Rotary Cutter Blade Nut

[Chilly807]

For what it's worth, the cutter will likely slide off the jack stands when you try to take the nuts off if you use a cheater bar.

You might try picking it up on one side with the loader if you have one, stay out from under the dam* thing.

I'd tell you what I did, but the safety police would be beating my door down.

Sean

 

[RoyJackson]

For what it's worth, the cutter will likely slide off the jack stands when you try to take the nuts off if you use a cheater bar.
You might try picking it up on one side with the loader if you have one, stay out from under the dam* thing.

I'd tell you what I did, but the safety police would be beating my door down.

Sean

(Bolded sentence) That's why I suggested using a long cheater bar. At least there would be an avenue for escape.
Might be safer (and better leverage) if the cutter was leaned up against a tree or other substantial surface and blocked to prevent it sliding. This is how I touch up my blades.
I do this when I pull my RFM blades off for sharpening too.
I never get under an implement if at all possible.

 

[spruce Deere]

I'd tell you what I did, but the safety police would be beating my door down.


Thats what I would recommend....

 

[AchingBack]

My favorite cheap trick, (works sometimes), after spraying with lubricant, try tightening first. You might be amazed. Just a touch of tightening creates that magic little click when the rust breaks free.

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

Replaced the blades yesterday; everything went smoothly. You all were a big help--thanks! I figure I'll put an epilogue here, since half the things I read on this forum are archived threads.

Bought a 1-11/16" socket, an 18" slider bar (much cheaper than a ratchet) an 8" extender bar (to get me clear of the tail wheel), and a 3-foot length of 1" iron pipe. I soaked the nuts with WD-40 and let it sit for an hour or so. Then I took my new wrench and cheater pipe and broke the nuts free. Left them finger tight, though.

Rousted a nephew away from the basketball tournament and into service. Levered the cutter up in the air with a digging bar, and nephew slipped in four jack stands. Then I kicked the cutter as hard as I could from the side, and thought about how I'd feel about being underneath the cutter right then. It didn't budge visibly, so we proceeded. We did one blade at a time. Nephew loosened the nut the rest of the way, while I caught all the parts that fell. Then I took put the new blade and washer on the bolt and pushed the assembly into place from underneath while nephew tightened the nut enough to hold. When both blades were on, we levered the cutter back down on the ground. Chocked the tail wheel so it didn't roll. Now to tighten the nuts.

There's about 200 lbs of me and about 100 lbs of nephew. We were pulling about 3 feet from the bolt, so we'd need 150 lbs of force. The landscape rake weighs 160; we lifted it up in the air so we'd know what the right force felt like. (Answer: pulling for all we're worth.) Then we did that.

Two observations: 1. When I put the blades back on, my chest was under a piece of steel that would make a fair guillotine blade. Didn't like that much, but I couldn't see any other way to make sure the keys were in the keyways and the blades had the right play in them. 2. You can almost always get a 12-year-old boy interested in things involving really big wrenches.

 

[sweettractors]

A lot of the old cutters had holes in the deck top for access to the blade bolts. Some farmers made holes on their own with the hot wrench. I think most companies have stopped putting in those access holes. Ken Sweet

 

[J_J]

I am really surprised at some of you for using any lubricant on threads and nuts in a torque situation. Just about all torque figures are for dry fit. You can not get away with that on military aircraft, and probably civilian aircraft. I bet they don't do that on the space shuttle either. You can do whatever you want with your own machines, as the risk is yours.

Don't want to argue about it, as dry fit is the rule.

 

[Chilly807]

A lot of the old cutters had holes in the deck top for access to the blade bolts. Some farmers made holes on their own with the hot wrench. I think most companies have stopped putting in those access holes. Ken Sweet

My Land Pride has the hole in the deck, there's really no way to get at the nuts otherwise.

Sean

 

[banjodunn]

I am really surprised at some of you for using any lubricant on threads and nuts in a torque situation. Just about all torque figures are for dry fit. You can not get away with that on military aircraft, and probably civilian aircraft. I bet they don't do that on the space shuttle either. You can do whatever you want with your own machines, as the risk is yours.

Don't want to argue about it, as dry fit is the rule.

G'day don't want to argue with you JJ i have never worked on aircraft so don't know it from that side of the fence, but every w/shop manual i have ised in the last 25 odd years has asked for a lubed thread on anything requiring specific torque value. A lubricated thread will always give you a tighter clamping load than a dry thread, i always lube the underside of the head as well. I am surprised they do not lube in the aviation industry. Like you i am not out to start an argument just stating what i know


Jon

 

[spruce Deere]

I've had to watch it if I did not use lube, as my little 403 JD cutter would start to lift off at full r.p.m.

A little lube fixed all that.

 

[schmism]

I suggest you pickup a 3/4 drive set from HF.

Ive used mine a half a doz times already on my tractor and really there is no other tool that will work.

Mine required the 3/4" beaker bar with a 6' extension pipe on the end. still took me bounceing on the end of the breaker bar.

I left mine attached to the tractor 3pt for stablity

I really struggled with the first one... then got smart and got the hot wrench out for the second and heated it up first. Worked much easyer

 

[J_J]

Have any of you seen a chart for lubed torque specs? If you put lube on a bolt that you are going to tighten with dry torque specs, then the true torque applied, will be in error. Yea, I know, you will fudge it a little.

They tell you not to drink and drive, but you do it anyway.

They tell you not to marry an ugly woman, and some of you do it.

They tell you not to do it, or you will go blind, but you do it anyway.

They tell you not to run through a lion pit with fresh steaks tied to your belt, but someone will do it.

Rules are rules.

 

[RoyJackson]

Have any of you seen a chart for lubed torque specs? If you put lube on a bolt that you are going to tighten with dry torque specs, then the true torque applied, will be in error.

In 30some years of manufacturing, I cannot recall a specific call out for lubricating the threads (Anti-Seize compound isn't a lubricant) before torquing.

 

[Chilly807]

Quite a few of the engine torques I work with call for lubricated threads, normally they specify either engine oil or a specific lubricant to get better control over the actual torque being applied. The most accurate way to torque a fastener is to measure the amount of stretch it undergoes as it is tightened, but that's not always possible.

We also hydraulically torque fasteners on larger engines, using a hydraulic power pack and 4 "jacks", each attached to a cylinder head stud. The specs call for a specific pressure, once that is reached the nuts are spun down hand tight, and the pressure is then released.

Sean

 

[J_J]

A lubricated bolt or nut will stretch more before the torque will show on the gage or meter. You are probably thinking, that bolt was easy to torque. There are a few situations that a lube is recommended.

Here is an interesting article.

http://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen-ram/250693-dry-torque-wet-torque-and-anti-seize-fyi.html

 

[dwost]

Thanks guys I'm rehabbing an old 506 John Deere rotary cutter and just ordered new blades for it. Mine does have the access hole. Will give the breaker bar a shot. Mine has 1 3/4" nuts on it.

 

[J_J]

Take it to a garage or borrow a 3/4 or 1 in impact gun to use on the nut. Maybe soak it with penetrating oil. Socket I use is a 1 1/2 in.

 

[Ford tractor]

.

Don't want to argue about it, as dry fit is the rule.

Glad you don't want to argue. I use a "different" rule book more applicable for tractors and not the one for the space shuttle.:laughing:

Auto specs, heavy equipment specs and ag specs are more typically going to call out a light film of lube, neverseize or loctite. Nearly never dry.


By the way, neverseize is a paste of metal flake or graphite mixed into GREASE. It's a lube. Use those products, you are using a lube on the fasteners.



Quick google result;

Regular Grade
Anti Seize
The "original" anti-seize compound and extreme pressure lubricant formulated with copper, graphite,
Never Seez Products Overview - Industrial Supply Group is a Distributor of the full line of Never-Seez products




For those that still doubt. Here's a second quick google on "procedure to tighten head bolts"

Cylinder Head Installation
bullet Make sure the cylinder stud holes are clean and dry.
bullet Always use new head gaskets. Do not re-use head gaskets under any circumstances.
bullet Place new O-rings on the inserts and position the head gasket on the inserts.
bullet Be sure to clean and lubricate the cylinder head bolts before tightening them to the correct torque. Any dirt or grime on the bolts can cause additional friction, causing the torque wrench readings to be incorrect. Thoroughly clean the threads on the cylinder studs.
bullet Clean and lubricate the cylinder head bolt threads. Dip the head bolt threads in engine oil and wipe off any excess.

Cylinder Head Installation

 

[RoyJackson]

Auto specs, heavy equipment specs and ag specs are more typically going to call out a light film of lube, neverseize or loctite. Nearly never dry.

I question anti-seize being considered a "lubricant". It's to prevent galling, seizing and corrosion on threads. Loctite, of course, isn't a lubricant....quite the opposite, in fact.
I've seen guys use oil on head studs, but I don't know if that's a specification or one of those "that's the way we always did it" situations.
Can you provide any actual specs (any industry...ASTM, ANSI or manufacturer) that calls out lubrication of a thread before torquing?

 

[Chilly807]

The interesting thing about Loctite, aside from it's primary purpose, is that very rarely, never in my experience, will a bolt that's been treated with Loctite gall or seize on the threads while being disassembled. It acts as a anaerobic sealer to prevent moisture from finding it's way between the threads and rusting.

Sean