Bush Hog help

[paul703]

[
]I've got an older (square) 5' Bush Hog rotary cutter that got bent by a large falling tree. I'm taking it apart so that I can get the deck straightened, and am trying to take off the pan and blades. I got the large reverse thread nut and lock washer off, but underneath it is a square plate, welded to an underlying transverse steel plate (presumably attached to the hidden undersurface of the pan) which is keeping me from removing the pan. it's below the threaded portion of the central shaft. If I can transfer a photo from my smart phone I'll attach it. Does anyone know how to get this and the pan off?

 

[BethelHntr]

They are usually not very easy to remove, I replaced the gear box on mine earlier this year I had to fabricate a puller long enough to to reach the blade holes and heat with a rose bud to get it off, It's not a quick process. If your lucky there's neverseez on that shaft.

I doesn't look like that welded plate will be a problem, It should come off as part of the stump jumper. Soak it then soak it some more with a good penetrate oil like PB Blaster, Then add heat with oxy acetylene.

 

[brown40]

Soak it in penetrant. Heat, heat, heat. Candle wax if still stubborn. Those splines bind so hard...

 

[Utopia Texas]

Fasten chains to the stump jumper and lift the whole unit a few inches off the ground and let the weight of the deck help pull the parts apart. Thread the nut partially on the shaft and hit the end of the shaft with a sledge hammer with a wood 2x4 between the hammer and shaft so no damage will occur to the threads. No body parts like your feet between the deck and the ground! Heat applied to the shaft first will help a lot.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Fasten chains to the stump jumper and lift the whole unit a few inches off the ground and let the weight of the deck help pull the parts apart. Thread the nut partially on the shaft and hit the end of the shaft with a sledge hammer with a wood 2x4 between the hammer and shaft so no damage will occur to the threads. No body parts like your feet between the deck and the ground! Heat applied to the shaft first will help a lot.

Sounds like a good idea. How do you attach the chains to the stump jumper. Remove the blades and bolt the chains on?

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

As was said soak it with oil then turn over go thru hole in deck that you take blade bolts off take a large bar or punch smack it with large hammer rotate and do it again. not everyone has access to a torch.

 

[Gary Fowler]

The stumper/blades should be attached to the gearbox via a tapered shaft. They are never easy to get off and when corroded like yours seems to be, it going to be a bear. Putting equal side to side pressure on it and then slamming the end of the shaft hard is about the only way. I like the idea of chaining it up via the blade bolts and hanging it upside down a few inches.

 

[paul703]

Thanks to all! I wasn't sure how the pan was still attached to the shaft. I don't see splines, put it could well be a taper fit. Also, wasn't sure whether the welds were original to the Bush Hog, or added by a previous owner (whom I have no way of identifying). If you look at the close-up picture, it looks as if there might be a rounded pin on one side of the square plate, but unless covered by the weld no trace of it on the side of the square plate. Of course when and if I get the pan and gearbox off, then I've got to find a metalworks who can straighten the pan and 3-point hitch yoke. The poor innocent Bush Hog was just sitting stored on its support timbers, when a storm blew over a large locust tree, which fell dead center on it.

 

[LD1]

If I am seeing what you are talking about, the "rounded pin" is the end of a key.

There are no splines. That pan is held on a taper shaft whit a key. As other mentioned, they are a pain to get off. try the methods already mentioned.

I dont see anything welded that shouldnt be. There is a large bar maybe 1" thick and 3" wide that the "square" is welded to. That bar is the blade carrier that has holes in the end that the blades bolt to. The stump jumper pan is then welded to that bar.

 

[paul703]

I don't see a key. If the "rounded pin" is the key then the adjacent weld (which looks similar to the welds on the other 3 sides of the square....and looks "professional") would preclude its removal. I can try to take a closer picture.

 

[LD1]

this is the key

 

[paul703]

Thanks again. You're great! I assume that I don't have to get the key out since if I can free up the pan from the shaft, it'll pull straight off. I'll get the super penetrating stuff and have my son apply our acetylene torch to it.