|
I bought a heavy 3-pt Rhino blade from a retired friend who reconditions tractors and implements and resells them. He hadn't checked this one out yet when I bought it, so didn't know it was stuck - no rust, just dried grease from never having been moved or lubed in its life - until I called him back and told him how hard I'd tried to rotate it. I pulled the zirk and dug out the dry grease, then one-by-one tried all of the various spray "looseners" suggested by various friends and on these forums, in the zirk hole and around the bushing, then pulled on one end with a comealong, and whaled on it with a sledge. He told me to bring it back and he'd unstick it or buy it back. I didn't want to sell it back because I knew I wouldn't get another at the price I'd paid, so really wanted to unstick it bad. He said he'd never worked on anything that wouldn't come loose by heating. Well, he heated, and heated, and heated! This guy is no greenhorn, but an experienced tractor and imnplement mechanic. Wouldn't budge. He called the guy he bought it from to ask if the guy had welded it in place or otherwise mechanically locked it, and the guy said he hadn't but never had a need to rotate it, so never bothered to lube it. He finally put it on his tractor - a big, huge old Farmall - and repeatedly rammed one end into a tree. He dug some prety good ruts, and it took quite a few strokes, but he wasn't about to let it beat him. He kept at it until it finally started to move, and eventually got it freed up and working. Nothing bent, no damage! I keep it well lubed, and it turns just as smooth as can be. He admits it's the toughest he's ever seen. I'm delighted to have an excellent blade! Chuck, WA
|
