Another thing to look at on my 648

[JSinMO]

Well after talking to a couple of friends I decided I wanted to try and repair the stabilizer cylinder rod myself. I figured the worst than that can happen is it won’t hold so why not try.

I started by grinding a V into the area to be welded.

I didn’t get a picture but I was fairly happy with the weld, but I thought it would be a good idea to give it some added support so I made a saddle to go around the area and drilled some holes to plug weld it in.

I also wrapped the rod in a wet cloth as I welded. After I was done I gave it a shot of paint so maybe it won’t rust as fast. Your criticism won’t hurt my feelings, I know it looks terrible, but I’m learning and it seems like it will hold!

I reassembled everything and now I have two working stabilizers again. How long will it last? Your guess is as good as mine! Maybe 4 days, maybe 40 years!

[RoamingGnome]

Looks sturdy enough -
Reminds me of the old days working out of a service truck - "Repairs designed in the field, hammer to fit, grinder for finish and paint to match..."

[DavidBarkey]

Should hold . All the pressure should be down unless the foot is on very uneven ground prying sideways on it .
Welding supplies for the home welder that are a must have on hand for things like that .
Old copper pipe and header rap . The old copper pipe can be cut and made into different diameters to backup weld areas to maintain shape of hole while still getting full penitraion . Header rap with clamps well protect nearby surfaces . It can be wetted down to keep as well .

[JSinMO]

Looks sturdy enough -
Reminds me of the old days working out of a service truck - "Repairs designed in the field, hammer to fit, grinder for finish and paint to match..."

Yup you hit the nail on the head! That’s exactly what this process was!

@DavidBarkey Great ideas. Headed wrap never dawned on me I used a wet rag and kept checking the rod to make sure it wasn’t getting too much heat.

[Eugen]

Good repair Jeff! It's going to last a lot longer than 4 days for sure! !

I used a wet cloth when I welded my rod eyelets too. Worked good.

[Harry]

You can read about it and watch others do it, but the only way you can get good at is to jump in and do it. Keep up the rod burning. Harry

[JSinMO]

The landscape around the house is getting pretty bad. Lots of grass and weeds. We decided we need to start cleaning it up and I just happen to have the right tool for the job!

I brought the 648 down and scraped off the top layer of weeds and dirt cover rock with the backhoe.

After I had everything piled up I used the bucket to load it up on my mini dump truck.

I must’ve said ten times, “What did we do before we had this tractor”! It sure made life a lot easier.