lift arm ?

[marmon77]

The "ball" on the lift arm is missing. How can I tell if it's a replaceable ball or if I need a new lift arm?

 

[RM-MN]

You can get a weld-on end for that lift arm. Just cut the old one off at the appropriate place and weld the new one in its place.

 

[Jim in New Mexico]

If you don't want to mess with welding a new end on,you might consider a new one. I just bought 2 new ones delivered
yesterday $92.00 delivered.... Jim in N.M.

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

If the lift arm takes removable balls, the ball socket will be concave top & bottom (12o'clock & 6 o'clock, but notched out so the balls can be installed/removed by turning them flat (so the hole through the ball is vertical). Check the other lift arm to see if that ball can be removed. If you do find that they are removable, you can buy replacement balls in Cat 1 or 2.

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

A quick look at the NH parts catalog looks like the lift arms do in fact have removable balls. Should be a spring loaded retainer for the balls when no implement is attached.
My 3910 has the same setup, and the retainers are broken/missing. To keep from loosing the balls, I remove them and place them in the tool box when not in use.
HTH, Dave

 

[Sean in PA]

Always best to post what model you're asking about even if you just posted a question about the same model in another thread.

If it's for the 3930 that you asked about in your other post, and it has the original arms, it should be the type that has the replaceable ball. From the parts page it looks like there were three different style lift arms available for that model, but all 3 had the balls that were held in place by a spring clip:

[u:bb8b1cd041]3939 lift linkage[/u:bb8b1cd041]

 

[Sean in PA]

Sure is frustrating to not be able to edit your posts. That link in my last post should say "3930 lift linkage", not 3939.

I did contact the admins for this site and they said that they had a server crash a while ago and since then they've been hosting the Classic and Modern views on the same server, and that is the reason that editing a post is not possible. They said that even they can't edit a post, but if you need them to they can delete them.

 

[RodinNS]

If it has the link extensions... then yes, the balls are replaceable/interchangeable. If it for some reason has the light duty arms with CAT I balls... then no, those are not replaceable.

Rod

 

[Billy NY]

You can get the flat spring from CNH, as well as the side spring retainer that you fold out to remove the ball. The parts diagram does show the rivet size that fastens the flat spring to the upper part of the lift arm assembly. CNH does not carry it, no longer serviced, but it can be sourced generically. My only issue was how to "clinch" this rivet given where its located, well the factory did it somehow LOL. In lieu of the rivet, and its metric, I used a very short 1/4" grade 8 bolt, lock washer and nut if I recall. With the hex head on top, threaded end through the steel, I was able to grasp the end of it and get a small socket on it to tighten the assembly together. This was on a 4630, low hours but the previous owner had apparently been missing the correct hardware and had been using some oddball combination of small parts to keep it together. The problem with this is that the lift arm end casting that is removable had too much end play or was used being out of place with an implement on and the lower welded on strap was heavily worn. Easy fix to build up with weld and shape as it was. CNH had the correct pin that holds the removable lift arm end in place, oem calls for 2 roll pins to retain that pin, I used hitch pin, clip or hair pins if that is what you call them. It may cost a little more, and some of these oem hardware items from CNH like the correct draw bar to tractor pin was like $40, (or maybe it was the pin for the lift arm end) but the fit is perfect and to me it was well worth it, given you can fiddle/faddle around and waste a lot of time otherwise on these little items. There is another small pin that retains the lever that the flat spring is for, I just used the small multi hole pin found at TSC, and hair pins. Only drawback is when mowing and backing into heavy vegetation and brush, those smaller pins would come off as the vegetation, brush and similar will grab them somehow. Other wise the assembly works like it did when new and the lift arm balls stay right in place. CNH has those ball retainer springs too, but there has to be a trick to installing them without buggering them up given how they are set. One of mine was bent, I have a new one, but was able to re-shape the old one to where it was and it seemed that one went in a little easier for some reason, spring steel for sure there !

 

[Billy NY]

correction: Rivet is not metric it is 1/4" Dia.

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

Have same problem with my '82 5610! I also used a 1/4" bolt and double springs! The dang thing still pops out, so I will have to follow up on your suggestions for a cure. I suspect that, as you have discovered, the problem is with the arm, not the end, as I have swapped the end with the one from my '89 5610-2, and found the problem stayed with the '82 and did not show up on the '89!

 

[Billy NY]

Post back when you work on one of these lift arms, I had posted a question about mine to see if anyone had done something similar, but there was no feedback on it. Its always interesting to see how others make use of hardware and such for something like this.

I was determined to make a solid repair, as I tried to work with the less than desirable fix, the lift arm end kept releasing and coming out and you had to back the mower up against something or drop to the ground do the same to get that end back in. Once done, I cut for 25 hours or so, worked perfectly but I still must weld up that lower strap.

 

[LarryH]

we sell rse parts at a discount as to dealers call 270--528-2133 days ask for larry

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

Hear you on that Billy, My issue was with my Kuhn rake & tedder, both being 3 pt hitch!
So, you built up the bottom strap that the end sits on, so the end is held higher in the arm?
Thanks much, Dave

 

[marmon77]

Thanks for all your responses, will save me the expense of a new arm!

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

Both the ball retainer springs are missing on my 3910, and have new ones hanging in the shop!
Only problem is that I haven't figured out how to get the broken ends out of the holes in the telescoping ends!
So, while cogitating on that, I just keep the balls in the tool box when not in use.

 

[Billy NY]

Not yet, just got my miller welder running again, will do soon enough. When I compared this one to the one on the other side, you can see the difference in wear. It must be mild steel or seemingly softer than the casting as that does not seem to have been worn. The first owner was not too swift according to the 2nd owner I bought it from, and it looks like it was run with the lift arm end displaced and abrading on that strap.

It was nice to get a true low hour 4630, but it had some smaller things like this to be made right, mostly missing hardware and other minor things. You would not think at 1200 hours you'd find problems like that, but its not a bad thing either as you learn when repairing. Funny, the little things were overlooked, but the tractor was serviced properly otherwise.