STUPID ME...(and a learning experience!)

[Travis_R]

First of all, no one was hurt and nothing was damaged. Secondly, Bush Hog gear boxes are Super Tuff!!!

After installing new blades on my Bush Hog SQ600 cutter the evening before I had to go cut 9 acres of over grown pasture, I quickly realized, the next day at the jobsite, that both the Bush Hog and tractor had a Very Bad vibration the whole time i was cutting. But it left an excellent cut. I figured that I over tightened the blades and when I hit an ant pile it would break free and everything would be normal...but I was wrong.

I sheared a bolt right before I got finished cutting, but was no big deal and I changed it. I "looked" under the cutter (PTO dis-engaged of course) to see what all that vibration was, AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I completed the job and headed home.

About a week later I decided to take a "farther look" as to where all that vibration was coming from. I pulled the tractor around to the shed and lifted the cutter. It didn't take long to determine AND FIX the problem. If you haven't already guessed, I'll tell ya' anyway: I PUT ONE OF THE BLADES ON BACKWARDS!!! (and I have changed blades on cutters numerous times with no problems!)

Moral of the story: When you 100% sure its correct, CHECK IT AGAIN!

Have a nice day.
Travis R

 

[johnk]

Glad it all worked out for you. Everyone does some things they wish they didn't.. I imagine the cut will be twice as nice now!!

 

[SnowRidge]

You aren't the only one. I managed to install one of three blades on a finish mower backwards. It actually cut the grass, but left an odd striping pattern. It took me longer than it should have to wise up and go remount the blade.

 

[EddieWalker]

I haven't done that yet, but I did try to just change one blade and leave the old one on. Ten seconds later, I realized that was a dumb idea, and why they sell them in pairs!!!

Eddie

 

[kebo]

I haven't done that yet, but I did try to just change one blade and leave the old one on. Ten seconds later, I realized that was a dumb idea, and why they sell them in pairs!!!

Eddie

Eddie, I'm going to play dumb here and ask the question.... Why are they sold in pairs?? Is the old balancing act thing??? That's my guess anyway....

 

[EddieWalker]

I can only guess, but yes, the blades need to be balanced to a certain degree. My old blade didn't look too bad to me, so when I bent just one, that's all that I replaced. It created such a rattle and shake that I was worried about damage to my tractor.

I took off the old blade and put on the other new one, which eliminated the shakes.

Eddie

 

[Eric_Phillips]

You aren't the only one. I managed to install one of three blades on a finish mower backwards. It actually cut the grass, but left an odd striping pattern. It took me longer than it should have to wise up and go remount the blade.

Took me 3/4 of the summer to figure mine out

 

[teg]

Got a 5 y.o. lawn mower for free... It cut the grass but not very well the owner said. I figure I would sharpen the blades and see if it worked better. Got the blades off and they were very sharp?!!?! since the actually cutting edge was never used.

As for vibrations... Do stop and check it out right then. My slasher started to vibrate... thought it was just old and I was close to finishing up for the day. Turn out my top link was disconnected and bouncing off the pto drive shaft. I had head phones on and kept on slashing. Top link was pretty chewed up.

 

[GinNB]

We got sent the wrong blades for a Woods mower once. Installed properly but were set up for the wrong rotation direction. Worked ok for the first day or so, but after the sharp edges on the backside of the blades wore off they wouldn't cut worth a tinker's darn. After some headscratching and looking at the old blades we figured it out and got sent the proper blades.