Beefing up the lift handle

[farmer 1,078]

Hello fellow Redsquarer’s, I’m having a slight problem with the lift handle on my gardening tractor (312-8).

 

 

 It handles the ploughing, tilling, disc and heavy cultivator. The point is that the handle bends enough during a job for the latch to not hold, so randomly the implement comes crashing down. So far the fix has been to just bend it back and carry on, more permanent fix needed! 

I haven’t started anything yet as I wondered if anyone else had ‘been there’ and found a tidy solution. I’m toying with the idea of using a short length of bar cut to shape down the tube and around bottom bar, welded edgways. 

Anyone else faced this problem?

[Anglo Traction 761]

Hello Rex, I have the older version of Lift Lever on mine, so not really familiar with later style, but looking at your image, it looks like the weakest point is near the weld point?.

Strengthening at the point you mention would be the best way in my view. It may be worth looking out for an old Bike Frame to cut up, where they used quality Reynolds/Chromoly steel thin wall tubing which would be lighter than conventional steel tubing. May just find the right diameter and pulling the handle off to slide down and weld up.

Regards    

[wallfish 17,950]

Once the metal is fatigued, it only gets worse and will bend easier.

Beside supporting it with a piece of steel tube, would attaching a lift assist spring or two help or solve the problem? I'm not very familiar using the implements you do so not sure if attaching a big heavy spring will take away too much weight from implements. 

[farmer 1,078]

Thanks for the input fellas, definitely getting fatigued (think Uri Geller’s spoons) I have the assist spring for my tiller but as you say that would be counter productive with the other implements.

I just want to be able to wrench on it, the close fitting tube shaped to fit around the weld and then welded to that weld and around the top sounds a neat solution. Hmm going to have to keep an eye out for some pipe. Thanks, I’ll update this post when it’s done.