Bending metal

[doc623]

Don't know if this the right place so move it if needed.
I also tried a search without success.

I have metal extentions on the bottom of a bale spear for attaching to a bucket as an alternative to the three point hitch. These extentions fit above and bvelow the front bottom of the bucket. These extentions have a hole thru which a bolt is used to attach to the bucket.some how andd Iwill not name names; the bottom extention got bent and now it is very difficult to get a bolt thru now. The bend is approximately 1/2 a hole off center. The extentions are approximately 12-14" long by 2" wide and @ 3/8 to 1/4" thick.
I am going to try to clamp the extentions into alignment and then apply heat.
Now for the question: will the extentions stay once cool and the bracing removed?

[Bearfootfarm]

Now for the question: will the extentions stay once cool and the bracing removed?

You'll have to heat it red hot to make it bend, which will soften the metal, but it should stay in place.

It would be better to try and bend it cold if you can.
You should be able to do it with a large adjustable wrench and a piece of pipe that will fit over the handle

[doc623]

Thanks for the input and I will try to cold bend it if i can find soome place to brace it against.

[rambler]

Originally Posted by doc623

Don't know if this the right place so move it if needed.
I also tried a search without success.

I have metal extentions on the bottom of a bale spear for attaching to a bucket as an alternative to the three point hitch. These extentions fit above and bvelow the front bottom of the bucket. These extentions have a hole thru which a bolt is used to attach to the bucket.some how andd Iwill not name names; the bottom extention got bent and now it is very difficult to get a bolt thru now. The bend is approximately 1/2 a hole off center. The extentions are approximately 12-14" long by 2" wide and @ 3/8 to 1/4" thick.
I am going to try to clamp the extentions into alignment and then apply heat.
Now for the question: will the extentions stay once cool and the bracing removed?

If it comes to it, heat should not hurt that part of the lift.

Be different if you had a bent spear itself, etc.

--->Paul

[Old Vet]

Originally Posted by doc623

Now for the question: will the extentions stay once cool and the bracing removed?

When you heat the metal it will lose the temper.To replace the temper heat it to a red hot then put it in a barrel of oil. You can use used motor oil for this but dunk it quickly so it doesn't catch on fire. If you dunk it slow it will catch on fire but will go out unless you have a lot gasoline or diesel fuel in it.

[uncle Will in In.]

Use your torch to cut one of the holes to match the other hole. Weld a big washer on the sloppy hole.

[tamsam]

BIG HAMMER should do the trick. Good luck with it. Sam

[davel745]

Originally Posted by Old Vet

When you heat the metal it will lose the temper.To replace the temper heat it to a red hot then put it in a barrel of oil. You can use used motor oil for this but dunk it quickly so it doesn't catch on fire. If you dunk it slow it will catch on fire but will go out unless you have a lot gasoline or diesel fuel in it.

I agree with what old vet said. Oil quenching without drawing it may make it brittle.

To draw it back a little and make it tuff after quenching heat the part to a straw color and quench it again. Leave it in the oil till cool.

Hope this helps

Dave

[doc623]

Again thanks for the suggestions.
However; a big hammer won't work and heat treating is fine except for the logistics of quenching an 80# 5' long bale spear with a frame made for attaching to a 3 point hitch with secondary points on the bottom level of the spear. Maybe at one point in time but not today.

[Harry Chickpea]

Uhhh, you have a hydraulic lift. It got bent somehow. Have you considered using the lift as a press to apply force?

[davel745]

I didn’t understand, somehow I thought it was a part that could be removed.

If you force it back into place somehow. Can a gusset be welded to the part that bends to strengthen it?

I would check for cracks. Usually a part that has been bent is a lot weaker and will bend again. After a few bends it will crack and break.

Can the part in question be cut off and re-fabricated and re-welded?

Best regards,

Dave

[ChristieAcres]

dave745- Using gussets OR cutting off & fabricating/welding is what my DH does (especially on heavy equipment). If it was mildly tweaked, he may consider bending, but otherwise, no. His goal is to make everything stronger. So, when customers bring him work like that, they never bring it back for the same repair.

DH recently fabricated a rail section (employee of local newspaper took it out with her truck) for the Post Office. Since it wasn't perfectly level/square to begin with, he had to straighten a post, set in concrete. He used the bumper of his truck, carefully, and it worked fine.

[doc623]

Let me see if I can draw a verbal picture.
I have a bale spear with one long primary spear point/shaft - this is not the problem area. This spear and frame has two additional or secondary points lower on the 3 point frame that hooks to the 3 point lift. On the bottom of this frame are two arms that extend the opposite direction from the spear points that give the option to use this piece of equipment via a front end loader bucket with one of the arms above the bottom of the bucket and one arm below the bottom of the bucket.
The problem is that the bottom arm is bent and does not line up with the top arm. The holes that you use to bolt these arms and therefore the bale spear to the bucket do not line up. And I am asking how to bend the very bottom arm back in line with the upper arm of the attachment for the spear for the bucket of the front end loader.
I did think of trying to use the bucket to bend the arm but can/t get at it to do so.

[Bearfootfarm]

I did think of trying to use the bucket to bend the arm but can/t get at it to do so.

A hydraulic jack (or even a regular car jack) may work

[Old Vet]

Using a jack and a hammer you can bend it back with little trouble as long as you can get a brace on the other side. The brace can be a tire of the tractor or the flour and using the tractor to jack from. A 20 ton jack will put a lot of force on the piece.

[davel745]

I think I got the picture now. But at my age who knows.

Insert a longer bolt and tighten it. (No bucket between the parts) This should draw the two pieces together.

After the parts are realigned Maybe you could weld a stiffener to the bottom piece to stiffen it. I don’t know how much space is between the pieces but if you bring them together and loosen them up they will tend spring back. If there is room, over tighten the bolt to achieve the space desired.

If they spring back to much and you can’t close them enough. Draw them together and turn the bale spear over and with the bolt in place Hit the bottom part with a big sledge, were it attaches to the bottom of the spear. You may only have to hit once or twice. This should close the parts to the desired thickness.

Try not to pick up any bales without the bolt in place.

Good luck

Dave

[doc623]

So far so good and thanks for the input.
One thing that I failed to mention is that the parts are bent or twisted sideways from each other and not spread apart as in being close one under the other and that is why the holes do not lign up.
I'll try big blt and a bigger hammer.

[rambler]

I see no reason for a 3pt bracket to need heat treating.

Heat it, beat it, & be done with it.

--->Paul