Rotary Cutter Brush Hog Blades COMING OFF

[Asar2525]

Hillbilly, they are grade 8 blade bolts. I've retrieved the bolts and they are not broken or stripped other than the last 2 or 3 threads. The nuts are definitely loosening.

 

[Ford850]

I'd use Loctite on them if you haven't tried that already.

 

[ArlyA]

Drill through grade 5 bolt's is a pain. Yes doable, but tough. Drilling little holes through Grade 8??? Does not sound like a fun job.

 

[Asar2525]

ArlyA, I have a good set of cobalt bits that should be able to do it as long as I don't overheat the bit.
Ford850, I used Loctite red after the first one came off. No luck there.

 

[ArlyA]

Seems that Loctite should have held.. If you leave grease, dirt or oil on them, not so. We clean threads with terry cloth and paint thinner/acetone to get nice and clean..

ArlyA, I have a good set of cobalt bits that should be able to do it as long as I don't overheat the bit.
Ford850, I used Loctite red after the first one came off. No luck there.

 

[Asar2525]

ArlyA, I did spray with brake cleaner and let dry before applying loctite. I'm leaning toward the possibility that the bolts should be left hand threaded. The one unusual thing about the Sidewinder is that it is driven by a large tire that presses against the blade hub and acts as a slip clutch. This innately reverses direction of rotation whereas a 90 degree gearbox may or may not depending on construction.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Drill through grade 5 bolt's is a pain. Yes doable, but tough. Drilling little holes through Grade 8??? Does not sound like a fun job.

It’s really not hard to do.


As for the left handed bolts, it’s not going to make a difference, most twin spindle cutters the left and right pans spin in opposite directions yet both have standard right handed bolts, and I’ve not had a issue with them coming loose.

 

[Asar2525]

Countrybumpkin, so would you suggest torquing the **** out of the nuts and drilling through for a cotter pin?

 

[countrybumpkin]

If everything is in good shape and nothing is damaged allowing them to come loose, then yes.

Another question, Did this just start happening after 4 years or had you removed the blades for some reason prior to the bolts coming out?

 

[Asar2525]

This is the first year that I have been using it as hard as I have, i.e. mowing the woodlot. Additionally this is the first year I'm using it with the International 300 vs. the Farmall 140. Putting ~20 more hp into the mower.