Do I need a torque multiplier to get these nuts off?

[JoeBuyer]

I'd try heat first in this situation but if space allows, cutting them off is less hassle as far as I am concerned.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Are you sure they are right hand threads?

I have stripped more than one thing this way. There's that moment when it starts to move and you're like, "A ha! I got it!" And then it starts to move way too much and comes off in your hand.

 

[sparc]

Torque multipliers do work, but I don't know that you need to put out a couple hundred just to get these bolts loose.

I vote for heating the nut and spinning off with your impact. Manual doesn't say but they may be prevailing torque nuts or deformed or distorted thread nuts, these can be a bugger to get off.

The torque multiplier may be of use putting the baldes back on if you don't have a torque wrench good for use at 450 Lb/Ft.

Always good to RTFM (Read The Fine Manual) if you have one. If not it's available here.




Manuals


Parts Manual for 3000 series

http://www.bushhog.com/images/stories/documents/manuals/3000seriesparts.pdf

 

[RickB]

Nuts are RH thread and are not lock nuts or prevailing torque nuts.

 

[LD1]

Its already been said several times. HEAT. Once you get them off, you will wonder why you waited so long to use the heat.

 

[pclausen]

Appreciate all the feedback guys. I've been out of town (picking up a monster Vermeer PTO chipper!), so I'm late coming back to this thread. I'll go ahead and try the heat and see what that does. I tried giving the nuts all I had both forward and reverse with both the impact and wrench. I also added a 2nd extension to the first extension and gave it all I had, to the point where I though the ratchet was going to break (I could see the handle starting to bend).

I'll try the heat and see what happens. Didn't think that the nuts might have locktite on them, I could see how that would make them very hard to get off. I purchased this cutter used and I don't think the blades have ever been off before. I'll report back how the heat works. A torque multiplier would be handy, but I've gotten by for a lot of years without one, so I'd rather not go through the expense unless I have to. Got a good relationship with my dealer, so he would probably let me borrow his if push came to shove.

 

[Baby Grand]

I had success with my Woods cutter using a Horrible Fright 3/4" drive ratchet with a 4 foot section of 2" pipe as a torque multiplier. I still had to lean into it and grunt.

 

[leonz]

I got a Bush Hog 3209 cutter, and I'm trying to get the 1 5/16" bolts off that holds the blades on as I'm replacing them.

The 4 nuts have been soaking in PB blaster for a week, but neither my 3/4" impact wrench (being feed from a 1/2" hose @ 150 psi), nor my 3/4" ratchet with an extension will break any of them free.

I spoke to my dealer about it and they use a torque multiplier in the shop for getting bolts like that loose. Here's a link to one that takes a 3/4" input:

Central Tool 6387 4:1 Torque Multiplier : Amazon.com : Automotive

Does anyone have any experience with these devices? For that price, I wonder if I would be better off getting a monster 1" impact wrench? On the other hand, it would be nice to be able to accurately torque large bolts.

Any other thought on how to break these nuts free? I'm have reservations about using heat given that the bolt are hard to get to and I don't want to cause damage to anything else.

The cheater bar scares me no to end,

The torque multipliers work very well and it
is tool that will not lose value.


you just have to have an adequate backstop to
hold the handle in place-the gearbox of the hog
will do fine for thisusing a block of wood to separate
the handle from the gearcase.



I take it your bush hog has the splined bolt head?

If you have enough thread left you can use flashlight to
check the thread direction from the inspection hole.

The torque muultiplier will not go to waste as you can use
it for car, truck, and tractor lug nuts providing you use a
hand ratchet wrench ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can buy long handle 1 inch ratchet wrenches for what you need with a deep well
12 point mpact socket to also use on a torque multiplier.

 

[Baby Grand]

That 4 footlong, 2 inch diameter section of pipe has proven itself to be one of the handiest tools I own. Just have to show a little respect when you use it. On the end of a big pipe wrench you can straighten all sorts of twisted steel. Just need to develop a good feel for when something is yielding and not use it on anything brittle. It allows you to apply a load in a very controlled, predictable way, with good feedback to your hands. I really don't like using the impact wrench anywhere near a bearing.

Add a little heat and some good penetrating oil into the mix, as required, and you have yourself a versatile tool kit.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just removed the blades from an old mower last week with nothing but a 1" drive rachet, no cheater bar. If you cant get it off with what you have been using, I would get the torch and cut off the bottom of the bolt then let the blades drop off. The bolts are shoulder bolts so they are larger on the bottom end than top,so you may have to cut them again after the blade is off to remove the shoulder before it will come out from the top.
This would all be a lot easier if you used the FEL to stand the BH on it's edge. If you dont have a torch, use a grinder with a cut-off wheel. You will need new bolts anyway whether using heat on the nut or just whacking off the head.
Just get off the computer and go do it.