966D Refurbish and welding

[Welder Dave]

Arctec is a good product. It better be for the price. Eutectic Eutectrode 966 is equivalent to Artec 223, 86,000 tensile, 36% elongation. One of the properties it's listed for is problematic and dirty steels in addition to superior resistance to impact as well as hot and cold cracking. When I worked at Acklands (who used to sell Arctec) customers asking for an equivalent to 223 was pretty common. I got along great with the Canadian manager of Eutectic. He came to Acklands once. He asked if I wanted to stay in the welding field and to call him once the Acklands job was eliminated. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. After the Arctec debacle I was kind of turned off regarding outside sales. I should have called him but as fate would have it, I ended up getting diagnosed with multiple myeloma and am now on disability.

 

[Nige]

If the OP is still interested in having a bash at that cast tilt link I’d still recommend the 2222 electrode despite the price. TBH I prefer Simon C’s suggestion of leave it well alone and budget for an eventual replacement, especially considering that the crack has apparently not grown at all over the course of a year that he can measure.

 

[Simon C]

Sorry to hear your not 100 percent Dave, but rest assured there are a lot of young folks who can benefit from yours as well as many other good members experience here.
Its hard to find 40 years experience in a 25 year old body. Learned a lot from a guy that was 30 years senior to me when I was 25. January coming up will be 40 years in the trade for me. You will still have lots of opportunites to help out some newbees, who will be grateful for any help they receive. Good night, sleep tight.
Simon C

 

[Welder Dave]

Thanks Simon! I try to help when I can especially wih welding. I've seen people I could drastically help with 5 minutes of showing them how to improve. I had a few apprentices tell me they appreciated that not only did I help them but also explained why you do it that way. It was kind of funny one time when someone asked why I always carried a tip cleaner and later in the day asked me how I did such nice cutting. Duh.

 

[Welder Dave]

If the OP is still interested in having a bash at that cast tilt link I’d still recommend the 2222 electrode despite the price. TBH I prefer Simon C’s suggestion of leave it well alone and budget for an eventual replacement, especially considering that the crack has apparently not grown at all over the course of a year that he can measure.

Looking at the spec. sheet for Eutectic 2222 it wouldn't be required for welding a crack in a known cast steel like the tilt link. If it was joining 2 different unknown steels used in extremely cold temperatures would be more of an application for it. The Arctec 223, Eutectrode 966 or just 8018C3 that has 1% nickel would be sufficient. Preheat, peening and slow cooling would help to insure maximum strength. If you really wanted to insure the repair was as good or better than new, you could have it stress relieved. A little costly but a lot cheaper than a new link. Could probably be done by induction heating using ceramic blankets like they use on pipe. Personally I'd preheat, peen after welding, put a weed burner torch on it for a few minutes right after welding and wrap in a welding blanket. Several hours later after it cooled could be ground flat so the repair wasn't noticeable (if desired). It would be paramount to make sure the crack was completely ground out and make sure there are no stray arc strikes. They did some bend tests on plate with stray arc strikes and in almost every case caused a larger crack.

 

[alaskaforby4]

Shaft cleaned up nice, we pressed it too the bottom of housing which gave us about an 1/8" off of the previous shaft grove. looks good so far. I removed the grease zerk that fills up the parking brake drum and placed it underneath so it can be greased with u-joints which is less frequent than the bucket. We found that alternator butt connector, but it was in perfect condition. decided to leave it until a problem arises. Didnt grind out the crack, probably just going to keep monitoring it.
Still havn't diagnosed why the bucket drops so fast, any ideas on that one?

 

[alaskaforby4]

We got some new tires for her this summer, they were very difficult to find (covid excuses) we ended up with 2 yokahama and 2 Maxam. After they were installed this summer we noticed there is an entire 3" hieght difference between the two brands. So today we swapped the taller ones around to the back as they wear faster. Might run a little less air pressure than the front as well. Not an ideal situation, I know.

 

[Welder Dave]

I think I'd put the taller tires on the front because they will have to hold more weight when the bucket if full and deflect more. On the back the tires only hold the machine weight and it can be less with a loaded bucket.

 

[alaskaforby4]

We wear out rear tires much faster than the front, this has just been our experience. Maybe because the majority of machine weight is on the rear for all the other operations, When you dont have a full bucket.

 

[mitch504]

What does a bucket of snow weigh? I'm not making fun, I'm a South Carolinian.

 

[alaskaforby4]

Haha, guess it depends on the operator

 

[Nige]

If you want to check that you're "within spec" as regards physical tyre size, do this.
Get the machine just like it's shown in the photo. Measure from the exact centre of the front axle to the ground on both sides and take the average. Then do the same on the rear. The front and rear axle averages should not differ by more than 3% - SAE standard J2204 applies.
https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j2204_201911/

 

[mitch504]

Haha, guess it depends on the operatorView attachment 275586

So... what does that pile weigh? Surely not 1 ton...5? 10? I have honestly never picked up a shovelfull of snow in my life.

 

[Delmer]

That bucket load could be one ton or less. Snow is extremely variable in weight. I'd guess that's drifted but not otherwise packed, and around two tons. If that machine was clearing snow in the Midwest, it would have a snow bucket and a pusher 12-20' wide.

 

[mitch504]

Wow.

 

[Simon C]

Seen a 966D with 4 chains on it plowing to make a new road with 4 feet of snow on it and it could run in 2nd gear all the time. Amazing to see.
Simon C

 

[alaskaforby4]

If you want to check that you're "within spec" as regards physical tyre size, do this.
Get the machine just like it's shown in the photo. Measure from the exact centre of the front axle to the ground on both sides and take the average. Then do the same on the rear. The front and rear axle averages should not differ by more than 3% - SAE standard J2204 applies.
https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j2204_201911/

We ended up putting 40psi in the rear and 60 psi in the front and got them within 1/4" of eachother! was pretty happy about that.

So... what does that pile weigh? Surely not 1 ton...5? 10? I have honestly never picked up a shovelfull of snow in my life.

It really varies on density, this was moving a packed snowpile so I was really able to get under it a get a big chunk. Probably couple thousand lbs here

 

[Welder Dave]

With aggressive chains a wheel loader would be a beast clearing snow. My track loader pushes through snow pretty good unless it's frozen in a pile with street pads. 4 wheels with studded chains would push a like a D9 in dirt.

 

[colson04]

With aggressive chains a wheel loader would be a beast clearing snow. My track loader pushes through snow pretty good unless it's frozen in a pile with street pads. 4 wheels with studded chains would push a like a D9 in dirt.

They use a lot of wheel loaders in The Upper Peninsula of Michigan along Lake Superior. The Keweenaw Penenisula gets a lot of lake effect snow (200"+). The city of Houghton uses loaders and Bobcats to push snow into the center of the road, and then a truck mounted snowblower loads it into trucks. They have wheel loaders that clear roads with adjustable angle blades, some use their buckets and a couple are fitted with a snowblower. I lived in Dollar Bay for 4 years, not far from Houghton. The county used a motor grader to plow our neighborhood. They can move a lot of snow fast as well.

 

[Nige]

We ended up putting 40psi in the rear and 60 psi in the front and got them within 1/4" of eachother! was pretty happy about that.

If that was with the bucket empty be aware that when you fill the bucket the front end will squat down and the back end will lift up a bit, thus changing your measurements.