Bob-tach repairs

[cathead]

Well, it's too wet out to use it anyway so I decided to work on the loose bucket pin on the bottom of the tipping cylinder. In the
process, I had to remove the Bob-tach assembly so I could work on it. I'm glad I did because the end pins that connect to the
arms were somewhat loose as well. This machine has 3052 hours on it so it might be a good idea to look at your pins if it
has a similar amount of hours. Bobcat machines have lots of wear areas to keep track of...

This is my first repair done by carefully die grinding out the holes and hammering in some hardened sleeves. These holes are
supposed to be a close fit and were not intended to be a bearing surface. I cut in half a hardened sleeve intended to fit on the
end of the cylinder and the play is all gone, actually requiring some hammering to insert the pin. That's just fine with me.

These are the tapered arm pins showing a lot of unacceptable wear. I ordered new pins and bushings and new seals for when
the time comes for assembly. One of the bushes had become loose in the hole and was wearing the Bob-tach hole somewhat
elongated. In order to make a lasting repair, the hole must be round or it will pound slop into the hole again and continue wearing.


I was so lucky to have the adjustable reamer of the right size! I turned it with a pipe wrench by hand and advanced to cutters
until I was confidant the hole is round. It's a carbide adjustable reamer. I only wish I had some way to mount the Bob-tach on
the mill somehow and ream it out with power.
To advance the cutters, one needs to loosen the 6 Allen screws and advance the collar, then make another cut. At this point, I'm
waiting for parts so I can machine a sleeve to a press fit.













Here I machined a two inch diameter pipe to fit the new reamed hole. It can't be forced in yet as I still need to bore on the inside
of the hole for a tight bearing fit.


The good part is that the tapered holes on the Bobcat arms are not worn so it won't be a big welding fiasco to install new tapered holes!


It's relatable to cancer and if caught soon enough, it is possible to have a good outcome. I glad that ripped into it before it
got to the point where one would need a new Bob-tach piece costing well over $1000. At present, I'm into it for a little over
a hundred dollars. I keep a log book of all the repairs I have done to this machine, a handy reference I use for servicing.

 

[Nutfarmer]

Good save. Any time you can make replacement parts you are ahead of the game.

 

[cathead]

Reassembly got somewhat interesting as the 3/4 x 10tpi bolts would not catch the threads in order to pull
the tapered pin into the socket on the bucket arm. Realizing the dilemma, I threaded a foot long piece
of 3/4 mild steel rod in 10tpi so I could reach the pin and pull it out to fit into the socket. After that, it wasn't
difficult to install the proper bolt and tighten it with the 6 point socket(3/4 drive) along with a cheater bar.
I don't know the torque specifications for that size bolt so will check it again later. If the tapered holes in
the bucket arms ever work loose, the repair job would take on a whole new perspective.