Mower Bolt Idea

[woodlandfarms]

So I have around 10 Machinists working for me at the moment... Saddly they are not my direct employees, but employees of the film I am on (even though you are a producer, you are seldom in charge) so I can't have them make me things cause you know I would if I could.

Anyway, at lunch the other day we were discussing my mower issue. They had 2 ideas to help with breakage.

1st is they wondered if something like this would help

McMaster-Carr

still the blade could catch on a rock and it could still break, but maybe it would help by keeping the less metal hanging down like a regular grade 8 bolt (any thoughts?)

The second is to remove the drum again, grind off the nuts on the other side and install 1" bolts.

We have not found any top down bolts (ones with a hex head on the thread side and the other just a flat carriage bolt type face).

Any thoughts? 2 of the machinists know tractor gear and both felt that a 1" (or larger but I would have to drill out the blades) bolt is the better solution but it takes machining and money I don't have time for at the moment.

Carl

 

[KentT]

So I have around 10 Machinists working for me at the moment... Saddly they are not my direct employees, but employees of the film I am on (even though you are a producer, you are seldom in charge) so I can't have them make me things cause you know I would if I could.

Anyway, at lunch the other day we were discussing my mower issue. They had 2 ideas to help with breakage.

1st is they wondered if something like this would help

McMaster-Carr

still the blade could catch on a rock and it could still break, but maybe it would help by keeping the less metal hanging down like a regular grade 8 bolt (any thoughts?)

The second is to remove the drum again, grind off the nuts on the other side and install 1" bolts.

We have not found any top down bolts (ones with a hex head on the thread side and the other just a flat carriage bolt type face).

Any thoughts? 2 of the machinists know tractor gear and both felt that a 1" (or larger but I would have to drill out the blades) bolt is the better solution but it takes machining and money I don't have time for at the moment.

Carl

Carl, personally I don't think a socket head would work better than a standard hex-head bolt. At least with a hex-head you can try to use open end wrenches to remove them once they get buggered up from hitting things. Once you bugger up a socket head, you're left with no flat sides to get a grip on, and have to use something like vicegrips or pipewrenches to take them out...

I think the only real long term solution would be a "gull-wing" type of blade where the cutting surfaces of the blades are lower than the stumpjumper hub and bolts that hold the blades on...

 

[SpringHollow]

Hi Carl.

I must admit I can not remember what the blade setup is like. The only issues I have had with the mower is loosing air in the wheels and having a belt break. I bought extra blades but I have not had to use them yet. Would plow bolts solve your problem? The sloped head would be a plus. Maybe grind flats on the end of the bolt so you can put a wrench on it as well as the nut.

Plow Bolts

Ken

 

[American Bulldog]

I think the only real long term solution would be a "gull-wing" type of blade where the cutting surfaces of the blades are lower than the stumpjumper hub and bolts that hold the blades on...

I couldn't agree more. Now somebody find a gull wing blade that will fit, and I will buy it in a heartbeat. JJ?

 

[J_J]

Actually, I am not so sure that those extra bolts are there to keep the blades from banging. They may be there for mounting the blades in another position if the current bolt holes are ever reamed out. You could just as easily put bolts in the reamed out holes. Yes, some bush hog blades have a drop down curve in them.

 

[woodlandfarms]

JJ, you have it right. PT knows the blades break off, so to help companies that use the mower in fleet situation, they make it so if you break a bolt you can mount the blades in the other holes. I put cap screws with hex ends into mine cause I kept breaking the filler bolt heads off.

 

[BobRip]

I think the only real long term solution would be a "gull-wing" type of blade where the cutting surfaces of the blades are lower than the stumpjumper hub and bolts that hold the blades on...[/QUOTE]

I wonder if a blacksmith could modify a blade to turn in into a "gull-wing". It would shorten the blade a little, but it might be worth it. Also you would have to make them identical to minimize vibration. You could lengthen the blade back out by thinning the end a little.

I don't think this has been discussed. The biggest problem I have is bolts working loose. If you drilled a hole in the deck and used longer bolts you could put a locking nut on the bolt to reduce or eliminate this problem. Any thoughts on this.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I use Caulk (like bathroom type) and that seems to hold them well but not make them impossible to remove. I tried Red on one bolt once. Not a great idea.

 

[BobRip]

I use Caulk (like bathroom type) and that seems to hold them well but not make them impossible to remove. I tried Red on one bolt once. Not a great idea.

I will give that a try this summer. Thanks.

 

[J_J]

Could something like this be cut down and made to work?