Bush hog busted?

[Ginormous]

Ok, I'll put a #2 bolt in. But......won't a hardened bolt shear quicker, due to being more brittle? Any metallurgists out there that can answer this?

Storm... that's a good question. My wife is a metallurgist, and I'm a materials engineer. The harder steel may fracture more quickly in an impact situation, but only if the toughness is low enough, i.e., only if it is very brittle, which would probably be from being heat treated wrong. I looked up the specs for grades 2, 5 and 8 bolts. Tensile strength is 74 ksi, ~100 ksi and 150 ksi. They mention toughness but don't give the values. The steel for 2 & 5 are normal carbon steel, but the grade 8 bolts are a different alloy. The grade 8 bolts have both high strength and high toughness. I would expect that the grade 5 bolt still has relatively high toughness and is not likely to brittle fracture, therefore, you would have the overcome the higher shear strength. From a materials perspective, I agree with the chorus... use a grade 2 bolt. :thumbsup:

 

[stormpetrel]

I have sheared many bolts. I use the cheap bolts from Lowe's / hd. I have several spares on hand.

Haven't seen you around in a while
By the way Grapple is working GREAT !

Excellent!! I LOVE my grapple. Only thing is, even though I backed it up with 1/4" angle iron, the top of the bucket AND the angle iron bent!! But I have moved tons, tens of tons, of brush, tree limbs, even whole small trees with it.

Two days ago I moved a stone that must weigh 900 lbs......the bucket would only lift two or three inches off the ground.

I have been busy this past winter, just got the tractor back up & running. I have almost no work, so am giving the old farmstead a makeover!! :thumbsup:

 

[kenmac]

I moved mine from the top of the bucket to out in front of the bucket & haven't had any problems. All the force is placed to the back of the bucked.. Sorry about changing the subject about your Bush hog troubles

 

[clemsonfor]

It's not that I don't trust anyone,it's just a question based on my own experience with softer metals that bend and don't break, where harder metals crystallize/snap real easy because harder metal usually = more brittle metal. Just curious. You did see where I wrote I would put a grade 2 bolt in, right?

i though i read that u put a hardened bolt in! sorry

 

[stormpetrel]

i though i read that u put a hardened bolt in! sorry

I did, thinking it would be smart.....but then saw all the advice to the contrary and decided to go with experience!!

 

[stormpetrel]

I moved mine from the top of the bucket to out in front of the bucket & haven't had any problems. All the force is placed to the back of the bucked.. Sorry about changing the subject about your Bush hog troubles

I'd love to see photos of this, because I need to make a change, whether it's by beefing up the backing plates or moving the grapple.......

 

[kenmac]

I'd love to see photos of this, because I need to make a change, whether it's by beefing up the backing plates or moving the grapple.......

You got it my friend

 

[Car Doc]

you can use a hardended bolt,/QUOTE]

Yes he could in a pinch but I sure wouldn't leave it that way if it was mine just saying.

Id much rather replace .50c bolts all the time than wipe out a gearbox or damage my pto.