A tad too much wear.

[quote="Newbie"]G'Day Gents,

Something I noticed when I was dragging the RD into the shed on Sunday, was a bit of wear on the swinging drawbar. :faint: This will hopefully teach everyone to lock their swinging drawbar into one position.......

Cheers,

Phill.[/quote]

Hello Phill,

Actually when you are pulling for example a trailed plough or set of discs, the drawbar should definitely not be pinned but allowed to swing. The drawbar is pivoted under the middle of the tractor and allows easier steering when the drawbar is not pinned. If you try and plough with a pinned drawbar steering will be much harder and cause more wear on steering clutches, brakes etc.
Having said that, there should be a sacrificial wear plate between the swinging drawbar and the drawbar quadrant, when this wears down it should be replaced, take a look in your parts book.

Hi, Newbie.
Gauntjoh has said, almost word for word, for what I was thinking as I read your post. The drawbar swings for a reason.

Just my 0.02. (Apparently, Gauntjoh's too.)

Gents,

What I meant to say, but didn't due to rushing, is "when you're not using it". I have seen tractors with similar problems and they have only spend 0.01% of their time using the swinging drawbar. The rest of the time it swung from side to side with no load. But perhaps that is a different situation as they tend to move so much faster.

If that is strictly worn from use, then it certainly got some use. Don't they get some grease applied to reduce the wear? Or does it get scraped away too fast?

No matter what, I have some repair work to do.


Cheers,

Phill.

Hey Newbie,

The Drawbar does show wear, but I've seen a lot worse. I realize your posting name states "Newbie", but I suggest you start your tractor and drive it before painting, decaling, and detailing it. I don't know how many tractors you have, or how many you have driven, but I suggest you listen to others who give you their time and experience. Guys like Deas and John have much experience and always try to help. glen

Hi Newbie , Agree fully with Deas and John , You will note that the drawbar pin has little wear , indicating to me that operator always Used Correct size drawbar Pin ,with little Float between the pin Holes ,You see many ,if fact majority I suspect of Early Cats with badly worn or distorted drawbars because I suspect of Bad Mounting and Pinning . You only operate a fixed drawbar when you have something like a drawn Harvester [Combine to Our US friends ] or something with a PTO drive . it is essential to have a Swinger for easier Turning and saving of Steering Clutches and Brakes . It is necessary however to use a Fixed Drawbar when travelling on Road Etc. with Higher Speeds [Wheel Tractors particularly ] for Safety as a machine could easy get the Wobbles' Up and Cause an Accident . As mentioned Cat Supplied Expendable wear plates on their Machines to Eliminate wear Problems , of which I have a couple Units with them still fitted .LJ

Hi, Newbie.
Applying grease to a swinging drawbar on a crawler is akin to applying straight grinding paste, just a TINY bit slower. It amalgamates with the dirt thrown up by the tracks and STAYS there, thus ACCELERATING wear.

Just my 0.02.

Hi, Newbie.
Applying grease to a swinging drawbar on a crawler is akin to applying straight grinding paste, just a TINY bit slower. It amalgamates with the dirt thrown up by the tracks and STAYS there, thus ACCELERATING wear.

Just my 0.02.

Just to add fuel,, we always ran a swinging drawbar unless as others have said, pulling a combine or any other implement that may run over you on a downhill run.

We always had in addition about a 2ft extension on the drawbar. Of course most of our equipment was cable drawn, except for plows, disks, and drills. So the extension kept the big triangles away from the tracks. But even with implements that had a tongue we never removed the extension. Now that I think of it the extension was only removed for the combine.

Hey Newbie,

I was taught and have read in a Cat comic ad, that a scraper in tow should be pinned. Most Ag applications should swing. I enjoy the comic teachings from Cat from years past. glen