Rear blade Modification: Cat II to Cat I

[LD1]

Well...today I got around to modifying my cat II rear blade down to cat 1.

I used to run with the pins turned in and all was good. But then I put quick-hitch hooks on the lower arms (similar to pats and carters, but homemade). With the hooks, the pins had to be turned out cause the hook would hit the cross-tube. This made it a PITA switching from the 32" spacing blade to the 26" spaced bushhog. So I wanted them the same.

Heres the layout. I needed to remove 3-7/8" off each side. Here you can see where I decided to remove it from.


Next was the hard and dirty work....actually cutting the sections out


Once everything was cleaned up, here is how it looked with them fitted and tacked in place. Came 26" exactally as the bushhog.


And now all welded up


Now time to tackle the angled braces. Heres how that went


And with a little paint to prevent rust....just like new:thumbsup:

 

[Herkypilot]

Nice Job.

 

[Piston]

Nice job LD1. That small investment in time will save all sorts of aggravation down the road!

 

[LD1]

Nice job LD1. That small investment in time will save all sorts of aggravation down the road!

Thanks. And yea, saving aggravation is the goal.

With the arms spread at 32 or so inches, the quick hitch hooks that I made (can be seen here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/236010-homemade-quick-hitch-hooks-2.html) were on a bit of an angle to the pin. It was putting un-due stress on the pins and I didnt like it.

I am only going to have to make a slight modification to the bushhog. It has a small triangle gusset below the pin that prevents me from getting the hook under the pin. I am going to simply remove the gusset, and re-locate it to the inside of the frame on both sides so the area below the pin will be free.

It seemed easier to make the blade 26" than it would have been to make the bushhog 32" also:thumbsup:

 

[k0ua]

Good job LD1.. How is the quick hitch you made last year holding up?

James K0UA

 

[LD1]

Holding up just fine.

As you know, I got this big honkin 7' HD blade that is overkill, but works for what I want, and I have done alot of blading after having my pond dug in the summer and with mom and dad in the middle of a house build, and they are holding up nicely. Only thing I didnt like was the angle that the pins were on when at 32" was causing some funky wear on the implement pins from it being at a bit of an angle. And the fact that I had to turn them turnbuckles about a MILE when going from blade to bushhog. And we all know them turn nice and freely:banghead:

 

[k0ua]

Holding up just fine.

As you know, I got this big honkin 7' HD blade that is overkill, but works for what I want, and I have done alot of blading after having my pond dug in the summer and with mom and dad in the middle of a house build, and they are holding up nicely. Only thing I didnt like was the angle that the pins were on when at 32" was causing some funky wear on the implement pins from it being at a bit of an angle. And the fact that I had to turn them turnbuckles about a MILE when going from blade to bushhog. And we all know them turn nice and freely:banghead:

Ok. cool on the homemade QH.. Yeah the turnbuckles..:thumbdown: Just a distant memory now..

James K0UA

 

[BIG DOOLEY]

Very nice modification.
A job well done and something you should be proud of.
But as "Gomer Pyle" used to say
For shame - For shame - For shame

Tom

 

[k0ua]

OMG.. there is NO guard on that angle grinder:shocked:

 

[LD1]

WHat, you guys dont see that guard?? Its one of them invisible ones that you cant see