Trans axle Mount Cracked

[1973Auto 80]

Hello again. I had a post in the trany section concerning the cam plate. Great info and pics. Thanks guys. looked at the transaxle plate. Pretty flubbed up. I will try to post a pic. Anyway. Am I correct to sat that there are just the 4 bolts (and a spring to the drive pulley) holding the entire rear end in place, trany,axle,tires?? If that is the case I was planning on taking the rear end off, welding on a new plate(12 ga, I work at a sheet metal fab shop) and re-attach the trany. Am I on the right path. Just need to get all the facts together before I start twisting bolts. Thanks all.

[littleredrider 408]

Yep, only 4 bolts hold it all together. Kinda scary if you think about it. Its hard to tell from the pics, but looks like just cracks. If so, V them out, weld it up, grind it smooth, then either weld a plate over that or some strips to between two holes. Plate probly be easier. Some longer bolts, washers and good to go...

[AMC RULES 36,957]

There's a bunch of good ideas on the subject in this thread.

[sorekiwi 761]

Assuming yours doesnt have a hydraulic lift cylinder up front I'm thinking thats about all you need to do to remove the rear end.

There are a lot of threads on here showing repairs to that plate. Usual method is to beat the plate straight again, Vee out the cracks and weld (both sides), grind smooth, and add a couple of doubler plates on the front. And 4 longer bolts to suit.

[1973Auto 80]

Thanks guys. No hydo lift, pic is hard to see but there is a big chunk out on the left side. Don't know how that happened. I don't have a work shop to tear it down complete so my thought was to do as you guys said(weld the cracks and grind smooth) and add the plate to the outside and will butt up to the trany. This way I won't have to crawl under the tractor. I assume adding a .100" plate and 1/4" longer bolts will do the trick? If I even need longer ones??

[sorekiwi 761]

I think I used 1/8" flat bar for the doublers on the last one I did. 2 pieces, one for the top 2 bolts and one for the bottom 2 bolts. This way you avoid the stiffening rib in the original plate.

I think the holes into the auto are blind so make sure your new bolts arent too long.

[can whlvr 991]

i made my plate from 3/8 plate and ground the stiffing beads into the new plate,but your gonna need to do a fair bit of dissasembly,you need to separate the rear end from the tractor,as i wouldnt want to weld with it attached due to the heat

[1973Auto 80]

My idea is to detach the rear end and attach the new plate from the side that bolts to the trany. Hope this pic is a little better. can't seem to size it bigger from my droid phone.

[Callen 64]

A plate on the tranny side will throw all your attachment lift points off not to mention the drive belt length and seat latches. Never seen one broke like that, gonna take more than a plate to fix it. You're going to have to pull those cracks back together. Probably be easier to replace the frame.

[sorekiwi 761]

My idea is to detach the rear end and attach the new plate from the side that bolts to the trany. Hope this pic is a little better. can't seem to size it bigger from my droid phone.

Put the doubler plates on the front side of the chassis plate. If you put it on the back you will move the trans back by the thickness of the plate. Your ball wont go all the way into the cam plate, and your belt will effectively become too short.

[1973Auto 80]

That was my concern. I knew everything would move back by the plate thickness, that is why I was thinking about only using 12 ga steel. But I will probably have less frustration by welding and bolting to the inside. Shimming and spacing everything thing else will probably not be the best coarse of action. Thanks all, I'll post some pics as I get into it.

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[Tankman 3,515]

Working as a sheetmetal shop layout man, foreman, my old career. I made a lot of

Wheel Horse parts using 316 SS, then paint. Never a rusted mower deck!

TIG weld the cracks after tappin' them into place. Of course, remove the rear 1st.

The WH mounting plate looks like 12 ga, a bit "thin" but, does the job. Your was used hard but,

is OK.

Add some 1/4" flatbar (two pieces) drilled to match the tranny holes and tack 'em in place.

Flatbar installs on the front side of the mounting plate (towards the front of the Stallion).

Add 1/4" to the bolt length to compensate for the flatbar thickness. Clean 'n paint.

Use some Never-Seeze® on the new bolt threads.

If you have to, I had a Lincoln stick welder in my barn, stick weld. Clean 'n paint.

A bit hard see from your pic's but, easy enough repair. :)

[Kelly 1,028]

Big thing is you need everything back in place, if not and you weld it up you will still have linkage issues, if you can't find a good used frame, in my eyes would be best and easiest, you could pull the trans out, hook a chain to the front axle, both sides just outside the frame, and a come along hooked to that and pull the plate back forwards, if it was a stick shift you can get away with more on alignment, but not on a hydro.

[whc160 74]

Here is the pic of the 1st trans plate I welded in. I got it from my dealer.

Before After

After I got this one I got two more. He then told me they were the last he could get from Toro. So we took it to a local machine shop & had some laser cut out. I still took a pic of the last one I had with measurements. It is 1/4" thick.

If only cracked up to the bottom holes I remove two bolts & put in two guide studs. This keeps everything lined up. Then remove the other two bolts. Slide the plate on & install 1/4" longer bolts. Last weld it in & paint. If the cracks run from the bottom to the top holes I will remove the trans. Weld the factory plate up & put everything back together with the new plate in place. Then last I weld the new plate in & paint.

[squonk 39,089]

2 bad this thread didn't pop up 6 month's ago. I had 2 c-160 frames. I would have given you one.

Edited January 1, 2013 by squonk

[1973Auto 80]

Thanks everyone for the advice and awesome pics. I need to borrow a welded (I might end up buying one at Tractor Supply) and start the project. I will post some pics as I go. Thanks again!!!