Mower bolt problem

[dodge man]

In another thread I talked about my blade style problem but I encountered another one when I put new blades on yesterday.

It is a 60 deck on a BX2350. One blade bolt was badly damaged when I swapped blades. It came out really hard. Probably took 3 minutes with an impact. About just the last half inch of threads were badly tore up, almost looking worn down. I got a new blade bolt and ran a tap up in the hole. It did a lot of cutting, which I expected. The last part of it cut really hard, which is probably where the damaged part of the bolt was. It then seemed to tighten up fine.

Questions? What caused it? I don not think the bolt was loose before I took the blade off but I am not positive. I install the bolts by hand almost all the way to engage the hex washer, then tighten with an impact.

Should I expect problems again? Can you replace just the shaft or would I need an entire spindle assembly?

 

[diesel85]

There might have been gunk in the threads at the bottom.

I would only replace it if it gives you issues, such as it loosening up.

You could tap it next size up or two as well.

 

[chim]

......................What caused it? I don not think the bolt was loose before I took the blade off but I am not positive. I install the bolts by hand almost all the way to engage the hex washer, then tighten with an impact....................................Should I expect problems again?...................................

It could be that tightening with the impact was overdone, and the threads became galled or partially stripped. It doesn't take a lot of force to tighten the bolts. I have used my 1/4" impact on my 72" RFM and haven't spun a blade.

If that's the case and they were overtightened, it will happen again.

 

[dodge man]

It’s possible it was over tightened. I’ve had them come loose before so I hit them pretty good.

 

[chim]

It’s possible it was over tightened. I’ve had them come loose before so I hit them pretty good.

You may safely assume I have experience at over-tightening.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Do not care about the rules but I put a coat of silver anti seize every time and just use the 3/4 inch socket bar to loosen and tighten using a 2x4 block for bracing the blade, grass juice here is corrosive and always gives me problems on untreated fasteners around here. Makes it much easier to remove every time just do not over torque with the impact wrench.

David

 

[Oldoak]

Do not care about the rules but I put a coat of silver anti seize every time and just use the 3/4 inch socket bar to loosen and tighten using a 2x4 block for bracing the blade, grass juice here is corrosive and always gives me problems on untreated fasteners around here. Makes it much easier to remove every time just do not over torque with the impact wrench.
David

I had been doing exactly the same for years accept I used a 1/2" breaker bar and socket. Never had a problem.

However now I replaced the breaker bar with a 20v 3/8" impact gun and don't need to block the blades with a piece of 2x4. I just let up on the trigger without doing a lot of hammering when torquing the bolts.
Older and wiser...............

 

[David_Kb7uns]

I have had too many bolts with screwed up threads caused by impact guns, always break them loose by hand and like to thread them back in by hand so I can feel for any problem spots if I need to use the thread chaser kit I have or the thread pitch files I have to keep things from seizing up.

Sometimes being patient is being wise also.

David

 

[zoltanthegypsy]

What David said. I also paint mine with anti-seize and (so far...) haven't had one loosen. Off and on by hand + bar and big socket.

I'm extra paranoid from being around boats. Stainless in stainless and you get some galling when being too enthusiastic - and it's game over.

Z.

 

[Oldoak]

Stainless in stainless and you get some galling when being too enthusiastic - and it's game over.

You got that right! I worked around a lot of heavy industrial equipment made with all types of stainless steel alloys due to the corrosive materials in that industry. Nothing was bolted or screwed together without a coating of Never-Seez NSBT-16N Silver Pure Nickel Special Anti-Seize Compound on the threads.