Loader Upgrade and Paint Kama 554

[bracabric]

Ken, You kill me !!!
Dick

[FlyHiFlyLo]

Rob with all the stickies in place looks like a whole nuther tractor.

[quikduk]

Those are the NEW logos! Wow!!! They look cool.

Re: the "warning labels", now THAT is funny as I have seen what you can do with your Kama and I don't think the labels really matter with YOU behind the wheel!

JK though. I like the fade out look of the graphics and the REALLY LARGE numbers!

I still think you should get some chrome grade-8 USA bolts for the rear wheel weights and either drill/tap the axle centers for a #6 or #8 machine screw or weld threaded spacers to them. Then you could get those polished SS mini-dually wheel caps and have mini-moonie hub caps on it. Talk about some BLING!!! ;D

[3RRL]

I'm reviving this thread for a little update.
When I removed the Koyker loader arm mount (right one for checking and adjusting the clutch) and splitting the tractor to replace the frozen throw out bearing, I did not remove the left loader arm mount. I left that one bolted to the tractor. After another 80 hours of working the tractor, (665 hrs now) I heard a loud "POP" while doing some loader work. I was filling the bucket completely heaped over so it was at maximum lift capability which I think is around 2,500lbs or so. Anyway, I stopped working and started to check things out to see what busted.

I couldn't find anything until the next day.
My well driller guys were over looking at the tractor and they pointed out that a couple of the big bolts that hold the Koyker loader arm mount to the tractor were backed out. One of the heads had popped off and was missing. I pulled the tractor into the barn after taking the loader off. It was very easy to do that now that I know to leave the bucket on. ;D You need the bucket to tilt the loader arms out of the mount easily ... It took literally about 5 minutes to take off.



Once I removed the right loader mount, I realized all but one of the bolts had broken off. You can see that in the last photo. Only one bolt was holding mount to the casting. One bolt broke off at the threads, right at the casting, so I was worried about getting it out. The others where only the head broke off, I was able to get out with a pair of vise grips. I cut a slot in the short one and was able to remove it with a large screw driver blade.

Of interest is that of all the Koyker loader parts, only these bolts were Metric. All the others were SAE. They are Metric because they screw into the cast bell housing. Anyway, a quick trip back to the hardware store and I had all new bolts. It only took me about an hour to repair and get the loader back on. I'm sure it could've been worse, but I was lucky.
Rob-

[bradblazer]

That was a lucky one in that the casting was not damaged when the bolts went. Are those M14?

Metric class 8.8 is similar to grade 5. Maybe you should go with class 10.9.
www.mcmaster.com/#90854a258/=1ufkxo

[3RRL]

May 12, 2009 15:02:27 GMT -5 bradblazer said:

That was a lucky one in that the casting was not damaged when the bolts went. Are those M14?

Metric class 8.8 is similar to grade 5. Maybe you should go with class 10.9.
www.mcmaster.com/#90854a258/=1ufkxo

Yeah, I think they are M14's. I went with the grade 8.8 for the exact reason you point out ... I'd rather the bolt snap that strip or crack the casting. You can guess I had them torqued up to about a 500lbs lol. Of course I'm exaggerating a little. ;D
Rob-

[stumppuller]

I'm guessing that there was some over-torque, since, if I remember rightly, you added some thrust rods that were designed to transfer bucket loads directly to the rear axle. No?

If that's true, the case bolts should have significantly lower loads. Then again, perhaps they were just common-grade bolts, which could be a good thing as they are easier to replace than a broken tranny casting.

I'm a real fan of selecting and controlling which parts are going to be the mechanical "fuse" in a system that is subject to overload.

I'm glad there were no injuries.

Bruce

[bradblazer]

I was taught that a bolted connection is strongest when the bolts are preloaded at or near their proof stress.

Since Rob's bolts failed in places other than the shear plane, I would say they were properly tensioned and the joint was overloaded for the strength of materials used.

[GuglioLS]

Surprising failure, I suppose the heads popped off due to tension? And the one that sheared was because the others failed? Not bad for 665 hours of heavy duty work. I better go out and check mine.

Larry

[psj12]

Just checked the bellhousing mounting bolts on my Kama/koyker loader and all were loose. Some were a full turn out others only slightl loose. I tightened them with new lock washers.