Cracked Wedge Lock Cast Center

[ComancheStarFarms]

About 6 months ago I posted an issue on our 1026 that it had a crack across ine of the spokes on the right rear cast center.  10 working hours later - easy work - and a second spoke has cracked.  What’s going wrong?

[bitty]

Do you know the history of it? Did you just recently buy it and was it stressed before you got it for some reason? In an accident? I have never seen one crack like that. Makes me think that something stressed it more than normal usage

[ComancheStarFarms]

I agree with you.  Bought the tractor from the estate of an older farmer & his family said he just did a little bush hogging.  
 

Being a hydro I didn’t think the rear end would ever be seriously stressed.  But a lot happens in 50 years.  
 

i don’t know if the 1st spoke was cracked when I purchased it - didn’t notice it.  I found the second spoke just a couple weeks ago & all the tractor has done is drive on level ground with no load on it or behind it.  Just adjusting the hydro unit.

Thanks bitty! - Jonathan 

[Jacka]

I would be buying another wheel.They seem to be lying in every scrap yard.

[Drysleeves]

19 minutes ago, Jacka said:

I would be buying another wheel.They seem to be lying in every scrap yard.

Wedgies are much harder to find than basic clamps. Good news is the 3 1/4" are the most prevalent size but not necessarily wedge lock.

[Jacka]

Just now, Drysleeves said:

Wedgies are much harder to find than basic clamps. Good news is the 3 1/4" are the most prevalent size but not necessarily wedge lock.

Yes i imagine they are but still its not like you most times break a wheel. I never seen one break other than a wreck. 

[ComancheStarFarms]

Buying a newer cast center is a definite “yes.”  I’ve been aggressively hunting for one since I found the 1st crack.  Not as easy to find within 200 nm of home as I thought.  I’ve never seen one cracked before either, that’s partly why I’m trying to figure out the cause.  No desire to have a repeat or catastrophe.  Thanks!

[acem]

I'd bet it was run into sometime. 

[Mudfly]

1 hour ago, ComancheStarFarms said:

Buying a newer cast center is a definite “yes.”  I’ve been aggressively hunting for one since I found the 1st crack.  Not as easy to find within 200 nm of home as I thought.  I’ve never seen one cracked before either, that’s partly why I’m trying to figure out the cause.  No desire to have a repeat or catastrophe.  Thanks!

Just for asking, does the wheel spin straight or does it wobble side to side?  What is the runout on your wheel when spinning around.

there almost had to be some side load for those spokes to crack like that.  If a person didn’t know how to properly install a wheel, could you put enough pressure on a hub to crack one?  Obviously not easily if it’s not a common failure.

 

[nate]

Well,  if it makes you feel any better we noticed a crack just like that on one of the 1456 wheels when we put new rubber on it.   We’re just going to run ours and keep an eye on it and casually look for a replacement wheel for the right price. 

[acem]

It can be brazed.

If done right it will last.

[brahamfireman]

15 hours ago, ComancheStarFarms said:

Buying a newer cast center is a definite “yes.”  I’ve been aggressively hunting for one since I found the 1st crack.  Not as easy to find within 200 nm of home as I thought.  I’ve never seen one cracked before either, that’s partly why I’m trying to figure out the cause.  No desire to have a repeat or catastrophe.  Thanks!

I went 7 hours, 1 way to get the cast wheels for the 5088. 

[ComancheStarFarms]

Mudfly - you might be onto something for the cause.

nate - that’s been my plan up to now.  Just haven’t found any yet.

brahamfireman - I don’t mind the driving - once drove a 715 combine from Mullen, NE to Beaver, OK & that took all of seven hours (& a little more).  Just hard to believe that in a (once?) big farm state like IN that wedge cast centers for a 38” wheel aren’t closer at hand.

Thanks all!

[stronger800]

I would like to find a 34” wedge  lock close to home someday.  I believe those to be harder to find, but I’ve always use Assumed the 38’s would easily located if I ever needed one.  

[bitty]

1 hour ago, stronger800 said:

I would like to find a 34” wedge  lock close to home someday.  I believe those to be harder to find, but I’ve always use Assumed the 38’s would easily located if I ever needed one.  

My neighbor has a set of 34 inch he got to put on his 806. He didn't get them on yet and he would have went 38 except for he had really new Firestones on the back

[Jacka]

10 hours ago, bitty said:

My neighbor has a set of 34 inch he got to put on his 806. He didn't get them on yet and he would have went 38 except for he had really new Firestones on the back

I got 34 inch wedgies on my 1066.I wanted to put 38" on it but never got around to it.Now with all this talk about scarcity I don't know.