# Driving team, neck yoke broke



## glinka (Aug 7, 2015)

New to team driving. While out last time the neck yoke on the pole broke causing horses to spook and briefly run off. Pole dug into ground breaking into. My question is better for the yoke to be solid to the pole or have swivel? This is a steel pole and yoke.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

Glinka...can you possibly post photo's to show what you mean? I use a team harness, they wear collars, hames, etc. See below:


This is a wooden pole, you can see how it is attached to the horses:


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*To greysorrel*

That is a beautiful picture of your girls and I see you drive in buttons.
That sounds a bit strange what happens but thankfully no one got hurt in that yoke collar breakage.
Like you have said more pictures would help to identify the problem or excessively warn parts of harness in creating a weak point.
I have no pictures Sadley with trick and tam as a pair thay had leather pole straps from the collar kidney link to the crab on the pole.
Grey sorrel thank you for posting pictures of your girls.
Michael.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*Pole crab and team bars*

Here's my pole and team bars note the missing leather pole strap on the crab.[/ATTACH]


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## glinka (Aug 7, 2015)

Comfy fit harness. Hope you can make out the pole and yoke at the end.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Sorry, I still do not understand what broke. Those ponies are darling, though! I will try to answer when I figure it out, lol! Maybe I need another cup of coffee!


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Ok, I got a cup of coffee, and it occurred to me that they may be coupled too close to the pole. Are they straight when they are standing hitched? 

Remember that their shoulders are narrower than their hips, so they need a little extra space on the pole connection. In your turning picture, it looks like your coupling reins may be uneven. 

If I get more coffee, more brain cells may be activated, so stay tuned, LOL!!


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## glinka (Aug 7, 2015)

Sorry, hope this is better picture. The yoke(not sure if we are using same term) is about 8" long and is welded solid to the pole. That is what broke. It was screwed together with 1/2" bolt and Loctited (metal glue). Either the bolt pulled or not sure.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*The coupling at the top of the pole*

Ok what we call the crab here at the top of the pole.
So it sheared off you lost steering and it dug in the ground.
Ouch that's bad.
Ok right dispense with that t bar and get a pole crab that will bolt on to your pole.
In engineering terms it sheared off dew to oppersit forces of your pair so it started to hunt and then snap.
I hope you can see the crab on my pole that is a much better fitting as it descended with the t bar and just has the pole collar straps attach on the DS on the crab.
Go to a waggon supply's tell them the size of your pole and thay probley have one.
if not let me know and I'll see what I can do from over here.
I would need the size of the end of your pole.
So the crab bolts go downwards through the pole for extra strength a small plate underneath drilled so that it acts as a strengthener as your pole looks like box iron-steel.
Let us know I think I have posted a picture here.
Michael tricky and Quincy.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*Look were team bars are hanging.*

Look were my team bars are hanging there is the crab the centre bar hangs from there and there should be a leather strap to stop the team bar jumping off.
I would also recommend to keep an eye on the swingle tree bolts for elongation over time in draft.
It's just a thought as they will ware a small drop of oil might help on the pivical points.
Let us know ok and hopefully we can solve your problem.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*Pole*

Can you take a picture of the pole with the cart on a side view you may have to prop the pole up and one picture from the front as this will give a bigger picture of the failure of the pole .
With out the horses.
Thanks


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Glinka, I am SO sorry this happened. 

Drivers get all sorts of push back from negative comments about carriage design and quality. When YOUR life depends on ONE bolt, the QUALITY of that bolt needs to be addressed. 

After witnessing SEVERAL of these types of accidents, I have no qualms about telling what I know. 

There is a REASON that you want to save up enough money to buy a GOOD carriage, from a dealer who will stand behind it as much as possible. Your LIFE.

You have a lovely team and a good harness, but I would sell your carriage and up grade....because the bolt that holds pole on at the tree is going to give way, too.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

There are hardened steel bolts. These are used on the plates on a semi trailer to hold the coupler. They do come in various lengths. You may have to go to a welding shop or one that specializes in parts for the big trucks.


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

I think with just a new pole your existing cart would be fine. You need more than an 8 inch neck yoke. I don't know pony sizes but I would guess at least 15-18 inches. They need enough room to keep their bodies straight and not walk on each other. They don't look like they have a free forward stride right now.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*Collar strap*

Slacken off the collar strap so to give them room.
If a new pole is advises I would rethink about the swingle trees as well I think that is another weak point.
With the pole a cross bar with terrets and full collars or a pair of single bars per pony I would like to look at the construction of the cart to make sure no more failures will occure.
I have no pole bar like that the collar straps just connect on to the crab and there is no weak point at all.
How old is the cart and is it under warranty.
I'll have to get my cart out cleaned up and put the pole on and bar and harness my last pony up as a display.
I think a lot of thought is needed here at this point.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

There are other bolts in question, PLUS a kingpin in the fifth wheel.....


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Bolts were not designed to take shearing forces, which is what you have when the ponies turn. They were designed to hold things together. 

Harder steel is more brittle, as opposed to stretchy, and would be worse, not better.

When the kingpin breaks, the ponies leave with the front wheels, and the driver winds up face planted in the dirt, if they are lucky.


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## michaelvanessa (Apr 25, 2012)

*Steels*

Box iron needs reinforcing at weak points were pins and bolts are cold bolt expansion we use that it's a steel shim in the hole were the bolt goes to stop star cracks.
Elongation will occure as the pins have a weak point in lack of support plates.
You can have high tensile bolts but your implomenting them on weak steel which will ware the pivical points until a fatle failure will occure.
Like green tree has said you might end up eating dirt if your lucky on a highway things could be catcher strophic it's a little food for thought.
May be the yoke is a warning sign of what's to come next.
I don't like to be the person of doom and gloom but as drivers we like to help and keep each other safe and our horses to.
You have a good team and thay have looked after you which is thankfull thay did not panic in that situation.
A pole scrapping on Tarmac it could have been much worse with a team bolting and no steering.
Food for thought.
Michael tricky and Quincy.


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## glinka (Aug 7, 2015)

Have talked about upgrade to new cart. Another thing is this one has no brakes. That would have helped. Also, is a wood pole and yoke better than steel?


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

You may prefer the wood, as it is quieter. There are several different set ups for the pole, but some of them require full collars, as opposed to your breast collar harness.


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