I just bought a 580C and the tension rods that holds the tail(backhoe part) on it are loose. They are not worn bad-the machine has only 3,000 hours on it. These are the big, 2", self locking nuts that are accessed beside the seat from inside the cab. I can not turn them either way using a 4 foot cheater bar. I can take the pressure off the tension rods and push them up enough to see good threads below the nut. I probably need about 2 full turns to tighten them. I am sort of afraid to put a torch in there to heat them. Is there a trick to these? Do I need a longer bar? Will I break something? Thanks, Greg
No real tricks here Greg, Only this - stretch out the hoe all the way & then raise the stabilizers so all weight is on the wheels - this is where you will have any clearance between those 2" nuts & frame ( they are usually 1 7/8" ) This is also the best position to tighten them up. They should undo so you can inspect threads - if they are seized, a little heat on the nuts is your only option - a longer bar maybe needed & yes I've seen those tie downs break......... 1" drive is good, with long extentions & cheater pipe out rear window - 2 x man job
I've used heat, then have a man inside the cab with a 1" impact and a deep socket. Phil
Thanks for the info. Happy New Year, Greg
the nuts might be ny-lock and if so heat will ruin them. need new ones from Case and anti-seize threads .
i would not simply tighten the tension rod nuts. if they are that difficult to turn then they obviously did not turn themselves loose---there is some other reason that needs to be investigated. most likely the rods themselves are stretched and need to be replaced. inspect the rods for necking first and foremost and replace as necessary; if you just tighten the nuts without finding and solving the root problem they may fail completely.
I believe I will take this to a Case dealer. I need this fixed, the left brake fixed, and 3 cylinders repacked. - Any wild guesses as to what is wrong with the brake? The pedal is higher than the right brake pedal and it does absolutely nothing when pushed. I am afraid it will be a $1,000 fix. I do not have the right equipment to get to the brakes. Thanks, Greg
Lining may be worn down to the rivets, or well oiled from a leaking shaft seal. Too bad you are taking it to the Case dealer, I'd take $1500 instead .......maybe more....... my condolences. Phil
Phil(or anybody else that has a suggestion), I don't think I have too many options. I can personally do the maintenance items and tinker around fixing minor repairs but I do not have the large tools and lifting equipment to handle a job like fixing the brakes on this machine. I don't plan to get in the repair business so all tool expenses would likely be for a one time repair. Not to mention the safety aspect of a greenhorn working on heavy equipment. A lot of this type work requires 2 people and my wife often demands costly reimbursement (either monetary or time) for her help-If you know what I mean. There is a good farm tractor mechanic fairly close by but he stays covered up this time of year. I doubt he would be much cheaper than the Case dealer. There is another farm tractor mechanic about 40 miles away that is good, very reasonably priced but slow. He kept one of my 135 Massey Ferguson for 8 months to overhaul the motor last year. He does do excellent work. There is a private shop close by that works on a lot of track type equipment that I will ask to see if it is something he wants to do. Again I doubt if he will cost less that the dealer. There are a couple of repairmen for construction companies that probably could do it. One often takes notions and only works sporadically- often quitting in the middle of a side job like this. The other brags about being so cheap because he steals most of what he needs from his employer so I don't want him around. I am sure he would not loose sleep stealing from me if he steals from the man that provides him with a living. He is a good mechanic but he will not make money off me. But maybe the main thing is- I would rather be playing with my new toy rather than working on it. So My thinking is that I may as well pay what I have to and be fairly confident that it will be fixed right -the first time- with correct parts and that all the bolts will be put back in. Is my thinkin' correct? Thanks to all of you for your time and advice, Greg
one of the benefits to an operator without mechanical ability taking their machine to a dealer is that the dealer's mechanic can evaluate the machine for you and reveal other hidden problems that threaten your safety and the machine's longevity. ask them to do an evaluation, and quote the repairs individually, not as a whole, so that you can budget them in order of importance and how best to spend what money you have now. of course this evaluation is only as good as the mechanic selected to perform it, and you are more likely to get rooked by an independent, but if they can show you the damage and justify it, you can save money and trouble later on. good luck
I talked to the Case dealer this morning. Assuming the entire actuator on the rear end is bad- The actuator will be $265, labor $240 (app. 4 hrs @$60/hr) plus probably a seal or two for $20. This makes the total around $525.00. So this makes me think that at worst $650 to fix the left brake. Cylinder rebuilds are app. $100.00 each App. $60.00 to inspect and tighten the tension rods that holds the tail on- assuming they do not need to be replaced. Does that sound about right? Thanks, Greg
It sounds to me like you found a dealer that isn't out to rob you. Treat him good.