Changing Blades

[Mark Page]

Changed the blades on my finish mower today, what a miserable job. Now that I have an FEL I'm trying to figure out a safe way to pick one end up so it's vertical. Even though I block it up I really don't like crawling underneath it.
I've got hooks on my bucket and plenty of 3/8 chain, but where to attach the chain to the mower is my dilemma.

[groundcover]

Do you have anyplace that you can leave it on the tractor and back up so you have plenty of room under the mower ? A loading dock,low wall or even a swale will sometimes let you work without any fancy lifts or jacks. Just make sure to block the wheels and get yourself an impact wrench !

[Mark Page]

Great ideas. Was thinking a pit would be great. I've always used an impact wrench. Take em off at 90 PSI put them on at 70 psi.

[chim]

I shorten the toplink, raise the deck and block it so it can't come down. Access is from the rear.

I wouldn't tell anyone else to do this. My Mom-in-law had a farm where I used to mow. There was a paved barn hill with a wall that only stuck up about 6" above the paving. I would go 4WD Low and back up and park with the rears on the wall. I could walk under the deck and change blades, scrape it clean or whatever.

EDIT TO ADD - My first tractor had a belly mower. It was easy to use "oil change ramps" and no way the deck could squash me.

[Wyobuckaroo]

I have a set of steel saw horses from an old tool and die shop..............

Will hold up about 1-1/2 tons easily.

Keep safe

[Zebrafive]

I would weld some attachment points to the deck for chain hookup.

[cmore]

If u don't like getting under it, u can pu the rear and gently push it into a tree or retainer wall and stand it on end. Use a chain to hold it up and then can put a safety support under the loader or just unhook and back away. That allows the easiest access, at least to me, to the blades.

[boggen]

pictures? not sure what you are asking / stating.

do you have a belly mower, (fits below tractor and between front and rear tires) or a 3pt hitch finishing mower?

is the mower detached from tractor? and if belly mower out and no longer under tractor?

if you have a pickup truck, you might think about getting some "ramps" to roll a riding lawn mower up into the back of pickup truck. to get to blades on a riding mower.

they make small ramps for riding lawn mowers to backup on or drive up on. to get access to blades.

if you have a trailer. with ramps, drive tractor with belly mower up on ramps. and access things.

some times it is easier, just to pull a couple pins and detach belt, and pull belly mower out from under tractor. that way you can clean out any grass / etc.. on deck and give a good greasing to the mower deck. and then toss a couple chains around the "gauge wheels" or rollers. to lift it up vertical. to access the blades.

if you are just wanting to use FEL. to "flip the deck up" so you can access the blades. be extremely careful if you attempt to just place hook of chain onto deck and raise that way, you could easily bend the deck right were the hooks are placed. hence note above of placing chain around the wheels or rollers on deck. were the supports for the wheels should be strong enough to handle tilting and lifting the deck from horizontal (flat on ground) to vertical to access blades.

the deck most likely has a couple support braces or support brace that is used to attach rear of deck to tractor (for belly mower). toss a heavy enough bolt / pin through the pin hole. and lift from that possibly.

if you have a small dolly, or one of them low set dolleys that allows you to slide under a truck to work on the under side. and place it below mower deck, then let mower deck down on it. to slide the deck out can make things easier (assuming concrete floor or driveway to do so)

what ever ya do, be safe, and make sure you block wheels up. and set parking brake. and work safely.

i am not a big fan of using FEL to lift up things, and then working under FEL. while FEL is holding things up. can be a quick and sudden trouble if a lever gets moved, or hose or pipe break. and lets everything down on top of you.

[wedge40]

I picked the bushhog with the 3ph, picked it up at high at it would go. Left it hooked the tractor and blocked the BH so it couldn't drop down. I also not only set the tractor brakes but chocked the tires as well.

Wedge