Muggy Weld 77 Repairs a John Deere Loader Bushing

Phil Sherman of Portable Welding & Repair Services contacted us with a challenging repair involving a John Deere 1010 loader. The loader’s cast iron bushing had been welded many times in the past and was so worn it was no longer reparable and required a custom bushing. As a solution, Phil fabricated the mild steel bushing with a heavier wall than John Deere manufactures, and used Muggy Weld 77 cast iron electrodes to weld the new bushing to the loader.

Before welding, Phil removed as much of the previous welding material as possible using a grinder and wire wheel. When repairing cast iron, it’s often difficult to remove every trace of old welding rod because cast iron is relatively soft and the new deposit just mixes in with the cast. In these cases, grinding slightly deeper can help reduce contamination and remove all the old electrode.

After thoroughly cleaning and grinding both parts to create flat mating surfaces, Phil secured the bushing and loader in a vise and began the repair process. He tack welded the two parts together, then drilled a hole at the end of cracks, peened between passes, and welded short beads (no more than 2 inches at a time)

While welding, Phil closely monitored the parent metal temperature, keeping it at around 250°F to reduce the risk of cracking. He also waited about one minute between passes while maintaining a close arc–an important step when working with cast iron.

Phil completed a second welding pass, then allowed the part to cool naturally. One cooled, he painted the part yellow so any future cracks would be easy to spot during inspections.

Tips for Using Muggy Weld 77

Soaking electrodes in water will help remove the coating for TIG welding. TIG welders usually use 3/32″ or for thinner cast or 1/8″ rods for heavier sections
If the rod is not penetrating, check the ground, amperage, and machine settings
Low and slow is the key to a sound cast iron weld repair
You can use a mild steel patch over large holes, both Muggy Weld 77 and 72 will weld steel to the cast iron
Lightly pre-heat the cast iron helps remove moisture and allows the beat to lay flatter without overheating the cast
If undercutting occurs, lower the amperage
If the cast iron rod looks ropey or lacks penetration, increase the amperage
The same technique can be used for motor mount repair

Disclaimers:

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Updated 12/25/25