My Shop

[ak diesel driver]

Getting back at it.

 

[ak diesel driver]

So it turns out that even though the rest of the machine is metric these wheel studs are not. 3/4-16 and m20-1.5 are very very close to the point that I had to hold my thread pitch gauge and the stud up in the light to see the difference. I called my local Cat dealer and discovered the kit doesn't even use studs it just uses bolts. So I'm getting bolts, Glad I waited to drill my bolt pattern, Now I'm trying to decide whether to have part of the hole threaded.

 

[n8in8or]

I don't think you ever said............what's the purpose of the wheel spacers on the backhoe?

 

[ak diesel driver]

Tire chains

 

[ak diesel driver]

Only a 1" of clearance where the ROPS ties into the frame, and it has a plastic or maybe fiberglass cover over it.

 

[n8in8or]

Ah, that makes sense.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Here's the marks my tire chains are leaving

 

[ak diesel driver]

So I got my bolts, I'm going to have to drill out the wheel flange to get the bolts to go through. I'm seriously considering just tack welding the heads. Certainly be easier, anyone have any input on the pros and cons?

 

[Twisted Steel Performance]

Case hardened at the least.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Hmm foiled at every turn. My milling machine doesn't have enough y axis travel to do the bolt circle

 

[Twisted Steel Performance]

Rotary table in the future me thinks.

 

[ak diesel driver]

So I'm in the process of building a center dowel that will thread into a T nut. It will allow me to rotate the spacer with out losing my center too bad. Then I can line up one of the previous holes and continue on.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Hopefully this works

 

[ak diesel driver]

So it appears to have worked. When I turned it 180* I lined up the number 1 hole, then went to the number 5 hole directly opposite and it lined up too. Too hot to handle right now so I'll check it out later this evening.

 

[ak diesel driver]

So it didn't initially fit so I went from the 3/4 hole size I was using to 25/32 and it slid on. I don't think that's too bad considering the tools I have to work with.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Might take them off and paint them so they don't rust so much. The second one didn't go quite as well as the other one. I ended up drilling all the holes to 13/16.

 

[n8in8or]

First, I think you did a really good job and I admire your resourcefulness and dedication to using what you have available to you to make something for yourself instead of just buying it. Second, do you think the hole pattern would have/could have been more accurate if you used the last two holes instead of just the last one to key off of for the next set of holes you were drilling? I know it would have required an additional setup, but I’m just wondering or thinking out loud in case I ever try to attempt anything like that.

 

[ak diesel driver]

I actually used holes 1 and 5 to key off of. On the second one it acted like my center had shifted but I'm not sure how it did.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Best would have been a bigger machine so I could do it without repositioning it. Maybe someday.....

 

[Will L.]

Just be sure to feed and water it daily so it can grow.

Yup- ya need some yellow paint on there.