cracked stator mount

[DDA52]

I've got a question for the Miller guys ... or anyone else.
Upon disassembling my Bobcat 225G, I noticed a crack in the stator mount. I'm wondering if I could/should weld it. I'm wondering due to it's proximity to my windings and everything else. My first reaction was sure, why not. That's when the thinking began and now I'm soliciting opinions. ( too much thinking wasn't helping!!!) What y'all think?

[DDA52]

I had to resize my pic. Here it is. Both sides are cracked identically.

[H80N]

DDA52
If it were mine I would weld it.... Would cover the windings with a couple of layers of aluminum foil to keep filings out of them when grinding out the Vee in the crack... and to protect them from hot spatter when you weld.. and would carry the weld out a little bit further along the joint to move the stress point away from the old crack... would vac and blow out the whole assy before putting it back together... just one man's opinion.....
hope this helps

Heiti

[JWELD]

Would you TIG or MIG it??

[moe1942]

Crack

DDA52

When I tore my 225G down to inspect and clean it up I found a crack in the same area. I stop drilled at the end of the crack and Mig welded continuing past the crack as Heiti suggested. I don't remember if I covered the windings but that is a good idea.

I'll bet there are many Bobcats with this same crack

[moe1942]

Crack

DDA52,

I just checked mine and my crack was in a different place. My main stator support on the very bottom was cracked on both sides. If you haven't checked that I would. Pretty thin bracket for the weight that it supports.

moe1942

[DDA52]

Thanks guys,
That's how I was thinking too. WELD IT!!
Moe,
That is the lower support mount. I agree, 1/8 is a little light for that kind of loading. But, it lasted 15 yrs like that.... not too bad I guess.

Don

[ASKANDY]

WELD IT!!

Like Heiti said, cover the windings so they don't get any spatter on them and weld it in. I would "V" it out, weld it, grind it and put a cover plate over it and weld the sides of that. That way you are assured of getting weld on good metal instead of the fatigued area near the crack.

Let us know how it turns out.


Andy

[H80N]

DDA52
Andy's idea of putting a fishplate on top is an excellent idea... will spread the stresses... as is Moes practice of stop drilling....one other thing... may seem manic but If I am going to grind steel around electrical or delicate stuff...(in addition to covering) will put a magnet in a ziploc bag and place it near the area that I am going to grind... you would be amazed at how much of the filings it picks up...then when done... all you have to do is remove it... turn the bag inside out to trap filings.... and toss it in the trash... saving the magnet for next time... like I said maybe a bit extreme... but it collects a lot of the fine stuff that might be missed by vac or compressed air.... Mig or Tig should be fine looks like was Migged to begin with... but tig will not spatter... your choice..
Thanks
Heiti

[DDA52]

Thanks guys,
Excellent idea about the plate and grinder magnet! I'll probably MIG it since I'm a TIG illiterate! It's a good thing it isn't my only machine! Work is piling up again, may have to wait till sat.
Thanks again Andy, Heiti, & Moe.
Don

[DDA52]

Sorry to bring up this old thread, but I thought it would be easier than starting a new one and recapping.

The stator is done....finally. It only took 7 months. That isn't bad at my shop! I did the fishplate thing and the magnet thing. I actually had too much in the magnet dept. The closer I welded to the stator, the harder it was to controll the puddle. At least the lower beads look acceptible. (The stator is upside down in the pic.)