Removing Bush Hog blade?

[Joe_R]

Hi folks.

I'm working on a Bush Hog Squealer 148 rotary cutter.

I've used an impact driver to loosen the nut on the blade attachment bolt. But after loosening about 1/8 inch, the bolt (#28 on the diagram) just spins when the nut is turned.

The head of the bolt is round, not hex. I can't figure out how to grab the head of the bolt so that I can finish loosening the nut.

It doesn't make sense that a nut to be torqued to 500# lbs, and likely difficult to remove, wouldn't have a hex head or be keyed so it would not spin. Since neither of those things are true, I'm missing something.

Anyone have any ideas how to get this nut the rest of the way off?

Thanks.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

I think it should lock in place so it it isn’t maybe weld it to the blade.

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

How much are new nuts and bolts? I would have thought the bolts would be keyed in some way to prevent them from turning. In the diagram, it appears that they should be. If so, I would let the weight of the bush hog rest on the bolt heads using wood blocks or something.

Otherwise, replacement bolts are under $50 and I would just cut the old bolts rather than waste too much time and frustration on getting the old ones loose.

 

[dirttoys]

I have never failed to have to cut those with a torch, good on you for getting them to spin at all. On mine they are basically carriage bolts, but the square shoulders round out over time.

Best,

ed

 

[Smokeydog]

I’ve held the round end underneath with a large pipe wrench while a second person uses impact wrench on top.

Replaced with coating spline parts and threads with never seize so not to have the problem next time.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Put a jack under head of bolt and push it up. You loosened it and the shoulder that keeps it from turning has dropped down out of its position.

 

[Joe_R]

Thanks, guys. I'll try the jack, then the pipe wrench, and finish with the cutting torch.

There ought to be a better way...

 

[TerryR]

The bolt has a key formed into it that is supposed to fit in a keyway cut in the arm. It's the same as the one I used to have, and you see it on the drawing if you look just right:

If it turns, either it's dropped down so the key is out of the slot or it's sheared off.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Also folks, I have run across left hand threads on some blade bolts. Something to watch for. I worked at a tractor place so old they still had new bows for covered wagons. Wooden coils for model T's, spark arrestor. But I hardly ever removed blades. If I had a pair of vise grips and a small angle grinder, I'd sharpen them installed.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Put a jack under head of bolt and push it up. You loosened it and the shoulder that keeps it from turning has dropped down out of its position.

This. Sometimes all you need is a prybar on the nut holding it up.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

This. Sometimes all you need is a prybar on the nut holding it up.

I always took a high lift jack and jacked hog up. Put jack stands under it. Then put a bottle jack under the bolt head, to keep it in position. Then went down from top and took nuts off blade bolts. I'd jack it up the same way and sharpen blades with them on. I'd use vise grips to give me a handle to hold the blade, small angle grinder to sharpen.

 

[TimberFarm]

I second that. I just sharpened my blades last week. Took the angle grinder to it with the blades on.
A little awkward, but a whole lot easier than what it would take to get them off and back on again.

 

[deezler]

I also sharpen my hog blades as installed, with the angle grinder. Takes less time to sharpen them than it does to try to get them off. And how sharp do hog blades really need to be? I charge right back into saplings and bushes with mine, so, not very. It's kind of amazing how blades as dull as the side of a pencil can still cut grass, though.

My king kutter manual said to torque the blade nuts to 350 lbf-ft for reinstall! yikes.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

This. Sometimes all you need is a prybar on the nut holding it up.

Really, the blade has so much leverage on the bolt, that's what makes it take and keep all you loosen. It was quicker to treat them all as bad. Them folks was paying me.

 

[sandman2234]

The original poster didn't say why he was removing the blades, but if I were replacing the blades, I would start by ordering a bolt kit and once I had it, torch the old ones.
Now if the blades need sharpening, I drive the tractor up on my trailer and leave half the bushhog hanging off, and sharpen them on the bushhog! I never remove them to sharpen, and I never sharpen them very much, just enough to take some of the bluntness out. They are made to break not cut!
David from jax

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I second that. I just sharpened my blades last week. Took the angle grinder to it with the blades on.
A little awkward, but a whole lot easier than what it would take to get them off and back on again.

A good pair of big vise grips, clamped on there for you to use for a handle, makes that sharpening go a lots better. Work that magic.

 

[bearthebruce]

I was told that if tightened to proper torque, the bolt is stretched and should never be reused. If taking them off, replace the bolts. A second torquing of the bolt can lead to a fracture which then results in flying blades.. at the speed of the blade, one does not want to Loose the Hounds of metal!

 

[MH8675309]

Blue flame ratchet is the way to go. Why are you sharpening the blades though?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have Woods cutters, so I don't have to go through all that, they have a simpler/better system, no big impact needed.

That won't help the OP now, but it may with his next purchase.

SR

 

[Joe_R]

The bolt has a key formed into it that is supposed to fit in a keyway cut in the arm. It's the same as the one I used to have, and you see it on the drawing if you look just right:

View attachment 801036


If it turns, either it's dropped down so the key is out of the slot or it's sheared off.

These smaller Bush Hogs do not have the key. I have the replacement bolts and there is no key. The dealer assures me there is no key, and they cut them off with a torch when they don't spin off with an impact driver.