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09-09-2012, 06:20 PM #1
- Join Date
- Dec 2011
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- 726
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- nc PA.
- Tractor
- kubota rtv900: kubota mx5200
bush hog blade balance/vibration?
how important is the balance of the weight of the 2 blades on a bush hog? i know if they are way off that would be bad, but what if they were just a little off? over the years i have been just lightly sharpening the blades without taking them off. trying to keep it even. this year when mowing i think i am detecting a slight vibration from time to time and wondering if the blade balance might be off a bit and thinking this winter i might break down and actually take the blades off and balance them when sharpening. if you all think it would be worth it (i have never taken bush hog blades off before=newbie to that) what would be a good way to balance them? and do you think just a little off weight would cause a problem? how accurate does it need to be? thanks.
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09-09-2012, 07:58 PM #2
Re: bush hog blade balance/vibration?
I THINK, that it wouldn't be an issue based upon the low rpm's that a hog really runs at...
Sackett aka "Steve"
TSgt, USAF Ret. 1981-2001
2008 Montana 4344HST
4' Brush Hog; 6' rear blade; 6' box blade
"Thanks for the tractor Rick"
In memory of my brother
Richard A. Hansen 1961-2008
SSgt, USAF Ret. 1980-2000
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09-09-2012, 08:00 PM #3
- Join Date
- Mar 2005
- Posts
- 2,751
- Location
- Bedford, VA
- Tractor
- John Deere 2320
Re: bush hog blade balance/vibration?
I get the same vibration at time and in an earlier post (yrs ago) someone said that one of the blades could not be fully extended.. If you turn off the PTO and let it spin down and then restart the PTO the blade should be extended and the vibration goes away..
This has worked for me multiple times when i felt a vibration as soon at the PTO in engaged
BrianBedford, VA
2320 w/ 62D MMM, 200CX FEL, Pats EZ Change, LX4 Cutter
Co-owner (with my father) of John Deere 790, 30 HP, 4x4, 513 cutter, 70 FEL
2012 Nissan Xterra Pro-4x
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09-10-2012, 07:30 AM #4
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Posts
- 4,581
- Location
- Windsor, CT.
- Tractor
- Kubotas: L3240GST B2320HST B5100D & G5200H
Re: bush hog blade balance/vibration?
Had to lift the cutter to max height, shut down the engine this weekend and get down on my back to see what was causing all the shakin'. One blade had spun 180 degrees and wouldn't straighten itself out. Gave it a yank and got it to about 90 degrees and it staightened out the minute I engaged the PTO at idle.
That's the problem with trouble.
It always starts out as such fun."
- Randall Brown
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09-10-2012, 10:08 AM #5
Re: bush hog blade balance/vibration?
If your blade is folded up it will shake like crazy not a little. I doubt that sharpening would cause much especially if your trying to do it somewhat even. I think whacking rocks and such would remove just as much metal as sharpening would.
The use that these things get i dont think a bit is gonna hurt it. I mean its pretty violent when i bushhog down a 1.5" sappling, nothing close to slight vibrations!!YM2000. MF dirt scoop,4' Jbar bushhog,boompole, LMC 12-16 disk harrow, 4' Atlas boxblade (with rippers). 1980 chevy K10,1990 ford ranger 2wd (285K miles),1997 saturn SL2 (twin cam!!),2001Toyota Higlander
1986 Cobia 177 sunskiff w/1981 Johnson 60 hp
1991 Javalen 17ft w/same year 150 Johnson GT
Troybuilt 4 cycle & Echo 2 stroke,cold natured(need carb rebuild),MS390 Stihl, Northern tool pressure washer, mixes water into the oil in the pump(now dead, motor on a tiller). 5000 watt generator.
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09-10-2012, 12:58 PM #6
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09-10-2012, 07:52 PM #7
- Join Date
- Dec 2003
- Posts
- 6,086
- Location
- Western Kentucky
- Tractor
- JD3720 Cab, 300X loader with 4-in-1 bucket
Re: bush hog blade balance/vibration?
Since they're of the swing-arm design, you don't actually "balance" the individual blades. But when you have them off for sharpening, it's a good idea to weigh each one. Idea is to grind to the point where they both weigh the same when you put them back on.
//greg//USN (Ret)
Former Chinese tractor owner (x4)
Current John Deere owner
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09-10-2012, 08:32 PM #8
- Join Date
- Dec 2011
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- 726
- Location
- nc PA.
- Tractor
- kubota rtv900: kubota mx5200
Re: bush hog blade balance/vibration?
ok guys thanks for the comments. the vibration is only slight (i have felt in the past a time or two when a blade did get stuck back and that was way off balance with a big shake and vibration.) the vibration now is small and slight, so i thought that maybe over the years they got off weight a bit and that was causing it. believe it or now, i haven't hit many rocks but have grounded it when going through sharp gullies and woodchuck holes and such. i mostly do pastures and old fields that are maintained annually so the "brush" and saplings don't occure too often, that is why i was going for the sharper blades. do you guys think they are worth taking off for a real sharpening and to balance the weight, or would another quick sharpening while leaving them on be ok? never taken blades off before. looks like a big nut with lock washer when i looked. i was expecting a castle nut/cotter pin, but didn't see that. would that large nut be a self locking type and only a single time use that i would need to get new ones to stay tight? sorry for all the questions at once. appreciate the help.
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09-10-2012, 08:50 PM #9
Not sure how many times you've free-handed your sharpening to make for a big balance issue. You could pull 'em to Be better able to get a good sharpening and balance, too. I've only pulled my blades off a few times- most recently to put a new set on (i did put them on a kitchen scale- looked "close enough"). You should be able to re-use the nut. Recheck/retourque after an hour or so of mowing.
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09-14-2012, 10:33 PM #10
- Join Date
- Sep 2000
- Posts
- 6,595
Re: bush hog blade balance/vibration?
I had a slight vibration and found one blade had snapped in half and was like 4-5 pounds light.
Unless you are way way way off, i'd not worry.
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