Bush Hog SQ172 - Getting to Blades

   / Bush Hog SQ172 - Getting to Blades #1  

have_blue

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2003
Messages
1,730
Location
Eunice, Louisiana
Tractor
L4400
I tried removing the Jesus nuts with a huge 3/4" impact wrench. No go!

There are 4 bolts that hold the gear box on. If I remove the 4 nuts on them, will the entire stump jumper/blade assembly fall free?

Another option is flipping the entire deck upside down, but I would have to find a helper.

Many thanks,,,
 
   / Bush Hog SQ172 - Getting to Blades #2  
Do you have a hot wrench ( torch)?
 
   / Bush Hog SQ172 - Getting to Blades #3  
I take the blades off my Land Pride field mower once a year. I don't even fool around with big wrenches, etc - its torch time. Works like a charm.
 
   / Bush Hog SQ172 - Getting to Blades #4  
Removing the four bolts holding the gear box on will just leave you with a loose gear box.
Try a good penetrating oil (NOT WD-40 ) on the nuts, spray and leave on for a day or two then try again with the impact.
If you have a torch you can try heating the nuts then hit with the impact.
Hate to tell you this but usually with this mower, getting the nuts off is the easy part. The bolt design that BH uses makes it a major pain to get off. I've given up the last two times and just cut everything off with a torch and buy new bolts and nuts.
 
   / Bush Hog SQ172 - Getting to Blades
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Removing the four bolts holding the gear box on will just leave you with a loose gear box.

That's what I needed to know! Saved me a drive to the country, down a muddy road! :)

I borrowed the biggest impact wrench any of my friends have, so I guess I need to get some better friends. :)

I know the procedure for removing those blades, but I hate to go buy a giant impact wrench I will never use. The pawn shops want more for their worn out impact wrenches than new. Maybe I'll get myself a breaker bar and an 8 foot cheater and break it loose, then use the impact wrench. Once I get those blades off, I'm tempted to replace them with some better ones.

Thanks Treesanddust!
 
   / Bush Hog SQ172 - Getting to Blades
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Do you have a hot wrench ( torch)?


Yeah, but where is the challenge in that? :)

I think that nut tried to tell me I couldn't break it loose. It shouldn't have done that. ;)
 
   / Bush Hog SQ172 - Getting to Blades
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Well, I think the BH blades use keyed shoulder bolts, so that could get expensive. Once I get the nuts cracked I can back up the blade real solid and beat it out with my mighty sledge.

Many thanks,,,
 
   / Bush Hog SQ172 - Getting to Blades #10  
So if you're going the route of removing the nuts and bolts instead of cutting them off.... The stump jumper or blade carrier on this mower isn't very stout, you will have to block the bottom of the stump jumper to keep it from flexing downward when you are trying to drive the bolt down and out.
You will also need something of size that you can place on top of the bolt, that you can hit repeatedly with a sledge hammer. Helps to have someone hold it for you and take turns whacking it with the sledge hammer.

Good Luck
 
 
 
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