Rear Blade rear blade - how tight?

GaryS · Mar 4, 2005

I've been playing around with the rear blade over the winter and I have a question. How tight should the rear blade be? Should it float a bit? The attached picture shows the two bolts and I've tighened them to the point where the washers are bending and that didn't seem right. How tight should they be?

Indydirtfarmer · Mar 4, 2005

I would tend to think that sort of connectionshould be tight. (as in NO MOVEMENT) I'm thinking that is an adjustment where you could level, or angle the blade, but to a fixed position. JMHO, and worth every bit of what you paid for it! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SeymourBota · Mar 4, 2005

Angling or offsetting from side to side should be separate adjustments that are made with pins. It looks like that is the point where the 3ph connection attaches to the top of the blade?? If so, TIGHT!!
I'm actually surprised you haven't torn those bolts out yet since they don't look like grade 8.

mccormickDave · Mar 4, 2005

From your photo, it appears you have what I call a slider blade, in that you you can offset the blade to the left or right by simply loosening those two nuts. IMO they should be tight enough to prevent blade from sliding to side while in use.

GaryS · Mar 4, 2005

They won't tear out because the blade is being pushed back against the support - but I will tighten them as tight as I can make them. Here's a better picture.

stephan · Mar 4, 2005

( They won't tear out because the blade is being pushed back against the support )

I disagree. Because of the angle you have the blade and the fact you seem to be using the tip the blade will try to pivot on the bolt closest the tip and work at breaking the bolt furthest away. My suggestion is to ensure the bolts are of the appropriate grade and make sure they are tight as movement would aggravate the effect.

beenthere · Mar 4, 2005

That connection with two bolts appears to be a tentative design, at best, and I'd probably drop the top brace (slide the two bolts to the top of the slots and not the bottom as shown) to allow for more support behind the lower part of the blade.
The rigors that my back blade go through, would tear your blade up quickly with that slide arrangement and just two bolts holding it together, I'm afraid.

Jim_Fisher · Mar 4, 2005

GaryS,

( The attached picture shows the two bolts and I've tighened them to the point where the washers are bending and that didn't seem right. How tight should they be? )

From looking at the picture, it appears that the bolts may be undersized. That would account for bending the washers.

Measure the narrow dimension of the slots and measure the diameter of the bolts. The slots should be slightly larger - maybe 1/16th inch. I would also expect them to be carriage bolts.

RalphVa · Mar 5, 2005

Could you slip a couple of round head, square-other-side, bolts into that empty space? They'd just be there to take up the space, to not allow the plow to slip out of place.

My Gravely tilt slider on the rotary plow had a similar problem. I ended up putting some bolts to each side of where I wanted it, to keep it from jumping out of adjustment for every root or rock that I hit.

Ralph

hhw · Mar 5, 2005

I had a similar situation with a "sliding" trailer hitch I once had. I was concerned about the "coning" of the washers and the potential weakening of the movement lock-up. I replaced the bolts and nuts with larger diameter units, as tight fitting as possible and doubled up my washers. I had no further problems/concerns. It looks like you've got metal locking nuts on there. They always lock up better than the nylon ones. However, I have found that if you make a lot of adjujstments with them they tend to tear up the threads alot and soon loose locking strength. On my attachments with this type of adjustment I now use the old lockwasher system, that way the only things getting torn up are the washers and nuts. These are easier to replace and generally cheaper. I hope this helps.