Socket will not fit into access of JD MX7......so.......???

[bswiv]

Have a JD MX7 cutter that while mowing fire breaks yesterday with I managed to somehow bend a blade on. Went to remove the blades, figured I should do both as they are both OLD........and the darn access hole in the top of the unit is not large enough to get a socket that will come anywhere close to fitting the nut holding the blades on through.

That makes no sense to me, which means I am missing something.

About the only thing I can see to do is unhitch the cutter, flip it up with the grapple on the tractor and then remove the whole darn thing, stump jumper and all so as to get to the nuts.

Please someone tell me what I am missing here!!!

 

[bswiv]

And yes......I looked at the on-line manual ( OMW49246: MX5, MX6 and MX7 Rotary Cutters table of contents ) which says to go through the access........but the sockets do not fit through there.....????

 

[D2Cat]

How about simply enlarging the hole as required for the socket, and if necessary put a larger plate to cover the hole?

 

[WranglerX]

Enlarge hole............

Dale

 

[bswiv]

This was my first thought.....and then......being old and having a LONG line of simple solutions that weren't, stretching behind me I decided I'd better see what I was missing here.

I mean did JD build the thing with an access hole to small to get the tools through to do what it is their own manual says is what you need to do?

 

[travlitt]

This was my first thought.....and then......being old and having a LONG line of simple solutions that weren't, stretching behind me I decided I'd better see what I was missing here.

I mean did JD build the thing with an access hole to small to get the tools through to do what it is their own manual says is what you need to do?

May havve to buy a John Deere socket.

 

[Roadworthy]

This is a convoluted way of doing it, but can you reach under the cutter then put the socket on the bolt? You could then put your extension through the hole in the deck and break the bolt loose. You would want to remove the socket before the bolt came up far enough to prevent this. You could then remove the bolt the rest of the way with a ratcheting box end wrench. remove the bolt through the hole then remove the wrench. Granted it would be easier to get a John Deere socket or enlarge the hole but where's the fun or challenge in that?

 

[bswiv]

This is a convoluted way of doing it, but can you reach under the cutter then put the socket on the bolt? You could then put your extension through the hole in the deck and break the bolt loose. You would want to remove the socket before the bolt came up far enough to prevent this. You could then remove the bolt the rest of the way with a ratcheting box end wrench. remove the bolt through the hole then remove the wrench. Granted it would be easier to get a John Deere socket or enlarge the hole but where's the fun or challenge in that?

Turns out that the nut took a 1 1/2 inch socket. After reading the responses here, and then looking at it and realizing how old and beat up it is, I went at it with the side-grinder and a file.

While in there I also discovered that the shoulders on the bolts that the blades pivot around had done the same as do the pins on the bulldozer tracks, gotten worn on the one side. So now they are rotated to where the good side is bearing the load.

I will say that based on how much I had to enlarge the hole it's a fair bet that that 1 1/2 inch nut would never have gone through the hole that was there either. Do not know what to make of that.......but it's fixed.......and tomorrow more fire breaks will get mowed.

 

[Zebrafive]

Were you by chance trying to use an impact socket? Maybe in 3/4" drive?

 

[countrybumpkin]

This is a convoluted way of doing it, but can you reach under the cutter then put the socket on the bolt? You could then put your extension through the hole in the deck and break the bolt loose. ?

This is how it was designed to be done.