Kodiak Brush Cutter

[greendrake]

I broke a blade on my Kodiak brush cutter… having quite a time trying to get the bolt out, does anyone have any tricks? The carriage bolt just spins, I can get a pipe wrench on the bottom (barely) but as soon as I get close to the foot pounds needed to break the nut the pipe wrench breaks free. I’m using a 3/4” ratchet with a pipe cheater bar. I don’t have pneumatic tools that will approach the torque needed to break the nut free but could head to HF and upgrade if thats my only option? If anyone has experience with blade removal on the Kodiak I sure would appreciate any advice?
Thanks!

 

[sandman2234]

I have given up on trying to replace blades without replacing the bolts. I use a torch to remove the bolt, and sometimes even that doesn't make it easy!
The last time I replaced the blades on my Bush Hog 3008 mower, it took me a day and a half with a lot of sweating on my part in the Florida heat! A 1" drift and a 10 pound sledge hammer also came into play along with a lot of Acetylene! (The 3008 has four blades)
Modifying a stout C-clamp so that it will allow the bolt heat to be pushed out was going to be my next project, but hopefully I won't need to change blades anytime soon (or ever!)
David from jax

 

[ericm979]

I broke a blade on my Kodiak brush cutter… having quite a time trying to get the bolt out, does anyone have any tricks? The carriage bolt just spins, I can get a pipe wrench on the bottom (barely) but as soon as I get close to the foot pounds needed to break the nut the pipe wrench breaks free. I’m using a 3/4” ratchet with a pipe cheater bar. I don’t have pneumatic tools that will approach the torque needed to break the nut free but could head to HF and upgrade if thats my only option? If anyone has experience with blade removal on the Kodiak I sure would appreciate any advice?
Thanks!

The blade bolt has a tab that fits into a slot in the blade carrier. It's not that large and could get rounded off, which would allow the bolt to turn. You could grind or cut flats on the head of the bolt using an angle grinder to give the pipe wrench a better grip.

Then maybe the larger impact wrench might get the nut off.

Here's a pic showing the tab, next to the lock washer:

 

[greendrake]

That might be my best option, thanks!

 

[greendrake]

Hey thanks Eric, I don't see that tab so I think you are right on the rounding off part... Just bought a new impact from HF, we'll see if it can do the job, otherwise I guess I'll go the gas axe route. Thanks for the replies everyone!