Thegearhead0324 1,209 #1 Posted January 7, 2018 I've redone my 1257 a long while back and use it only for plowing the driveway. I have a sickle bar I restored and have installed once but don't plan on using it due to how rare they are. I know there's a ton of attachments for these awesome red beauties. I love my 1257 and never want it to bust or break on me. My questions are how much can a tractor like mine take? As in rear end pulling or pushing, weight, like how much pushing and pulling can a rear end and frame do til making a "boo-boo"? Just curious is all... not that I'll ever put a 50 year old tractor to a test I put too much money and time into it. Just a driveway plow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 51,682 #2 Posted January 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Thegearhead0324 said: how much pushing and pulling can a rear end and frame do til making a "boo-boo"? The real limiting factor is how much weight can it stop once it got it going. I have towed cars with my , but they had a responsible adult behind the wheel prepared to apply the brakes. The one thing that will damage a frame is hitting a stationary object with a snow plow at speed. 4 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jellyghost 378 #3 Posted January 8, 2018 @953 nutWhat about tilling and plowing? Are you saying that stopping is the only danger not pulling something like a plow? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 35,770 #4 Posted January 8, 2018 37 minutes ago, 953 nut said: The one thing that will damage a frame is hitting a stationary object with a snow plow at speed. Right on Richard. That is what breaks the frame.transmission bolting plates. IMO, it is impossible to get enough traction with a stock tractor to break the frame or transmission by pulling. If the wheels don't spin, the tractor will flip over backwards. With a modified dual or tri wheeled machine operated at high speed with a slack chain trying to pull a stump....maybe something would break. Probably the operators neck. 3 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
520hC-120 136 #5 Posted January 8, 2018 I nailed a frozen brick with my plow on the 520 h at full speed and I just need to reweld something in the front part my the angler pin C1F514BA-78B6-40BC-8C05-9043E620C21E.MOV Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 36,945 #6 Posted January 8, 2018 Here is an image that illustrates what Richard is saying. Popping wheelies is really hard on those weak front spindles too. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thegearhead0324 1,209 #7 Posted January 8, 2018 I've seen some horror stories on here and have always worried... so it must take a pretty hard hit to get a frame to get like that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 36,945 #8 Posted January 8, 2018 Those repeated hard hits seem to be the worst. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cafoose 3,148 #9 Posted January 8, 2018 3 hours ago, 953 nut said: The real limiting factor is how much weight can it stop once it got it going. I have towed cars with my , but they had a responsible adult behind the wheel prepared to apply the brakes. The one thing that will damage a frame is hitting a stationary object with a snow plow at speed. 2 hours ago, Ed Kennell said: Right on Richard. That is what breaks the frame.transmission bolting plates. IMO, it is impossible to get enough traction with a stock tractor to break the frame or transmission by pulling. If the wheels don't spin, the tractor will flip over backwards. With a modified dual or tri wheeled machine operated at high speed with a slack chain trying to pull a stump....maybe something would break. Probably the operators neck. 2 hours ago, AMC RULES said: Here is an image that illustrates what Richard is saying. Popping wheelies is really hard on those weak front spindles too. Check out these threads: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ohiofarmer 3,157 #10 Posted January 8, 2018 My Raider ten was a snow plow tractor in its previous life. The Woodruff Key slots in the axles wallowed out pretty badly. Bad enough that the tractor would lurch forward in a sort of free fall for about a foot until the key flopped over in the slot.. The little guy mowed a lot of grass until I discovered the exact cause, because i thought it was something in the transmission internals 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bushradical 21 #11 Posted January 23, 2018 Hey Ohiofarmer.....I wallowed out the crankshaft woodruff key slot on a 1998 ford escort wagon. To fix it, I fitted in a new woodruff key and filled in the wallowed out areas on either side of the key with JB weld and once the jb weld was cured (24 hours) I filled off any roughness and reinstalled the harmonic balancer pulley and timing belt... That was 90, 000 miles ago. If it works on a crankshaft in a car ,I bet it would work on the axle shafts of a horse. Worth a shot. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 63,137 #12 Posted January 23, 2018 4 hours ago, Bushradical said: Hey Ohiofarmer.....I wallowed out the crankshaft woodruff key slot on a 1998 ford escort wagon. To fix it, I fitted in a new woodruff key and filled in the wallowed out areas on either side of the key with JB weld and once the jb weld was cured (24 hours) I filled off any roughness and reinstalled the harmonic balancer pulley and timing belt... That was 90, 000 miles ago. If it works on a crankshaft in a car ,I bet it would work on the axle shafts of a horse. Worth a shot. That JB Weld is some interesting stuff for sure... used it a few times for who-knows-what. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wh500special 2,053 #13 Posted January 24, 2018 (edited) Just to chime in that ramming snow piles isn’t the only thing that breaks frames... There’s no doubt that ramming things with the snow plow is cause for concern to the transaxle mounting plate, but I’ve parted out several tractors - especially 520h’s - that had broken and torn plates and which showed no signs of ever being wearing a plow. Worst break I ever saw was on a 312h that only ever mowed and carried a front mount generator. That tractor was held together only by the sheet metal tunnel and belt guard and the owner was none the wiser. Sometimes the welds let go. Sometimes the four little bolts work their way through the plate. Sometimes the plate cracks (as pictured )and rips apart...That’s what happened on the 312. The Combined weight of engine, implement, and - to a lesser extent - operator are conspiring at all times to break that plate over every bump. The 60” mower in particular is a killer...combine that with a hefty operator and you got the recipe for trouble my friends, right here in river city. Of course, you won’t be hanging a 60-incher under your oldie. Wheel Horse reinforced the mounting plate somewhere along the line, and even sold a reinforcement plate to help in that area. The D-series and 5xi’s went to full-length frames to get rid of the problem for good. That said, the vast majority of these tractors never suffer a broken frame...so if you drive your tractor like a reasonable person there’s not many tasks you should be afraid to put up against it. Like others have said, you’ll usually run out of traction before you can do any real damage. Although I do recall the legendary Dale from MI ballasted a tractor so heavily that he broke an axle... Work it as hard as you dare. They were built to mostly take it. Steve Edited January 24, 2018 by wh500special 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge 3,462 #14 Posted January 24, 2018 I'm guilty as charged - I've beat that poor 1277 to a pulp since the first day I drug it's tired carcass home, she's always been a worker and sure shows it badly. Frame has been repaired 2 times, this time the whole rear section has to be changed out - and it will get beefed enough not to happen again, ever. I do like the full-frame design on the D's - that was the way they all should have been built but it is amazing what they will do before giving up. Mine has pulled so much weight it's actually broken brand new belts - that bad rap that the Sundstrands got was never deserved, mine was as solid as they get and still is despite a lot of hard abuse - it shows no signs of slowing down either and I'm not afraid to put it right back to heavy work once I repair the frame. I wish they would have better addressed both the pump coupling and rear axles in those D's - they would have been an ultimate machine that could embarrass even the best of today's offerings. Honestly, I don't think there's any reason not to work an old Horse - it's all easily repaired and documented all over the place so anyone can tackle it given some effort. I love a well-restored tractor as much as anyone - but if they take up residence here they are gonna get worked - and mostly likely worked pretty hard... Sarge 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tankman 3,515 #15 Posted January 24, 2018 My '90 520-8 had he same breaks, were professionally repaired before I purchased the Stallion. Welded in 1/4" steel plates and new hardware longer to make up for the additional thickness. Looks like abuse, push, slam. Would never intentionally hurt any Stallion but, accidents happen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red144runner 657 #16 Posted January 25, 2018 Here's my '96 3/12. Has the factory reinforced frame plate. 3/4" x 3/16" bar welded and drilled for bottom bolts. This tractor plows now but for its first 20 years wore a 300lb 44" snowblower in the winter 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakeshorsetuff 36 #17 Posted January 25, 2018 In 68 wheel horse welded those reinforced plates on the charger 12 frame.Never new what they were for.Now I know what they are for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee1977 6,217 #18 Posted January 27, 2018 My mount was not cracked, but I use this 312-8 for ground work. I saw some one brace there transmission mount and though it was a good idea. 3 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 35,770 #19 Posted January 27, 2018 Great idea, but the angled struts do not appear to be welded to the bolting plate.. They could have also been bolted to the existing holes in the tranny mounting plate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee1977 6,217 #20 Posted January 31, 2018 They are welded now. That picture was taken when I was build the brace. I spotted it then took it off and welded it. I also braced the front spindles. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R. L. Addison 299 #21 Posted January 31, 2018 I broke my C160 with a 12" moldboard plow in a clay garden spot trying to lift it so it could get traction to keep going. I also have a 12 horse frame broken by a midmount blade so I know they will take a lot of punishment, but even the best will fail with abuse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites