Help with brush hog

[300U]

I have an older 3 point brush hog and I want to get the blades off so I can sharpen them. It has a round disc on the bottom about 14" in diameter with the shaft in the middle. The blades are on opposite sides of this disc and attatched with large bolts with flat heads. I took the 1 1/2" bolt off the center shaft and it looked like the round disc should come off so I can get at the nuts for the blades but I did not come off. It looks like it might be splined and I'm sure it's never been off. I sprayed it with liquid wrench and even heated it but so far no luck. Any suggestions will be helpfull! 300U

 

[MikeInEburg]

The oval thing is the "stump jumper". If you can get to the blade bolts without removing it, do so. To remove blades, I use a pipe wrench on the bottom and socket with extension on the top. There should be holes thru the deck providing access to the nuts that hold the blades. Definitely a two-person project. Good luck.

 

[Mrfarmertrees]

When possible I use a hand held grinder. It is hard to get the blades off the stump jumper. I've beat them for hours before finally getting them off. A neighbor suggested using the hand grinder, sure was a lot easier and the blades were just as sharp. The only time I would remove the blades now is when it's time to replace them. Good luck.

 

[300U]

There are no holes in the deck to get at the bolts and the heads of the bolts are like flat washers so getting a wrench on them is hard. I want to know if the Stump jumper does come off and how to get it off. Is it splined? Or just stuborned because it's been on so many years? 300U

 

[EagleTDL]

Is it splined? Or just stuborned because it's been on so many years? 300U

Yes, it is splined, and the shaft is beveled to boot! The nut on the stump jumper, as it's tightened, actually drives the disc up onto the shaft for a very tight fit. My FIL and I struggled to get his off, even after some PB Blaster and heat, couldn't get it off. Ended up sharpening his blades with a hand grinder.

I'm surprised that there isn't a tool to remove the jumper, kinda like an over-sized gear puller?? Anyone seen anything like this??

Eagle

 

[300U]

I have a gear puller, I hope it opens up enough to work. Thanks for all the help! 300U

 

[vabiker23518]

I have a 48" Land Pride with same set up. I bought it used 5 years ago and have never had the blades off. The rough cut still looks good around the house. My question is, I'd like to use a grinder to clean my blades up too, but I've heard these are balanced and I'm concerned about taking too much off one blade in relation to the other. Any thoughts?

 

[skipmarcy]

These blades are not like a mower's blades and slight differences in balance will not be noticeable. When you sharpen these blades you are barely removing a couple of grams of weight. I just replaced my cutter blades after 14 years of hard use and keeping them sharpened constantly inbetween with my 4 1/2" grinder - never took them off until now. I can't believe there is no hole in the deck to remove the nut on the OP's cutter - if there really isn't I would make one !!! My 1/2" drive Snap-On impact wrench took mine off after 14 years and I reinstalled with it this time too using new bolts & nuts. No need to take the stump jumper off unless you have a bad lower seal in the gearbox, I took mine off when I bought it used to replace the lower seal and it was a real bear to get off. I'm sure some will disagree about sharpening the blades but I had great service with mine this way.

 

[sam5570]

the center part some are calling stump jumper if it is very big you said yours is 14 inches shouldn't be to heavy but i take a floor jack put under mine in the center so the weight is equal and wiggle it and it falls down on floor jack i had to drill and re thread one of mine the bolt just would not budge i got a woods 5 ft hope this helps.

 

[whistlepig]

The stump jumper is on a splined and tapered shaft. Most times you can get the stump jumper off by loosening the nut, applying heat with a propane torch around the seat on the stump jumper, and taking a five pound sledge beating the stump jumper in a circular motion. I have always been able to get them off that way. Or you can take it to a weld shop and have an access hole burned in the the top of the brush hog over the blade nuts. Most new brush hogs have that hole. It's a lot easier to take the blades off than to take off the stump jumper.