For those that use this trap in farm country, what percentage of them do you repair if driven over by farm machinery and bent?

I’ve worked on them and they are difficult for me to repair.

Ive had a few but ive been able to fix them all fairly easily.

Also is it common to have the cast jaws break when bent?

Ive never had any jaws damaged. Its usually levers, base plate, dog.

If they are not deformed too bad you get one crack at bending the jaws back in place. They are not like regular jaws on other traps. You can not bull them too much. When you think you have it bent back properly inspect the jaws for any cracks if it has a crack it is a good chance it will break and best to get a new pair.. Cast iron is unforgiving.

I fix them all the time. I take them completely apart and then start back with a hammer on a vise and square everything back up. Then i bend the jaws back and reassmble. Takes about 5 min as long as it comes apart ok, I have only had one jaw break and it took a solid hit from a big tractor on hard ground. so it was pretty flat. The jaws are cast steel not iron so they can be worked with a good bit. Ive always been able to fix them except on that got bushhogged. It didnt make it. I dont know how people fix smashed traps that are welded together but 550s are easy.

I do not spend the time to repair. I have only lost 1/2 doz. over the years. I just buy more.

Todd, I have had a few run over by vehicles on power lines, but I’m yet to have one damaged by one. The only one I have ever had to repair, I missed in the yard and the wife hit it with the lawn mower. I had to get a new mower too. I don’t remember having much trouble with it though.

The cast jaws are tougher than you think.I did have two vandalized and they were smashed flat by big rocks.Really bad.I was determined to fix them though.

The first jaw broke,getting it out so I cut the other jaws to remove.After that,it was a simple job to straighten out the other parts.I had purchased new jaws for about $5 and it was a simple matter to reassemble them and you can't tell them from any of my other 550's.

Man, those buggers did get smashed! I'd vote for them not being too brittle too