I have a 1995 case 1845c that has 1580 hours on, I use it in residential tree removal with a solsbee grapple. I noticed that around the main loader arm pin bushings that are welded on have cracks around the weld in the paint. I recently bought it from a landowner in west virginia. im seriously at wits end. i have removed the paint on one side and used a magnifying glass to no certain determination if its cracked weld or just the paint cracking. so will an 1845c expert or a welder with knowledge chime in? I will post pictures as well. and yall can contact me at 12296462837 to discuss it if you would like. its in excellent condition and would love to keep it that way at no cost spared. thanks HeavyEquipmentForumers
Impossible to really tell from picture but looks like a non issue to me. I have seen this before on similar machines from Case it looks like weld lacked penetration. Doesn't means it's going to come apart. These are great machines, but if you want to be proactive about things on this machine take a good look at parking brake set up. There is a series of pullies and cables that pull a pin in and out as seat bar is raised. Under where your feet are, this area collects dirt and things get jammed up quickly.
I would be polishing off the paint with an emery disc and having a good look. A bit of heat from a oxy torch or crack detecting dye check will show up if its a crack. Easier to do it now than wait till it fails. Even if there is no crack I would blend the weld out with a grinder and emery
As RayF suggested, dye check. Drop in to any welding shop, get some crack detection spray. You spray one solution on, let it dry, wipe it off, then spray the second solution on. (Follow instructions, I'm just giving you the Cliff's note version) If there's a crack you will get a very visible line where the two solutions react. Looks to me like a bit of undercut and a stress fracture.
Take a center punch or welder's slag hammer, and give the weld area a good whack, and see if a chip of slag is still around the weld. It is a fairly common that paint cracks near seams of slag...
Most likely the metal is cracked at the weld. Mine looked the exact same only cracked almost 70% around the bung (on both outer loader arms). The original weld on mine where it cracked was undercut a little more than yours looks, but either way, it's a 20 yr old machine and there's a fair amount of stress in that area, probably just cracked after flexing 2000 times. That stuff can happen. I've read other posts on the internet of other owners having a similar issue. After grinding the paint away on mine it was clear the metal was indeed cracked. Truth be told it was like that on mine for many years. I just V'd the crack on mine with a grinder, heated the crack with a torch to burn out any grease and re-weld it. I only welded the outside portion, but was an easy weld and took about an hour to repair both sides, including some sanding/feathering of the paint, priming, masking and a couple careful squirts of Case spray paint (which I already had). The inner bung (opposite side of the arm) did not appear to be cracked, which was good because it could potentially be a lot more work to get in there to re-weld. Personally, I would inspect things, weld it up and not worry too much about it. Your bigger worry should be keeping water out of the chain cases (common issue). There's probably a lot of grease on the inside you should scrape away beforehand.
I would have someone hit the area with a large sled and see if you see it move. Hit the 1/4 plate and not the boss. That will tell you if the metal has broke free or is almost free. Then weld it back up either way. Keep a water hose close by to water the machine down to ensure it does not catch fire, however dont cool the welded area with the water. Just let the air cool it.
Thanks to everyone for being patient with me. I appreciate everything everyone has said and have taken all into consideration. I would also like to ask instead of just fixing the cracked weld if it is cracked would a CNC cut 6inch circle around the boss 1/4 thick welded to the machine itself would that be of any help or am I manufacturing another set of problems? If I could make it better as far as strengthening it I would love too. Just don't another mystery crack in my life. I have a gehl 7810 and mustang 2109 so I'm new to this kind of problem just not new to changing starters haha. Thanks again.
Seems extreme to me, but adding more metal around there obviously can't hurt ...just don't know how necessary it is. I'd make one more weld around the existing weld and call it good. The 1845C had a reputation of being a very rugged machine that could take just about anything, the stock joints weren't an epidemic concern. If you put in a new piece, take care not too weld low ...into the oil tank area (or at least use precautions if you do). I went out and looked mine over this afternoon and the re-weld has held up fine.
Great to hear im actually emailing case construction up in Kansas I may send it up there if they will take a look. Im a very it has to be great or nothing guy lol. If you could send a picture that would be great or post it for everyone else that may have this problem. But being in the tree service im really sketchy about it till its perfect again because you never know what will happen and I try to keep could happen to a minimum. I really appreciate you takin the time to help me. It literally has me where I can't sleep or go outside without goin over there looking at it haha my gf said I was retarded tonight at dinner bc I bee line for it before work n when I get home I just need assurances if ya know what I mean
And I have saw a few only a few on the internet and I've look for hours at 1845c with a round plate welded around that area. I would certainly have the original weld redone like it should before adding the support piece. also there is no weld on the inside all the way around like on the outside. Kinda odd but hey it is what it is. Thanks again I'm loving this Forum. Jeepwalker thanks again for takin a second look at yours.
before you add any doublers, you still want to dig out that crack. First, chip off the paint and see if indeed it is a crack. Do you have any pictures not so close up, that weld does look a little fast perhaps. Any crack left to its own devices or buried beneath a plate will continue to crack even if slowly. Borrowing a couple cans of dye penetrant can be handy, some guys use a little diesel fuel with the red dye and cornstarch. gentle wetting with diesel, rag it all off then dust the area with cornstarch, the cornstarch wicks the diesel from the crack and shows the defect. Carefully grind away the weld and dig into the crack until you find no more crack or find some clear air. If you don't have all the welding stuff, any mobile welder will have you fixed up in a jiffy. Recently had a cast steel part on a Kubota M7040 crack, loader frame, turns out it was a little fleck of dirt in the casting. V groove was an inch and a half wide and just about as deep.
Have seen those cracks on numerous machines and usually they indicate over-stressed connections, particularly on the gehl/mustang wheel machines like the 5635/40, 6635/40, 7800, 7810, 2109 that have the cantilevered boss on the boom that the bucket tilt cylinders connect to. That design on those machines due to their larger-than-life hydraulic power was a weakness. Usually it happens on the top portion of the boss and works down over time from lifting heavy stuff (downwards pressure). Other machines I've seen it happen on the lower portion of the boss/boom connection was a tell tale sign that a jack hammer was used (upwards pressure). Can happen within several hundred hrs. of the machine's beginnings. Your 1845c is the first case I've seen it on. If you don't weld it it will grow.