Mowing Broke the Mower

[woodlandfarms]

OK, I don't even know what I hit... Although todays find was a nice piece of rake (tractor sized). So, First shot is the bow in the blade i am sure it is a dead soldier. The second is the remainder of the bolt. I assume tap and dye? You guys have any other suggestions before I put my mind to it.

Also, as I need to replace the blades. Anyone have any ideas? I remember someone replacing their blade with Brush Hog brand blades cut in half. I assume that I have to get some sort of a washer on this as well?

Glad I am going back to LA. Between the oil leaks, the constant flats, and the broken welds it is time to take a break from my break.

Carl

 

[Rivco]

I've found out the hard way since I've owned my brush mower that it's a real good idea to take a walk through the area that you are planning to brush hog, before jumping on the PT SHERMAN TANK. It will save you a lot of frustration from having to deal with all those repairs / injuries to yourself or the machine!!

Using the full blown RAMBO, balls to the wall attack mode just don't work!!!

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Also, as I need to replace the blades. Anyone have any ideas? I remember someone replacing their blade with Brush Hog brand blades cut in half. I assume that I have to get some sort of a washer on this as well?

Carl

Sedgewood and I replaced the PT blades on our 72" rough-cut mowers with thinner, hardened blades with more lift. Mine were Gravely blades that I cut in half and drilled for the 1" bushings. To make them work, you still need the PT bushings and washers. The holes should be drilled at the same location as on the originals. The PT bushings are dear. I think Sedgewood made some by buying the right tubing and slicing them off.
The main advantage of the new blades is a nicer cut and elimination of a stripe sometimes left by the originals, but that may have been more a function of lowering the deck a bit in front.
Nothing is proof against rocks. My blades are several seasons old, but used only for grass and soft brush.
Re Rambo approach - on a steep hill with craters from fallen trees, I dropped the mower in a hole and hooked it while backing. It reared vertical and broke the main swivel pin, dropping it in the hole with hydraulics still runnning it. Had to lift it out with the boom and weld in a new pin. That one's still with me.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Yeah, I really have no choice but to Rambo. Maybe the pictures are not clear, but I have nearly 10 ft high blackberries mixed in with trees. I knew this first year was going to be miserable on the tractor. It is why I bought used.

I am struggling with how to remove the broken bolt. I have tried to get an easyout into it but man, it barely makes a dent.

Do you feel that the blades you purchased are heavier duty than the PowerTracs? I was quite surprised at how bowed mine are...

 

[Sedgewood]

I am struggling with how to remove the broken bolt. I have tried to get an easyout into it but man, it barely makes a dent.

You might abandon that hole and its mate and use the other pair. Until you break another bolt that is

Do you feel that the blades you purchased are heavier duty than the PowerTracs? I was quite surprised at how bowed mine are...

Absolutely - Charlie and I went slightly different ways but I'd say most any decent blades are better than Power-Trac's. My blades turned out to be tough as a bag of boiled owls and last much longer than Power-Trac's! One blade that got tossed off when a washer let it go I spent a half hour searching for I treasured it so much.

A link to my website page with blade details:
PT-1845 Rough cut mower

Sedgewood

 

[RegL]

OK, I don't even know what I hit... Although todays find was a nice piece of rake (tractor sized). So, First shot is the bow in the blade i am sure it is a dead soldier. The second is the remainder of the bolt. I assume tap and dye? You guys have any other suggestions before I put my mind to it.

Also, as I need to replace the blades. Anyone have any ideas? I remember someone replacing their blade with Brush Hog brand blades cut in half. I assume that I have to get some sort of a washer on this as well?

Glad I am going back to LA. Between the oil leaks, the constant flats, and the broken welds it is time to take a break from my break.

Carl

I wouldn't throw out that blade yet. Pt's blades are soft and seem to take on a different shape every time you bump into something. Actually, my blades look like that an hour after putting on new. The amazing thing is, no matter how bad they look, they still cut better than any 3pt brush hogs I've seen. As for the broken bolt, I think I used a center punch and hammer to remove. Made a dimple out near the edge than lean the punch over so as you hit it the bolt wants to rotate counter clockwise.

 

[toy]

OK, I don't even know what I hit... Although todays find was a nice piece of rake (tractor sized). So, First shot is the bow in the blade i am sure it is a dead soldier. The second is the remainder of the bolt. I assume tap and dye? You guys have any other suggestions before I put my mind to it.

Also, as I need to replace the blades. Anyone have any ideas? I remember someone replacing their blade with Brush Hog brand blades cut in half. I assume that I have to get some sort of a washer on this as well?

Glad I am going back to LA. Between the oil leaks, the constant flats, and the broken welds it is time to take a break from my break.

Carl

If there is enough sticking up of the bolt might be able to get it with chanel locks or vise grips, as another mentioned a chisel near the edge of the bolt and tap on itslightly with hammer making sure that you don't damage the threads that the bolt threads into. I have tried all of those remedies before sometimes successfull sometimes not. but if you can get a hold of some left hand drill bits they usually work. I got my left hand bits at lowes and some at a local hardware store. Small hardware stores can order them for you if they don't have them on hand already. When drilling with the left hand bits they usually spin the bolt out as you drill, I don't like to use easy outs they are a last resort for me, but sometimes last resorts work.

 

[MossRoad]

Here's a link to a thread with lots of photos of my brush hog in various stages of disassembly. It is the 48" model for the PT425. I don't know if yours is similar or not, but it may be helpful.

The third picture in your post is not too clear. Is that the bolt that holds the blade on? If it is, that bolt should go through to the other side of the hub. On the back side of the hub there should be just a lock nut welded on. Take the hub off and see if there is any bolt threads sticking out the rear of that lock nut. If there is enough thread showing to put two, thin jamb nuts on it on the back side, you can cut the bolt head off the front with a cutting wheel or torch, or jsut grind it off, and work it out from the rear by turning the jamb nut that is closest to the lock nut. That is what I have to do each time I lose a bolt head. Once you get it out, be sure to buy replacement bolts that are long enough to do this easier the next time, but not so long that they hit things on the backside.

I have never been able to get an easy out to work in those hardened bolts.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Hey Moss. Super Helpful!!!!

A couple of questions. How do you remove the "bolts" in the empty holes. My tractor looks the same (except I have 3 hubs and my blades are 11") But there is no way I can clearly see to grap onto those extra bolts and remove them.

Also, you guys have made "rubber bounceback" shims so the bolts are not getting banged on on blade recoil. How is that working out, and does anyone have some good detailed pictures that are more current than the ones on the site?

Carl

 

[MossRoad]

Hey Moss. Super Helpful!!!!

A couple of questions. How do you remove the "bolts" in the empty holes. My tractor looks the same (except I have 3 hubs and my blades are 11") But there is no way I can clearly see to grap onto those extra bolts and remove them.

Also, you guys have made "rubber bounceback" shims so the bolts are not getting banged on on blade recoil. How is that working out, and does anyone have some good detailed pictures that are more current than the ones on the site?

Carl

I'm not sure what you are asking. I remove any bolt that has a head with a wrench; usually an air powered impact wrench and socket. Any bolt that has the head missing I remove from the back side by threading on one thin jamb nut, then a second slim jamb nut. I tighten the two jamb nuts together with two adjustable crescent wrenches, then use a single crescent wrench on the nut closest to the hub to turn the boken bolt out through the back.