Follow up on Sharpening Blades On Brush Hog Mower.

Dick · Jul 30, 2012

Thanks to all those who gave some good advice on sharpening brush hog blades.
I bought the mower used and in great shape and blades were sharp. Now after using it for cutting grass and blackberries the blades are getting dull and I think it would do a better job if they were a little sharper.
I thought of using an air impact for removing the nuts on the blades if I were going to take them off. First cleaning the threads with a wire brush then trying to remove the nuts. One question I now have about removing the blades is: Are the nuts on clockwise or counter clockwise? Someone mentioned they could be clockwise to loosen. Nice to know if I'm tightening or trying to loosen the nuts before I start. Once I get them off and ground down a little I will surely put anti seize on the bolts before I put them back in. I always use anti seize when putting things back together. Now it comes in a handy tube like chap stick so it's easy to carry in your pocket and use on every bolt you're installing.
Thanks again to you all for all the great information on rotary mowers.
Dick

Walt Davies · Jul 30, 2012

Never, never use anti-sieze on bolt that hold blades on. You want the blades to stal on and the anti-seize will cause them to come loose I lost a blade my brush hog once never did find it. Went right though the steel diamond plate.
Walt

Billy NY · Jul 30, 2012

SHoulder bolts on my SE-6 Rhino are left hand thread, turn CLOCKWISE to unthread, these come with nylon lined nuts, nylon seats and is to keep the threads from disengaging, and I think its prudent to use new ones of those, as the more you take them on/off, might not stay locked in place. The ones I describe are also the shear type, and will break off if you jam something hard enough. No need for anti seize if lined with nylon, won't bond. Not using anti seize on these is the similar to not using them on wheel studs, you want that squeaky rust on those fine threads, keeps them from coming off.

Mark - IN. · Jul 30, 2012

Good question about clockwise or counter clockwise. When I get time, time for me to go after the blade on me Deere hog style cutter. But, on the Woods belly mowers, there are left or right rotation, so can be clockwise or counter clockwise, depending on the Woods. I have a set of rights been setting on a shelf for years that I mistakenly bought and never pursued a refund because I couldn't find the reciept. Took off the old, and they were lefties and there just aint no using the righties, so lefties I had to buy. I guess that would be the difference in a Woods L59 or R59.

Mark

Anonymous-0 · Jul 31, 2012

Post the model and make of your bush hog, and someone here can tell you if it uses left hand nuts. As to neversieze causing a nut to come off, never had that problem in 25+ years, that I have been using it. If you are scared of neversieze, use medium grade locktight, heat from a propane torch will liquify that, for easy removal!

tractorhead · Jul 31, 2012

I have always used anti seize.as a maintiance machinist for 40yrs.
anti seize WILL make the nut tighter!!

Stephen Newell · Jul 31, 2012

I have a Ford 951 and the bolt turns counter-clockwise to loosen.

showcrop · Jul 31, 2012

I asked the owner of an engine rebuilding shop once about reusing Pal Nuts on rod bolts. His answer was that they are just eye wash, because you rely on the slight stretch of the bolt to hold it tight enough so that the nut can't turn. The same goes for fasteners in just about any application weather a rotary mower or wheel lug nuts, there is a correct assembly torque value. This value is sometimes specified with or without lubricant, but either way it needs to be clean in order to get the right reading. So you are correct in using Never Seize after cleaning the threads and of course be sure to get it to the correct tightness in order to insure that you have the correct bolt stretch. This goes of course for wheel lug nuts as well, where you want to be depending on specific amount of stretch, measured by a torque wrench, as opposed to a coating of rust to keep yourself and your family safe.

Hammer house · Jul 31, 2012

I have A 6 ft. house mower mine are like the Ford 951. Nuts turn counter-clockwise to loosen them. No problem.

Hammer Man

Anonymous-0 · Jul 31, 2012

What he said...^^^^^^

Anonymous-0 · Jul 31, 2012

I lift mine up with the hydraulics, place a length of wood under, let it down to touch the wood then sharpen them with the angle grinder.

J.Wondergem · Jul 31, 2012

I too use anti seize on my Bush Hog. It has lock washers under the nuts, and never had any problems with it coming loose. I did hit a rock in the corn field years ago, broke a blade and stuck it through a back tire.

Ken Macfarlane · Jul 31, 2012

Sharpen in place.
Those shouldered bolts can be a pain to pound out. On the 3 models I've had apart you need to support the stump jumper and pound the bolts out with a sledge on a drift through the access hole in the deck and hope you don't squash the threads. I avoid it if at all possible.

Dean · Jul 31, 2012

There is no need to remove the blades for sharpening.

Simply raise the deck (shorten top link if necessary to lift high enough) and reach under with an angle grinder. Should take 10 - 15 minutes.

Block deck if your tractor hydraulics will not hold the load properly.

Dean

Walt Davies · Jul 31, 2012

Good luck
Walt

GordoSD · Jul 31, 2012

40 grit flap wheel on your angle grinder. Leave a little blunt forward leading edge.

barnE · Jul 31, 2012

I am with you Walt. Dave

Owen Aaland · Jul 31, 2012

The reason you are not supposed to lubricate lug nuts is not because that may allow them to come off. As mentioned above a bolt depends upon stretching to maintain enough force to keep it from loosening. Different type of lubricant will greatly vary the amount of torque that needs to be applied to a fastener to attain the correct stretch. The only way manufacturer can be assured the the proper amount of force is applied is to is to have a uniform method of tightening the fastener. Specifying clean, dry threads is one way to accomplish this.

showcrop · Jul 31, 2012

(quoted from post at 15:19:18 07/31/12) The reason you are not supposed to lubricate lug nuts is not because that may allow them to come off. As mentioned above a bolt depends upon stretching to maintain enough force to keep it from loosening. Different type of lubricant will greatly vary the amount of torque that needs to be applied to a fastener to attain the correct stretch. The only way manufacturer can be assured the the proper amount of force is applied is to is to have a uniform method of tightening the fastener. Specifying clean, dry threads is one way to accomplish this.

Right, torque values are sometimes specified clean and dry, but from my experience it is more likely to specify light oil. But then again most torque specs are given for assemblies that will never see moisture. Which brings us back to Never Seize for those that are likely to.

Owen Aaland · Aug 1, 2012

(quoted from post at 21:11:33 07/31/12)

(quoted from post at 15:19:18 07/31/12) The reason you are not supposed to lubricate lug nuts is not because that may allow them to come off. As mentioned above a bolt depends upon stretching to maintain enough force to keep it from loosening. Different type of lubricant will greatly vary the amount of torque that needs to be applied to a fastener to attain the correct stretch. The only way manufacturer can be assured the the proper amount of force is applied is to is to have a uniform method of tightening the fastener. Specifying clean, dry threads is one way to accomplish this.

Click to expand...

Right, torque values are sometimes specified clean and dry, but from my experience it is more likely to specify light oil. But then again most torque specs are given for assemblies that will never see moisture. Which brings us back to Never Seize for those that are likely to.

After IH came out with their Wedge Lock wheels we used to get a lot of complaints that the customers couldn't get the wheels to stay tight on the axles. Some would want to argue with us when we told them they had to oil everything up good to get them to stay tight but the ones that followed that advice never had any more problems with the wheels moving on them. I also always lube the lug nuts on vehicles I work on. I've been told many times I'm not supposed to do that but I've seen lots of loose nuts on wheels that were assembled dry but never have a problem if they have been lubed.

I have gotten away from using Never Seize since I have found that Mobile One synthetic grease seems to do a better job and is always handy because that is whet I use in my grease guns. It is the one grease that meets the specifications for all the grease points on GM medium duty trucks along with lubing the brake caliper slides. It stays water resistant better and doesn't dry out like Never Seize.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 1, 2012

(quoted from post at 12:32:39 07/31/12) There is no need to remove the blades for sharpening.

Simply raise the deck (shorten top link if necessary to lift high enough) and reach under with an angle grinder. Should take 10 - 15 minutes.

[b:ef8c0b7435]Block deck if your tractor hydraulics will not hold the load properly.
[/b:ef8c0b7435]
Dean

Block deck even if hydraulics will hold properly, things can and do break.

Follow up on Sharpening Blades On Brush Hog Mower.

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads