Rotary Cutter Bush Hog Blades

[LD1]

This maybe my only option as no one can identify the beast.
Thanks

That's how I would have started my search to begin with.

And it don't even have to be exact.

I had a bushhogging 306. Blades were $40 each. Found a guy on eBay at the time selling alot of old obsolete blades that were discontinued. $5 a blade. Found some.that we're the same width, same thicknesses ,(1/2"X4") but they had 1/4" more offset and we're 1/2" too long.

Offset wasn't any big deal (though I wouldn't want less, because when things start to wear you can crash a blade up into the deck). As to the length, a few minutes with the chop saw and they were the right length.

Blade bolts...same deal. One size fits MANY cutters.

I have dealt with tsc King kutters, a bushhogging sq84t, bushhogging 105, bushhog 305, modern sunshine 5', imc 6'.....they all take the EXACT same bolt

 

[Papper]

That's how I would have started my search to begin with.

And it don't even have to be exact.

I had a bushhogging 306. Blades were $40 each. Found a guy on eBay at the time selling alot of old obsolete blades that were discontinued. $5 a blade. Found some.that we're the same width, same thicknesses ,(1/2"X4") but they had 1/4" more offset and we're 1/2" too long.

Offset wasn't any big deal (though I wouldn't want less, because when things start to wear you can crash a blade up into the deck). As to the length, a few minutes with the chop saw and they were the right length.

Blade bolts...same deal. One size fits MANY cutters.

I have dealt with tsc King kutters, a bushhogging sq84t, bushhogging 105, bushhog 305, modern sunshine 5', imc 6'.....they all take the EXACT same bolt

Great info. Thanks LD1

 

[JWR]

LD1 is right. You should be able to just use a heavy air wrench and get the blades and bolts off. Then you can measure, shop around for blades and get exact right size & type bolts. Blade bolts typically require shocking (to me anyway) amounts of torque. On the order of 600 ft-lbs. With some luck you'll find all you need at TSC. I would not reuse those bolts unless you just cannot match them.

Hey ! How come you have not had much snow up there the last few winters and the Townships ski reports have been terrible ? I used to ski there many years ago.

 

[Greench]

I know this is an older thread but for those future seekers of knowledge, yes, slop is normal. On my 3815 I usually get around .05 on the bolt end, meaning I can barely slide a .050 shim under the blade end where it rest against the housing. Depending on how long your blade is that can produce a inch or two at the end. ALWAYS RELACE BLADES AND BOLT SETS TOGETHER. They even tell you to inspect in between blade changes. Do not put a sharp edge on a cutter blade. When changing, torque the blade on. Beat with a 5 pounder on the bolt a couple of licks then torque again. Then cut one hour and pound and tighten one last time. You want it to torque to around 700 dry or 450 with lube. That is not easy to achieve. But even more importantly than that, torque your gear motor bolts to make sure they are tight. They can get just a little loose and cause vibration problems at a minimum. Never run a cutter that the blades do not easily almost loosely spin on the stump jumper. Tight blades cause vibration and disassembly at speed which is usually ugly to behold. Be safe. Use blocks, wear googles, take no shortcuts on safety because it can happen to you. And even if you are allergic to wasp, late to work, and you left your buddies backhoe running all night and it has to be cut off, and the wasp are swarming hot and mad, NEVER EVER break that rule about jumping up on the back to quickly lean in and turn it off. Because the stuff that can happen if you do hurts. And will leave a mark. And did I say it hurts.

 

[sandman2234]

Greench, I used to agree with everything you just said, but now I have one little deviation that most people will not agree with me on. The sharpening of blades on a bush hog are typically not sharpened to a point like a riding mower blade, mainly because they are made to beat things to cut them, not slice them. I use my 8 foot Bush Hog 3008 to mow 10 acres of Bahia grass that gets cut about every two months. Over the past 20 years, the field has gone from woods to a grassy field, and now I am approaching an almost need for a grooming mower. Since I don't cut anything rough with it, I have started sharpening the blades more and more, to "almost" like you would sharpen a riding lawnmower. (leaving a very small blunt ridge).
This has seemed to work very good for me, but only because of the single use of the mower.
David from jax

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Slop in the blades comes from the bolt holes wearing larger, also the bolts can wear groves in them.

I've taken both and welded up the groves in the bolts, then grinding them round again. I also have added weld in the holes in the blades to take some "slop" out. It works perfectly...

SR.

 

[DieselBound]

Another thing to note is to make sure that the stump jumper itself (the pan that the blades attach to) isn't loose! I had this with one of my RC's that I'd bought, used. If you don't catch this in time you're looking at messed up shaft splines ($$).

 

[repete]

Having had a blade separate at the bolt due to wear and throwing the probably 15 pound blade across the field and the unit getting so far out of balance I thought it would destroy the tractor, I would really inspect them or just spend a few dollars and replace the bolts and blades. Also, no one is within 100' of my brush hog running after that episode.

I am thankful it chose to not go forward into my tires or tractor....

 

[sandman2234]

Having had a blade separate at the bolt due to wear and throwing the probably 15 pound blade across the field and the unit getting so far out of balance I thought it would destroy the tractor, I would really inspect them or just spend a few dollars and replace the bolts and blades. Also, no one is within 100' of my brush hog running after that episode.

I am thankful it chose to not go forward into my tires or tractor....

Or into the back of the operator, as has happened!
Like Repete, Safety first, I disengage the mower anytime I have a person walk or drive out onto the field I am mowing! Then I go tell them to LEAVE!!
David from jax

 

[DieselBound]

Having had a blade separate at the bolt due to wear and throwing the probably 15 pound blade across the field and the unit getting so far out of balance I thought it would destroy the tractor, I would really inspect them or just spend a few dollars and replace the bolts and blades. Also, no one is within 100' of my brush hog running after that episode.

I am thankful it chose to not go forward into my tires or tractor....

I had a separation, but it was less of an event (follow-on to my above note about watching the slop in the stump jumper). Had the stump jumper, along with the blades, fly out from the RC. Was way out in the sticks, in the brush. I had to employ the services of my wife and my dog to locate it. Heavy mass like that didn't travel very far: but with all the brush it was hard to locate.

All is a reason why I decided to migrate to flails: less brush cutting these days, so a flail makes more sense.