New guy with a t770...

[BeaverMulching]

So please be nice... or at least nice-ish...lol Ok so I've been in the sandwich business for the past 12 years, checking printing for the 26 before that. My store is for sale and I've bought a 2014 T770 with a forestry package and mulching head. I've done a couple of jobs and really enjoyed it. However, this morning I was on some really rough terrain, not sure if that has anything to do with it, and one of the arms the holds the pins out on the bob-tach came up, was knocked up or somehow released itself. I would assume I did except that I have never removed the mulching head so at least this time, its not totally my fault. Anyway, when I backed up, one side was attached and the other was not, thus bending the side bad enough it will not go into place. I was able to beat it enough to mount it well enough to get it back on the trailer but my sandwich artist hands and my 5 lbs hammer could do no more. My mentor is telling me not to waste time or money trying to repair mine and replace it but I don't let go of 12 or 1300 dollars with out lots of pondering. I'm home now and have bigger hammer. Any chances I can beat it into submission and if I do will the metal now weakened to the point point I'm wasting my time? If the answer is buy a new one is my local bobcat the best option, used or salvage an option? Thanks Hal Amick Beaver Mulching Gently clearing your overgrown areas!

 

[Wayne440]

Sounds like your "mentor" has forgotten the pain of losing $1200 or so off the hip. My advice- If you have jobs waiting and downtime costs you lots of money, replace it from where ever you can right away and get back to work. If not, you probably have little to lose by trying to repair the damage. IF I was trying a repair, I would stop at about $500 of wasted money.

 

[BeaverMulching]

Sounds like your "mentor" has forgotten the pain of losing $1200 or so off the hip. My advice- If you have jobs waiting and downtime costs you lots of money, replace it from where ever you can right away and get back to work. If not, you probably have little to lose by trying to repair the damage. IF I was trying a repair, I would stop at about $500 of wasted money.

He is one of those guys that seems to make money so easy doing a lot of different things so yes it was easier for him to spend money than me! However, in his defense he did try fixing his Cat with the same problem , twice. I spent a good part of my afternoon beating it with an 8 lbs sledge only to wish I had a 12!!! I was able to get the latching pin to go down all but the last 1/2 inch but not enough to use the machine. I'm told heating will change the properties and it will no longer hold up to the stress of a 2000 pound head bouncing around on it? Any suggestions other than beating it? Just seems like I should be able to use the power of the machine to push it back into place since it the same power that bent it... I just don't seem smart enough to figure out how!!!!!!!

 

[Wayne440]

He is one of those guys that seems to make money so easy doing a lot of different things so yes it was easier for him to spend money than me! However, in his defense he did try fixing his Cat with the same problem , twice. I spent a good part of my afternoon beating it with an 8 lbs sledge only to wish I had a 12!!! I was able to get the latching pin to go down all but the last 1/2 inch but not enough to use the machine. I'm told heating will change the properties and it will no longer hold up to the stress of a 2000 pound head bouncing around on it? Any suggestions other than beating it? Just seems like I should be able to use the power of the machine to push it back into place since it the same power that bent it... I just don't seem smart enough to figure out how!!!!!!!

I claim zero expertise, so this advice should be taken with that in mind. My experience has been that when you shape metal it often has to be bent further than desired and will then "spring back" to some degree. So while it seems that it would be easy to just put the attachment on and then push into place with the machine, the problem is that you can only push it into place, not slightly past that point to allow for the spring back. I'm fortunate to have a friend who is an experienced fabricator and welder, if it was my machine, this is the point where he would be looking it over and deciding what to do. Without seeing your issue firsthand, it is difficult to give specific suggestions.

 

[flyerdan]

I claim zero expertise, so this advice should be taken with that in mind. My experience has been that when you shape metal it often has to be bent further than desired and will then "spring back" to some degree. So while it seems that it would be easy to just put the attachment on and then push into place with the machine, the problem is that you can only push it into place, not slightly past that point to allow for the spring back. I'm fortunate to have a friend who is an experienced fabricator and welder, if it was my machine, this is the point where he would be looking it over and deciding what to do. Without seeing your issue firsthand, it is difficult to give specific suggestions.

If I understand, one of the lock pins for the bottom came up and allowed the mounting plate to spring when pulled backwards, is this correct?
If so, it will be difficult to spring it back into the original shape with it on the machine; Probably the best would be to put a block (like a piece of 1x4) between the plate and bobtach nearer toward the top and use the machine to push the bottom in. Let the machine do the work of the bfh. Hopefully it will spring it back enough that the lower pin will engage and be useable, albeit with a slight ripple in the mounting plate.
If it's just the plate that is sprung, I wouldn't be averse to using heat to help coax it back into shape if reefing on it isn't enough. And if the possibility of it having enough warp that it's difficult to get the pin in and out, I would see if I could weld in a strut that would keep the corners where they needed to be once it was in place. Be good to do both sides for added support.
If all that's wrong with it is the mounting aspect, there is no way I'd replace the whole thing. You might check into replacing just the mounting plate, it should be listed in the parts diagram. That would be a lot easier than trying to fuss it back into shape and be considerably cheaper than the whole unit.

 

[Tazza]

If I understand, one of the lock pins for the bottom came up and allowed the mounting plate to spring when pulled backwards, is this correct?
If so, it will be difficult to spring it back into the original shape with it on the machine; Probably the best would be to put a block (like a piece of 1x4) between the plate and bobtach nearer toward the top and use the machine to push the bottom in. Let the machine do the work of the bfh. Hopefully it will spring it back enough that the lower pin will engage and be useable, albeit with a slight ripple in the mounting plate.
If it's just the plate that is sprung, I wouldn't be averse to using heat to help coax it back into shape if reefing on it isn't enough. And if the possibility of it having enough warp that it's difficult to get the pin in and out, I would see if I could weld in a strut that would keep the corners where they needed to be once it was in place. Be good to do both sides for added support.
If all that's wrong with it is the mounting aspect, there is no way I'd replace the whole thing. You might check into replacing just the mounting plate, it should be listed in the parts diagram. That would be a lot easier than trying to fuss it back into shape and be considerably cheaper than the whole unit.

Without a picture to see exactly where it's bent, i can't really give good advise.
Will the pin move all the way with no attachment on? I'm guessing the top is the part that is bent, not the lower part of the bobtach.
I'd like to try and use the hydraulics to bend it back into place too, you just need to work out where to install a lump of wood or chain to do so.

 

[BeaverMulching]

Without a picture to see exactly where it's bent, i can't really give good advise.
Will the pin move all the way with no attachment on? I'm guessing the top is the part that is bent, not the lower part of the bobtach.
I'd like to try and use the hydraulics to bend it back into place too, you just need to work out where to install a lump of wood or chain to do so.

I bit the bullet and ordered one today... but I would like to repair mine so I can guarantee it will never happen to me again. If someone can tell me how to post a picture I'll be glad too

 

[Tazza]

I bit the bullet and ordered one today... but I would like to repair mine so I can guarantee it will never happen to me again. If someone can tell me how to post a picture I'll be glad too

You can host them on a third party website, like tinypic
If you look up my profile, send me an email, hopefully i can give some advise on how to do it.