Phred
Veteran Member
Most if this has already been said, but just to reinforce some of the other comments:
I have tried picking mine up with the FEL and flipping it up to work on. This makes me nervous since I can not completely flip mine over, and there is no good way IMHO, to ensure that I don't end up with 1000 lbs of cutter on my head.
So after one or two times at this I settled on:
Leave it mounted to the tractor 3 pt and lift it up all the way, then put 4 jack stands (one on each corner) underneath it. I then use a mechanics roller to slide up under and get the job done.
Very hard to get hurt this way.
Clearly it would be a good idea to unhook the PTO shaft first! Or you may shred yourself /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
I would replace the blades and not sharpen them. Have you looked at a brand new set of brush hog blades? They are not like mower blades, at least not on my unit. Pretty dull to start.
But the balance was the big issue. The new set of blades, and bolts made the cutter not only run much smoother with less vibration but it also cut much better.
If your looking for an excuse to get an impact gun, replacing the blades is a good reason. Makes taking them off easy, and its a poor mans torque wrench for values beyond 250 ft-lbs. Make sure you get one with 400-600 ft- lbs of toruqe, or maybe a little lower depeding on your cutter's bolt spec.
Another tip that I found handy, is to use a floor jack to support the blade (old or new) while I unbolt or bolt it in place.
These blades are heavy!
Also if you put antisieze or lock tight on it there goes the bolt torque spec. If your read carefully about bolt specs. engineers will often spec a dry torque and a lubricated torque.
If it does not say its usually dry torque.
Maybe if you use the impact toruqe wrench method it will not matter to you.
Fred
I have tried picking mine up with the FEL and flipping it up to work on. This makes me nervous since I can not completely flip mine over, and there is no good way IMHO, to ensure that I don't end up with 1000 lbs of cutter on my head.
So after one or two times at this I settled on:
Leave it mounted to the tractor 3 pt and lift it up all the way, then put 4 jack stands (one on each corner) underneath it. I then use a mechanics roller to slide up under and get the job done.
Very hard to get hurt this way.
Clearly it would be a good idea to unhook the PTO shaft first! Or you may shred yourself /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
I would replace the blades and not sharpen them. Have you looked at a brand new set of brush hog blades? They are not like mower blades, at least not on my unit. Pretty dull to start.
But the balance was the big issue. The new set of blades, and bolts made the cutter not only run much smoother with less vibration but it also cut much better.
If your looking for an excuse to get an impact gun, replacing the blades is a good reason. Makes taking them off easy, and its a poor mans torque wrench for values beyond 250 ft-lbs. Make sure you get one with 400-600 ft- lbs of toruqe, or maybe a little lower depeding on your cutter's bolt spec.
Another tip that I found handy, is to use a floor jack to support the blade (old or new) while I unbolt or bolt it in place.
These blades are heavy!
Also if you put antisieze or lock tight on it there goes the bolt torque spec. If your read carefully about bolt specs. engineers will often spec a dry torque and a lubricated torque.
If it does not say its usually dry torque.
Maybe if you use the impact toruqe wrench method it will not matter to you.
Fred