05/30/2026
The winch mount on this skidder cracked all the way around the base. The winch was wobbling while under load. That is terrifying. I took the winch off, ground the cracks out completely, ran root passes, then built up cap passes with 7018. Then I welded a full ring of 1/2 inch plate around the base of the mount. Now the mount is stronger than the frame it's bolted to. The final welds were left unpainted and fully visible.