I was using my 329D and the right side of the grapple dropped hard. I see a bolt hanging out where the lower pin connects the quick attach plate to the boom. I assume the bolt/pin is broken so I order replacements. When tearing it down I see the boom holes are egg shaped . When studying it all, I notice JD did not sell me a pin but what looks like a bushing that is in the end of the boom. Is this something JD can cut the old one off and weld replacement bushing in the end and I don't have to change the boom? Pic's of the boom hole and the bushing I was sold attached. IF it can be repaired: Can a welding shop do this or is the alignment too critical? I assume maybe JD has a jig to hold it all in place while they weld it up?
damn that is a mess. I would think that it could be wielded up and recut and maybe rebored. You don't need Deere to do it (I would guess the dealer would find a professional wielder to do it anyway and charge you more). You might see if anyone has a set of loader arms in a bone yard for that machine that is in better shape, as an option.
There is a whole printed procedure Deere has for those. Putting just a pin in probably wouldn't last a day with the condition of bushing. I would ask them for the procedure and then hire a good welder to do the job. That is what we do. Edit: I PM'd you.
It looks like someone threw a bit of weld in that bore to tighten it up a bit in the past. It was done horribly wrong!
Thank you for all the information, I know a professional welder and I think with those instruction he can make the repair quite easily.
They knew what they were doing when the put it back together, it's the text book pig in a poke.
Just to close up the thread. I ordered the new replacement / improved pin bosses they were $130 a side. My welder installed them and charged me 2 hours labor. If you're reading this in the future, don't panic if you see what I did, it's not so bad to fix.