to provide a stop for unattached links to prevent them slapping towards the centre and hitting the drawbar frame or autohitch lift rod. In work it should always be the external stabilisers that stop implement sway, not that free-link limiter near the tractor end of the link.

Unless there is some overwhelming other evidence otherwise, I would class that as driver abuse [improper use] rather than a substandard component.

I must tell my operator of over 40 years experience of driving tractors .he has been doing it wrong ,I will have to get him to read this in the morning . For health and safety reasons we have sent it away to have it analysed .

 

[Farmer_Joe]

I would say it looked like a faulty casting

I once say some cat 4 arms at a sale where they had snapped on at the ball end as there was not enough metal around theballs.

 

[davidroberts30]

id never do that but i dont use tankers nor balers.
Why not just wind the same arms up as far as they will go? will that be high enough ?

Wont go high enough on my 80 on the wagon
I put a fergy bar on the arms and pin the drop arms onto that

 

[Sebastian77]

Not much use doing that when baling

Putting link arms all way to ground when baling straw... Probably worst idea heard of. End up with half the swathe dragging along. John deeres even come with a hitch pin that doesn't protrude out the bottom for that exact reason... Says it all really. That said, would be nice if manufacturers provided a "proper" and "safe" way to Put them up out the way

 

[Cowabunga]

I must tell my operator of over 40 years experience of driving tractors .he has been doing it wrong ,I will have to get him to read this in the morning . For health and safety reasons we have sent it away to have it analysed .

Yes do tell him. It's never too late to learn.

 

[Cowabunga]

I would say it looked like a faulty casting

I once say some cat 4 arms at a sale where they had snapped on at the ball end as there was not enough metal around theballs.

It is certainly not a casting. It is probably forged steel. There should be very little stress at that point axially at any time. The clue is that it broke between the stop plate at the bottom right and its pivot point, the ball end. That stop plate is not the linkage stop and in any case the links should never be subject to such bending stress. Soil engaging implements, which I bet this was attached to, are meant to be used in near straight lines, not left in the soil while turning, which I would guess is what happened here combined with lack of appropriate stabiliser adjustment.

It certainly isn't the result of a strong wind blowing it.

 

[CPF]

Yes do tell him. It's never too late to learn.

I would not dare show him what you’ve just written because I know what it will start with an F

 

[CPF]

When this link broke it was not even in the ground it was sat in middle of the yard with a drill sat on the back ,I’m not after an explanation why things break: it sounds like being back at school when the teacher telling you off, when it’s my own bit of kit .Thank you

 

[No5]

By the look of the dicolouration it has been cracked about half way through before this happened. Has is been on heavy cultivations before? I think the drill just finished it off.

 

[Cowabunga]

I would not dare show him what you’ve just written because I know what it will start with an F

That might explain your breakage to an extent. But it is 99% likely to be what happened, like it or not. It sheared by being bent around that plate attached to the hitch frame, a part that is not meant to limit the linkage movement during soil engagement. That is the job of the external stabilisers and they should not be subject to undue stress either. Lift the links out of the ground on a bend rather than try to steer it round. With a massive tractor like that, especially with lots of front weights or the use of independents, is more than any metal can reasonably withstand. It doesn't do much good for implement frames either.