[thenrie]

Well, not really. Once I looked at it, I realized that once the rolled pin that retains the pivot pin falls out, you don't have anything to keep the pivot pin from eventually working its way forward or aft, until it slips out of the socket. In this case, it apparently worked its way forward and slipped out of the socket. Then, over time (apparently the owner never noticed the problem) the front axle rotated, and probably started cracking the front of the crossmember until it finally ripped all the way out, since the front socket was the only thing holding the axle in place. The tractor had been refurbed at some point in its life, but I'm betting the owner who left it to me was using it for a lawn mower and really didn't know much about machinery and maintenance.

The good part in this was that when I found the poor thing sitting in the woods (it was on the lot at a house I bought) I figured the engine was bad. When I found the front axle was bent back under the frame, I realized the tractor was parked not because of a bad engine or trans, but because of the front axle problem. Turned out the engine was fine. Haven't yet tried the trans.

Here are some pics of my repair. A little more grinding to clean up my "bugger welds" and take the excess off the repair patch and she'll be ready for paint.