blade removal - bush hog 3210 rotary cutter

[dejswa]

I have searched and found many related threads, but still have some questions re. this problem.

I have a newly adopted bush hog 32xx 10 ft rotary cutter.

Bush Hog&reg - Performance You Can Count On

It has three gear boxes and two spindles.

It's about 10 yrs old and although it hasn't mowed many acres, has been outside and is quite rusted.

The blades are in bad shape and need sharpening, maybe replacing.

I am having a hard time removing the bolts that hold the blades onto the rotating disks.

I can reach the bolts through the holes in the top of the deck. I have soaked them in WD40 for a couple of days. I purchased a cheap 3/4" drive socket set that has both a ratchet and a bar that fits the socket as well ('breaker bar'?). With an additional 4' of pipe on the bar, I figure I have almost 5' of lever arm. I figure I can pull about 200# of force on the end of the bar, giving around 1000 ftlb of torque, but none of the bolts will budge.

I considered wedging a 4 ton bottle jack between the bar and part of the deck. You can bet something would give - not sure what, though.

Another alternative is to purchase an air impact wrench. I have read one or more thread re. these impact wrenches and they seem to be commonly used for this task.

I am considering this:

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

1" air impact wrench - 1500 ft-lb torque for $149.00

For that price, I'm sure it's Chinese made and not top quality, but the price is right.

I have read comments about cutting off the heads with a torch (which I don't have) as well.

Could call a local service guy who says he can do it. (not nearly as fun as buying big tools, though).

Q:

1) Any thoughts on this? bottle jack vs. bigger hammer vs. torch vs. other?
2) Are these bolts 'normal' threaded (CCW = loosen)?
3) Do the blades need any kind of 'balancing' when sharpening?

Thanks for reading,

David

 

[john_bud]

If you are going to buy something, buy a smoke wrench. Then a can of REAL penetrating fluid. WD40 is to get water off. Kroil, PB Blaster or my favorite GM Heat Pipe lubricant are going to loosen the bolts / nuts.


A smoke wrench is an Ox/Acc torch with a rose bud tip to heat the nut up red hot. They will spin off easy.

jb

 

[dejswa]

Thanks. Sounds like good advice. I found this while searching for rosebud torch tip - I guess this tip is for heating up something, not cutting?

BTW, the penetrant recommended was the 'PB' one.

[quote)When a penetrant doesn稚 work use the smoke wrench. Be warned a lot of those penetrants you sprayed up that hardware with that didn稚 work will flare up on you. But the smoke wrench (oxy-acetylene torch) is the final authority when it comes to freeing up seized hardware. The thought that always runs through my mind as I do this is, strike while the metal is hot. Sometimes even a wimpy propane torch can work too, it just takes longer.[/quote]

I don't have a torch yet (on my wish list of farm stuff), so, I guess an oxy / acetylene setup would be a better investment, eh?

DJ

 

[RickB]

Buying a torch is good advise. It will be useful for many things, and if you reassemble the blade bolts with Never-Seize, you won't have problems like you are having now again.

 

[dejswa]

OK, had to resurrect this thread with further questions.

I did manage to get the bolts off with a 1400 ft-lb air impact hammer from HF (took my chances here, but it seems to work so far).

Then I just about wore myself out hammering on the bolt to remove it. (any ideas on this - used a steel bar and a small sledge hammer - was later told I should have used a piece of wood - I agree)

I now need advice on the bolts.

The size: nut size was 1-3/4" - (I thought) - After I removed it, I cleaned it up with a grinder - got the rust off and it slipped into a 1-5/8 regular socket (but still would not fit into my 1-5/8 impact socket. So now I'm not sure - is it 1-3/4 or 1-5/8 or even 1-11/16 (if that exists).

The bolt is pretty ugly. Threads are a bit corroded. One bolt has some flattened threads maybe from my pounding it out of the mower.

The threads did measure 12 per inch.

I don't have taps and dies.

BTW, the blades had probably never been sharpened in the 10 yr life of the mower - we did sharpen them, but I felt like we needed a milling machine rather than a grinder.

Here are the options:

1) do nothing - use the nuts, bolts as they are - torque down with the impact wrench (don't like this).
2) buy new nuts / bolts.
3) buy tap and die and repair.
4) find a machine shop that has the tap and die.

questions:

What is the best choice above?
What do you think is the actual nut size for future reference?
Where can I get the nuts / bolts? (have googled and find lots of blades, but not just nuts / bolts)

Thanks for reading,

DJ

 

[greenmule]

I'd go to someplace that sells the hogs and blades,buy new bolts and new blades and you would be set for 10 more years.

Rosebuds work but alls you need is a regular cutting tip[just don't cut].

 

[RickB]

I am forever baffled by folks who don't think to find a dealer of the brand in question to source parts for a particular machine (or at least obtain OEM parts pricing). The nuts are 1-11/16" across the flats, which is a size that may not be common, but 3/4" drive sockets of that size are readily available. Bush Hog also makes a very useful blade nut tool (about $30 or so)that can be used with a large adjustable wrench or pipe wrench. Bush Hog sells a blade bolt kit that contains two each of the bolts, nuts, and lock washers, or you can buy each by the piece. Use Never-Sieze on the bolt shanks and threads so you can more easily remove the blades next time.

 

[dejswa]

Thanks, Rick.

Guess I was trying to do things the hard way.

Called by Kubota dealer. He has 143 of them (bolt / nut / lock washer kit) in stock for $11.50 each.

That's probably the cheapest / easiest solution.

Have also gotten the same recommendation for the Never Seize.

DJ

 

[Peej]

I have to agree with greenmule and rick B. We had a similar problem on a much smaller bh squealer. used a torch and a 1/2 inch impact, finally called on the service guy working nearby with a 1 inch impact. No propblem. Bought new blades and bolt set from local dealer, a little never seize and we are good to go for a Few years. Really didn't like the idea of using old bolt set.
Shop on line sometimes you can find good deals. Like tiller blades.
$11 each at my dealer about $3 each at tillerablades.com

 

[Peej]

oops! tillerblades.com