What bolts are you guys having good luck with?
I put new ledger plates on my NH 451 mower, and thought I'd give the bolts a try. I made three rounds on a four acre field and the outside ledger plate was gone. I figured I'd done something wrong, so I put in another ledger plate with bolts, and it only lasted about two rounds. I used rivets on the third one and finished up the four acres and another five acre field. On both bolt failures, the bolts were still in the holes, but I could turn the nuts with my fingers. These nuts were the self-locking type, and seemed to lock when I put them on. The bolts on the ledger plate at the head end are holding, but I'm skeptical now. The bolts that I used have an allen wrench socket in the countersunk head, and there's not much meat left around the edge of the head. I bought the ledger plates with rivets at the NH dealer, but I bought the bolts at a local farm store, so I'm hoping NH sells better bolts. I have never lost a riveted ledger plate, so right now I'm thinking one more try with different bolts.
I put new ledger plates on my NH 451 mower, and thought I'd give the bolts a try. I made three rounds on a four acre field and the outside ledger plate was gone. I figured I'd done something wrong, so I put in another ledger plate with bolts, and it only lasted about two rounds. I used rivets on the third one and finished up the four acres and another five acre field. On both bolt failures, the bolts were still in the holes, but I could turn the nuts with my fingers. These nuts were the self-locking type, and seemed to lock when I put them on. The bolts on the ledger plate at the head end are holding, but I'm skeptical now. The bolts that I used have an allen wrench socket in the countersunk head, and there's not much meat left around the edge of the head. I bought the ledger plates with rivets at the NH dealer, but I bought the bolts at a local farm store, so I'm hoping NH sells better bolts. I have never lost a riveted ledger plate, so right now I'm thinking one more try with different bolts.