Rotary Cutter Brush Hog Blades COMING OFF
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ArlyA
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Drill through grade 5 bolt's is a pain. Yes doable, but tough. Drilling little holes through Grade 8??? Does not sound like a fun job.
ArlyA
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Seems that Loctite should have held.. If you leave grease, dirt or oil on them, not so. We clean threads with terry cloth and paint thinner/acetone to get nice and clean..
ArlyA, I did spray with brake cleaner and let dry before applying loctite. I'm leaning toward the possibility that the bolts should be left hand threaded. The one unusual thing about the Sidewinder is that it is driven by a large tire that presses against the blade hub and acts as a slip clutch. This innately reverses direction of rotation whereas a 90 degree gearbox may or may not depending on construction.
countrybumpkin
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It’s really not hard to do.
As for the left handed bolts, it’s not going to make a difference, most twin spindle cutters the left and right pans spin in opposite directions yet both have standard right handed bolts, and I’ve not had a issue with them coming loose.
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countrybumpkin
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If everything is in good shape and nothing is damaged allowing them to come loose, then yes.
Another question, Did this just start happening after 4 years or had you removed the blades for some reason prior to the bolts coming out?
Another question, Did this just start happening after 4 years or had you removed the blades for some reason prior to the bolts coming out?
MechanicalGuy
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Grade 8 bolts should never be used in that application. Grade 5 are made for towing, suspension, steering and other life safety applications. Grade 8 should NEVER be used in safety applications unless specified by the engineer. Grade 8 break suddenly and without warning.
MechanicalGuy
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I don't know, I was just warning of improper use. I have never seen a replacement kit specify grade 8. Even doing a quick glance on google, on several suppliers, none specifically call out the replacement as grade 8. Are you sure?
I see far too often people using grade 8 in towing applications and that is dangerous and should never be done. I don't know about bush hogging, but it seems like a tougher bolt would be called out. Hardened surface characteristics for sure, but tougher material construction than grade 8.
japody
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I have 2 sidewinders and have never had this issue. Are you sure that the bolts are put on facing up with the nuts on top? That way the spin of the blade tightens the nut as it spins. There should be a hole in the deck about a foot behind the wheel to access the nut. Here's my go to place if I have any questions or problems with my sidewinder:
Hercules Service Parts - Agricultural equipment repair located in Minden, Louisiana - Your Rotary Mower Experts!
Fuddy1952
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I'm not a mechanical engineer by any stretch but over the years mechanical things designed like that are made so under stress like hitting a tree stump, rock, etc. would only make the bolts TIGHTER not looser.
The OP provided several clues to this...bolts definitely fly off when hitting something, and the bolts are not broken or damaged!
For giggles I would try left hand thread bolts, although one research about bush hog bolts the fellow said he uses a 10 ft. cheater bar and two extra helpers!
The OP provided several clues to this...bolts definitely fly off when hitting something, and the bolts are not broken or damaged!
For giggles I would try left hand thread bolts, although one research about bush hog bolts the fellow said he uses a 10 ft. cheater bar and two extra helpers!
How can the bolt be turning? The OP posted a link at the top of the thread to the bolt he uses, which has a key to keep it from turning. He also said there was a notch in the hole to fit that key. So if the bolt can't turn, and the blade swings free on the bolt, what makes the nut back off? It can't be the movement of the blade because the bolt can't turn in the hole.
MechanicalGuy
Platinum Member
The bolt either turns in the blade, or turns in the hub when swinging and stopping. I think that's what may be the question to the op right now. I believe the bolt should be stationary to the blades, but I don't know that for a fact.
The OP said in post #5 that the notch that holds the bolt is in the plate that's welded on stump jumper. So the blade swings on the bolt, which is fixed to its attachment point on the stump jumper. That's the way my Bush Hog rotary cutter worked too.
So the bolt is supposed to be fixed, and the nut is against another fixed plate. So neither should turn. But it seems the nut does. How?
So the bolt is supposed to be fixed, and the nut is against another fixed plate. So neither should turn. But it seems the nut does. How?
Unless he has the wrong bolt's that are to long and the nut is bottoming out on the threads and not the top of the blade holder. The bolt has to be stationary with a tab that fits a slot in the blade holder OR the bolts have cut sides that fit into the same cut sides in the blade holder.. This ain't rocket science..
