Removing Bush Hog Blade Bolts

[kvd]

Replacing the blades on my three year old Land Pride RCR1260 bush hog and am having no luck breaking the 43mm nuts loose on the bolts that hold the blades on. My 43mm socket is 3/4inch drive and even with a 5 foot cheater bar I'm not budging them. Need some advice on how to loosen these large nuts.

Ken

 

[DocGP]

I would try heating them with a torch. Hopefully they would expand enough to break loose. Otherwise you might try daily application of penetrating oil for a week or ten days.

Good luck!! Those things can be a real pain in the azimuth!!

Doc

 

[Dave_eng]

KVD
Are you talking about nuts for certain?
Or could it be a bolt?
The nut would be easy to heat but the bolt not so much without damaging seals and bearings.
Often it is a shock load that will do the loosening not a steady twisting.
Big impact gun is best. Next would be a very short stiff power bar that you hit with a heavy hammer. If the power bar is flexible it will just absorb all the energy and accomplish nothing.
Taking the mower to a tire shop which will have big impact guns is a likely path to success. When re assembling use a Never seize product.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/80208.html?gclid=CMntxv7EmMsCFdRZhgod6_QG_g
Dave M7040

 

[Jimc3165]

I used penetrating oil and a adapter for my 1/2 drive impact wrench and broke mine loose. I had a squealer made by bush hog and the nuts were very tight I also had to raise the air pressure on the impact but it broke it free finally. I did put them back with anti-seize.

 

[Diydave]

Heat them up with a propane torch to about 300ºF, then take a bees wax candle, and melt the wax into the joint where nut meets bolt. I have done many this way...

 

[85Hokie]

Replacing the blades on my three year old Land Pride RCR1260 bush hog and am having no luck breaking the 43mm nuts loose on the bolts that hold the blades on. My 43mm socket is 3/4inch drive and even with a 5 foot cheater bar I'm not budging them. Need some advice on how to loosen these large nuts.

Ken

Ken,

I had a 5' 3 point Howe rotary cutter - went the store 3 times to get the "correct" socket - and a 3/4 drive - and a 5 foot cheater bar........

and then place the tractor (53 FORD) in gear and ENGAGED the pto!!! (no - tractor not running!) Hell - I was walking the tractor forward as I swung the cheater bar around! - Little oil - no heat......and I gave up! I still have this massive socket ....somewhere!

I resorted to plan "B" - placed the cutter as high as I could - chocked it, and crawled under with grinder and 10 minutes latter I was DONE.

But if I had to, I would have placed a lotttt of lube juice on it over time and then somehow stopped the rotation enough to break it free. Or I think I could have!

 

[kvd]

KVD
Are you talking about nuts for certain?
Or could it be a bolt?
The nut would be easy to heat but the bolt not so much without damaging seals and bearings.
Often it is a shock load that will do the loosening not a steady twisting.
Big impact gun is best. Next would be a very short stiff power bar that you hit with a heavy hammer. If the power bar is flexible it will just absorb all the energy and accomplish nothing.
Taking the mower to a tire shop which will have big impact guns is a likely path to success. When re assembling use a Never seize product.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/80208.html?gclid=CMntxv7EmMsCFdRZhgod6_QG_g
Dave M7040

Hi Dave,

The nut that is threaded onto the bolt. The bolt is keyed and I'm assuming it will just fall free with the blade once the nut is removed.

 

[kvd]

Thank you gentlemen for the replies.

I did try my 1/2 drive impact wrench with an adapter for the 3/4 inch socket. I only turned it up to 90 psig, which is the max stated pressure for the tool.

Also tried the sudden sharp impact with a hammer on the 2 foot breaker bar.

I'll keep dousing the nut/bolt combo with penetrating oil and maybe look to buying a better 3/4 inch breaker bar. With the long cheater bar, I've bent the 3/4 breaker bar almost to failure.

Ken

 

[LMGS]

I have the same mower and had the same problem. I worked on it for a few hours with no success. I put penetrating oil on the nut and after a week or two went at it with a breaker bar and 5' pipe. With 2 of us on the pipe we were able to finally break them free. Good luck!

 

[cerlawson]

The principle of heating is this. The heated thing expands and forces the connection to tighten some, which it can't so. metal squases some.
When cool it then it's looser.

 

[Jimc3165]

Thank you gentlemen for the replies.

I did try my 1/2 drive impact wrench with an adapter for the 3/4 inch socket. I only turned it up to 90 psig, which is the max stated pressure for the tool.

Also tried the sudden sharp impact with a hammer on the 2 foot breaker bar.

I'll keep dousing the nut/bolt combo with penetrating oil and maybe look to buying a better 3/4 inch breaker bar. With the long cheater bar, I've bent the 3/4 breaker bar almost to failure.

Ken

Ken when I said I turned up the pressure I should have said a lot I ran 120 psi I figured it was a cheap impact so if I blew the seals oh well (Ialso used a lot of penetrating fluid). I'd never operate it that way for prolonged usage but the short time I figured it was worth a shot.

 

[togfish]

The nuts on my cutter have a small tack weld that needs to be ground off first.

Also, unless you're using a very high quality impact wrench, you can apply more breaking loose power with a breaker bar.

Good luck

 

[kvd]

Thanks for the clarification Jim C. Might take a chance after a week or so of penetrating oil saturation.

Tack weld - that would explain a lot. I'll check for that.

Thanks to all that have replied thus far for the helpful advice.

Ken

 

[alansz400]

Cut the nuts off with a plasma cutter and buy new nuts. Or cut the bolts off and buy new bolts. That's the route I went. No busted knuckles, and if you never seize them you might have a chance of getting them loose next time.

 

[Fastdonzi]

Cut the nuts off with a plasma cutter and buy new nuts. Or cut the bolts off and buy new bolts. That's the route I went. No busted knuckles, and if you never seize them you might have a chance of getting them loose next time.

I recently changed the blades on my 17 yr old Bush Hog, I started spraying PB Blaster 3 days in advance. then used a 3/4" drive 4' Breaker bar. It was a Bear but they cam off without too much fuss.. Never been changed in 17 yrs, I bought it new and it stayed outside all winter(s)