Tore Out the Bolt on my LandPride Blade

[Gordon Gould]

I was using my blade when it suddenly got loose and dangly. When I set it down the bolt the blade hangs from when lifted was bent and the disc under the nut was way up.



I am guessing that I let the angle joint get to sloppy and the vertical pipe that swivels when the blade is angled was pried out of the top hole in the fixed part of the hinge when I hit a tough spot. This put the blade pressure on the bolt and tore it out. Normally the bolt sees no horizontal force. The blade hangs from the bolt when it is raised.



I patched it up by grinding out the cracks, heating and hammering the plug enough to get it back down close to where it belonged, then welded it all up. The weld underneath that held the bolt was broke so I brazed the bolt from the top.

So if you have one of these blades of this design You might want to check that the pipe is well up in the top bracket like this



Make sure it is not dropped down like this



There is only 5/16" max holding the blade vertical. If it drops an 1/8" over time you only have 3/16" holding all that force. Not the best design but it lasted me 14 years so I shouldn't complain.

Between the plug being deformed and me building it up with weld I had the pad the disc with an extra 1/4" to make sure I could pull the pipe all the way up thru the top bracket plus some extra for future wear.



In hind sight it would have been easier and better to just cut out the old plug and bolt and put in a new one. I might get to do that if my repair doesn't hold up.

gg

 

[jenkinsph]

Good that you got her fixed up and hanks for posting.

 

[Bill Hoffman]

Duplicate

 

[Bill Hoffman]

Similar thing happened to mine. Turned out the center tube filled with water over the years
and it froze this winter. It domed the top plate and wouldn't allow the tube to fit correctly.
Had to hammer it down after I melted the ice out. Had to drill a bleeder hole in the outer tube.
Beat the heck out of it to realign the plate, bolt, tubes inner and outer. OK now. Drill a
hole to allow any water that collects a way out. Turns out the top plate is supposed to be flat, not domed.

 

[Gordon Gould]

That is pretty interesting Bill. The power of ice. I actually broke it last fall and it sat all winter until now when I wanted to use it. I did see some steam when I put the torch to it but figured water just got in the tear over the winter. I will poke a drain hole in it. It is good to know that the top is supposed to be flat. I wasn't sure and beat it down quite a bit. Seemed to be where it wanted to be but still left all little crown.That's why I had to pad up the edge of the top plate I guess. Thanks for the info.

gg