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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Cracked Chinese tractor rims
- - By Bert Date 11-02-2017 16:51
Helping a friend with Chinese Farm Pro Tractor. Due to poor front end alignment cracking from lug hole to lug hole has occurred. Spark test indicates manganese steel. Trying to decide on best way to get my buddy back to work. New rims are $200 each plus shipping. I have mild steel wire Autocraft 70s-6 and various electrodes. Am planing on adding strips of 1”x1/4” flat bar between the lug nuts as beefing. Any thoughts?
Parent - By Lawrence (*****) Date 11-03-2017 01:20
If the repair goes wrong and there is equipment damage or injury; are you prepared to be liable in every way?

Welding on wheels is risky unless you have OEM data or procedures.
Parent - - By Bert Date 11-03-2017 01:45
This is a tractor, 5-10 mph when working, 20-30 mph while driving on roads. But thanks for the heads up on liability. This is a free buddy job, but he needs to know the risk. What is oem?
Parent - By Lawrence (*****) Date 11-03-2017 09:51
OEM= original equipment manufacturer

Just remember, farmers across America also will use propane to fill a flat tractor tire in the field from time to time... no joke, I’ve seen it.

Put that together with a garage buddy repair and things can go bad quickly .

Lawyers will separate buddies fast.
Parent - - By welderbrent (*****) Date 11-04-2017 18:31
On Chinese steel you have even more to be apprehensive about.  They don't make GOOD steel. 

On one hand, a lug to lug crack is not as problematic as a crack in the seat area of the tire.  On the other hand, wheels are a no man's land unless it is your own and you have to get the job finished.

I understand your statement about the speeds, BUT it is apparently on the public roads on occasion  and it is more the loads and vibratory stresses with tractors than any concern about speed. 

Having said that,  at 20 mph, have you ever seen a tractor when a tire blows?  I have.  Don't go there.  Especially if it doesn't have a quality roll bar.  Oh, you said Chinese.  That answered that, no QUALITY roll bar. 

Buyer and Good Samaritan Neighbor Beware.

He Is In Control, Have a Great Day,  Brent
Parent - By Joey (***) Date 11-06-2017 03:27
But things made in China are everywhere.
I went to Germany, Japan and their tools were mostly made in China.
Brand name of the products could be the basis of quality reputation now, and not based on the origin alone.
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 11-21-2017 23:32
Actually there is 'good steel' coming out of China and other Asian sources.
Problem is, that YOU have to specify it.
Did a Powerhouse a few years back and to make a long story short, the China stainless steel: 304, 316 and 347 were in fact world class when independent labs ran chemical/mechanical tests. Fortunately, the Purchasing Agent performed due diligence and spec'd it out properly.
It was a stressful 3 weeks waiting for those results as thousands of feet of this had already been installed.
I slept good at night though because it was ordered and installed prior to my arrival.
Parent - By Joey (***) Date 11-22-2017 08:26
Yes true, if you want to buy the raw steel materials, you may specify that you need a Factory Production Control certificate issued by ABS, Lloyds and other classification bodies, this is aside from the normal mill test certificate.

The best is to choose those foreign brand, yes made by local chinese workers but trained & managed by those key personnels came from home based factories. Mind you that these trainers are considered top gun, they live in China with their family members and all expenses are paid by the company including the spouse allowance and children education in International School. Their purpose is to protect the name brand by producing quality products at low cost.
Parent - - By UDresner Date 11-05-2017 11:13
Now if the risks are clear and low, I'd just go for a try and see the results :-)
Parent - - By Northweldor (***) Date 11-11-2017 12:58
The problem I have with this approach is that it creates a potential accident looking for a time and place to happen, especially if the tractor changes hands.
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 11-18-2017 05:44 Edited 11-18-2017 18:28
There are insane little trucks running around large metropolitan areas offering aluminum wheel repair...primarily called out to fix cracks and bends in rims that are in the ridiculous 4k a set range.  How this is legally done avoiding DOT regulations is beyond me..far as I know once that DOT approved rim has been repaired or modified in ANY FASHION it is only legal for off road use.  So I believe its a regulators cant keep up situation and it only rears its ugly head when someone gets hurt and the ambulance chasing lawyers get involved.  I have a good friend who heats and bends aluminum rims and welds up cracks daily....about 30% of his job shop business....I have said my peace about it, being far more knowledgeable then him in the metallurgical possibilities.....yet he carries on. 

Having said that here is your official FARM CODE 1401 WPS and Repair Procedure.

The rest of this post has been removed.  Upon reflection and noting this tractor takes trips up roads....I don't wish to offer any help/promote to something which has strong potential to injure or kill innocent bystanders

Tommy

Geez everyone is so chicken**** these days..........
Parent - - By Northweldor (***) Date 11-18-2017 12:37
I agree that most of us are chicken****, and I also think your WPS would probably work for years. However, the thing that really convinced me was your edit that you added at the bottom. You still need some kind of legal protection, just to help out your buddy, in our litigious society.
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 11-18-2017 18:15 Edited 11-18-2017 18:28
Yea too many beers too late at night. :razz:  Sorry for the chicken^^^ statement.  Common sense and prudent caution are not chicken&^&^    Welding on rims of any kind is a dodgy idea at best....I have done it for myself on certain things but I would be hard pressed to do so for others. 

And you know in some states that little liability contract probably would offer little to no protection.:confused: 

So to the original poster:

Bert, this is not a good idea and you should avoid it.  Someone getting hurt down the road is not worth the risk of a couple hundred bucks.
Parent - By Lawrence (*****) Date 11-18-2017 20:01
I've done it myself too, and was the first one to advise against.

But that makes you a hypocrite Lar !

Not really.   It makes me seasoned.   I could weld like a son of a gun back in the day..... But I did not think all that much and did not know all that much.

Hypocrites say "don't do that thing"  and then secretly go do it themselves.     The thing people rarely understand about hypocrites is this:::::;;;;  They are almost always right !      

There is your golden nugget for the day.
Parent - By Superflux (****) Date 11-22-2017 16:48
Tommyjoking,
It will all be fine as long the welder uses Chinese filler materials and inflates the tire with Chinese air.
THERE I  done fixed it fer ya. Easy peasey.
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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Cracked Chinese tractor rims

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