7018 Vs. 7018AC, Need Layman's translation please:

[Big Wave D]

Got arms home and 'painted' them yesterday.

Hard to choose a color when the rest of the machine is sporting a nice Rust Brown paint job. So, I went with Primer in "Ruddy Brown". I'm not going to top coat it with anything. Who knows, might inspire owner or his son to 'finish' the rest of the mower. I know I could have just put them own as is and let them patina quickly to match the rest of the mower, but that just isn't in me. I try to do things properly.

On another side note, I read a thread about things people found annoying or dos and don'ts on the forum. One of them was not letting people know how a problem came to a conclusion. I'll posts some pictures when it's back together.

I know this post has really run the gambit of topics originally posted about welding rod, but I wanted to say, "Thank you!" to all who have shared their knowledge and opinions to help the rest of us out who are still in the steep learning curve.

 

[Soundguy]

Right you are. But the OP has one that is binding and maybe a little grinding is the ticket to keeping it loose.

did you even read the post????? it's binding because it is BENT.. a little 'replacement' or at least a safe repair.. which I'm not keen on repairing holes in mower blades that can break off and shoot out like spears....that is what it needs.. not grease.

soundguy

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Grease will cause it to wear 10 x's faster trapping and holding dirt. Never grease or oil anything that comes into ground contact or is in a heavy dirt environment.

REPLACE the blades, they are bent and the bolts could be worn half through. A blade kit with bolts could be as cheap as 40.00.


It'll cut a whole bunch better.

 

[gwdixon]

did you even read the post????? it's binding because it is BENT.. a little 'replacement' or at least a safe repair.. which I'm not keen on repairing holes in mower blades that can break off and shoot out like spears....that is what it needs.. not grease.

soundguy

A bit confrontational today are we? Maybe being an ex-"Member of the Month" gives special license to spew venom. I wouldn't know.

The OP clarified the problem in a later post that enabled me to envision a clearer picture.

 

[Soundguy]

I asked a clear question... I asked if you had read the post. Mark came to the same conclusion I did. the part about the bend and nut and no grease to fix a bent blade....

these messages are stored archive style for others to read years down the line.

giving advice that it's good to grease mower blade pivot and bolts might just lead some poor sap to do that.. then wonder why they are sloppy at the end of the season.

the post was clear and concise.. no venom.. no confrontation. I asked you if you read the post. nothing more, nothing less... any thing else was purely unintentional on my part.. sorry if I offended you.

the post that spured this was # 92.. that's the first mention of the stuck blade. in that post the fact that the blade was bent and hanging up on the center nut was clearly spelled out thusly:

There is one caveat though. One of the blades got tweaked at some point in time. The additional twist sometimes causes the blade to get hung up on the center nut.

your post # 96 mentions the grease.

post # 100 reiterates it is not a blade bolt issue, but again.. the center nut, AND a bent blade.

it's all in black and white.

soundguy

 

[gwdixon]

Thanks for the clarification. Five question marks must have just been a stuck keyboard.

I infer that Mark's and your advice would be to never grease disc bearings, release mechanisms on plows, bucket pins on backhoes, BH outrigger feet, and so forth. I'll keep that in mind as I grease.

Neglected and contaminated grease is indeed bad news. Fresh grease, clean wear points, and changing grease often is an option. You are entitled to you opinion as I am entitled to be a "poor sap". Since greasing as we have been discussing is not your choice, the gloom and doom predicted does not come from personal experience from the information you have presented.

My experience from regularly cleaning and greasing indicates less wear on new equipment so maintained compared to metal-on-metal wear and galling that has been found on used, and un-lubed, equipment that has been acquired. To each their own.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Tight clearance areas is another issue. Pins are different. Greasing them "forces" dirt and contaminates out.

But I would not grease trip points on plows...it only makes them trip without provocation. I have used a trip plow that some well meaning person greased...and it was the most aggravating day of plowing I ever had.

Most "real" disc/harrow bearings are sealed. Only cast "cheap" bearings are greaseable...and the same principle applies to force out dirt, but...where you "add" grease such as your trip and any place you "dab" it on or in, is not a good idea. If it has a zerk, it is meant to be greased.

Things not to grease/oil: Planter/roller chain on combines/pickers that engage closely to the ground that do not have auto oilers or brushes to knock off debris. Slides, balls, pins, adjustments that are all in continuous contact with the dirt or ground that cannot be pressure or force lubricated.

 

[gwdixon]

Tight clearance areas is another issue. Pins are different. Greasing them "forces" dirt and contaminates out.

But I would not grease trip points on plows...it only makes them trip without provocation. I have used a trip plow that some well meaning person greased...and it was the most aggravating day of plowing I ever had.

Most "real" disc/harrow bearings are sealed. Only cast "cheap" bearings are greaseable...and the same principle applies to force out dirt, but...where you "add" grease such as your trip and any place you "dab" it on or in, is not a good idea. If it has a zerk, it is meant to be greased.

Things not to grease/oil: Planter/roller chain on combines/pickers that engage closely to the ground that do not have auto oilers or brushes to knock off debris. Slides, balls, pins, adjustments that are all in continuous contact with the dirt or ground that cannot be pressure or force lubricated.

All good advice.

The old discs on my place don't have sealed bearing. The new ones do but the older ones have Zerks and take a ton of grease after just a few hours of use.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Most of those old disc have babbit bearings and require daily or twice daily greasing to force out the dirt and old grease. What we were talking about on the bush hog has no zerk fitting for greasing and if it were meant to have grease then I am sure there would be a way to grease them. There is not a lot of movement with the blades after startup and the stay pretty much in place till the hit something and then they need to swing, that is why they dont wear much regardless of grease or no grease. Packing with grease may or may not cause the connection to gum up with dirt, but greasing is certainly not necessary but likely wont hurt if you want to assemble with grease. Where you may want to disassemble and put on some grease is the spline connection under the stump jumper so it comes off easily if you ever want it too. This connection can rust up and make it nearly impossible to get the blades off if you need to work on the gear case. Other than that, grease all the zerks regularly. Nothing under there that needs lubrication.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Don't grease the blade bolts though, unless you like them to get loose. Greasing them is a moot point, since its a waste of time, because they need to be replaced with the blades anyway...and a oxy acetylene torch should make quick work of any "stuck" bolts.