How to lift/service rotary cutter blades?

[ptsg]

I want that soooo bad but can't find a U.S. source and haven't had the time to build one myself which I could do.

Depending on how the blades are attached, it may not be that hard to retrofit a pair of chains. Just make sure you use good quality hardware, shackles, etc and nothing less that grade 80 chain. 1/2" chain should do the trick.

 

[mjonesnh]

Maybe so, but what tooling do you use to remove the blades? And how do you ensure 300+ lbf-ft or torque applied on re-install? Just curious the safest way to do this.

All I can picture is snapping my breaker bar when I put a 6' long pipe over the end of it and give it my full pulling power.

I use a Makita 18 volt impact gun to remove mine. Dewalt and Milwaukee make similar ones . rated to around 1000 ft-lbs of torque. My Makita never stutters when the nuts break loose.

 

[RickB]

Maybe so, but what tooling do you use to remove the blades? And how do you ensure 300+ lbf-ft or torque applied on re-install? Just curious the safest way to do this.

All I can picture is snapping my breaker bar when I put a 6' long pipe over the end of it and give it my full pulling power.

A Bush Hog blade nut tool and 24" Rigid pipe wrench. Cheater pipe optional.
Or a 3/4" drive breaker bar, suitable extension and 1-11/16" socket.
None of which are prohibitively expensive, and all of which are considerably safer than lying on your back wielding a grinder.

 

[RalphVa]

My Frontier RC 2048 and LX4 before it could be serviced by lifting the 3ph high enough to put on jack stands at the back and put a floor jack under the middle of the front. They're only about 400 #.

Before that, remove tail wheel to get access to hole to get at blade bolt nuts. Then need either a heavy duty air wrench and exact socket size or 6 or 8 ft piece of pipe to go over 3/4" socket handle.

Drop the blades and sharpen them on a grinding wheel to roughly 1/16" at the sharpened tips. Mainly knock down really bad stuff where they hit rocks or other metal objects.

Hopefully, your stump catcher will stay in place like on the Frontier. On the LX-4, I had to use some hand clamps to hold the bolt, stump catcher, etc. all in place to get the nut on the top. On the Frontier, just need to line up the bolt with its tang that sticks out with the detent in the receiver that holds the bolt in place.

Then tighten with air wrench or socket handle and torque up with the 6 or 8 ft pipe.

Ralph

 

[Tinhack]

My little dozer has a crane. I lift mine by the rear wheel frame and rest it on the 3-point tower. I keep the crane cable attached while I work on the blades. Takes about 15 minutes.

Don't laugh. I paid $35 for this Ford 954 cutter about 12 years ago. Darn good cutter. It's due for a paint job after I finish the Ford tractor.

 

[two_bit_score]

I just lift mine up as high as it goes on the 3-pt, jam some jack stands under it to pry it up a touch further and for safety, and go to town with my angle grinder. It's pretty easy this way. Taking the blades off? Thats nuts. My king kutter 5' says it needs 330 lbf-ft to install the blade nuts. Since they've presumably never been off, likely even more to remove. I just don't understand how you're supposed to be able to safely obtain that kind of torque on an impact socket.... basic breaker bars will surely snap before you get to 330 lbf-ft. A 3/4" air impact gun with 15 cfm of air flow might do it, but I don't have an industrial grade shop in my garage.

Problem solved.

Error | DNS Resolution | Northern Tool + Equipment

Powerstate™ brushless motor delivers up to 1000 ft./lbs. of fastening torque and 1400 ft./lbs. of nut-busting torque.


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[big bubba]

lift & block the brush hog while attached to 3ph. hopefully the bolts are accessible from top deck. i wouldn't dream of trying to sharpen underneath hog while blades are attached.
one slip, & a face full of grinder wheel. impact wrench is a must when i do it, then a cheater bar & torque wrench for the final torque. i like solid blocks vs jack stands
also note if he blades are bent (slightly upward bend from rock impact, etc) then time for a new set. am due myself.
btw when sharpening, i'm told that the outer 3" of the blades do 90% of the work. you'll notice that's where most of the wear occurs