60" MMM Blades

[theboman]

60\" MMM Blades

Just picked up a new set of blades for my 60" Bota deck, $32 for the set, hopefully I'll have time to put them on before I turn 50 (I turn 42 in July). A busy little boy here.
Any tips on putting on new blades?

 

[TomPh]

Re: 60\" MMM Blades

Bo,

Have had my blades off a couple of times over the last year and a half. No big deal. I would suggest that you remove the mower and tip it up on it's side and lean it against something solid before starting. Much easier than trying to remove them with the unit on the tractor.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: 60\" MMM Blades

Just take note of their orientation before you remove them. You'll also may need a heavy breaker bar if this is the first time you've removed the blades. I believe the socket size is 1 3/8" if my memory isn't failing me and your 60" deck is made the same way as my BX deck. Some blocks of wood will help you keep things "in place" while loosening and tightening things.

According to my dealer, the blades should generally last three seasons of average use with proper maintenance and sharpening. I remove them to sharpen--usually twice in a mowing season.

 

[Buck]

Re: 60\" MMM Blades

RE: "Any tips on putting on new blades?"

I've found that taking them off is the biggest problem. jbecker says use a "breaker-bar". If that is a tube attached to a ratchet to increase torque, then I wholeheartedly agree with jbecker. I spent a long time...too long, before I learned that trick!

Buck

 

[Will_C]

Re: 60\" MMM Blades

An air impact wrench is a worthwhile investment for this job, even if you don't feel you will use it for anything else!
The BX deck takes an odd sized socket, 1-3/16, a size not included in most sets. I was lucky to find one in my father's old tool box.
Will

 

[surfran]

Re: 60\" MMM Blades

I agree that an impact wrench works great. I don't have my BX1800 yet, but I always use my impact on my Cub 1811 with a block of wood.

Another thing I saw on EBAY the other day is some deck stands that I was wondering if anyone had tried. They look useful and are for storage also. The deck for the BX is going to be quite a bit heavier than my cub wich I always just flipped over. I attached the ebay link below.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2314089292&category=20544

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: 60\" MMM Blades

1 3/16"...yea that's right. Sorry for the misinformation. I should have remembered as I had to run out to a Sears to find one...and ended up buying a 3/4" ratchet set in the process...just for the tractor. Sheesh!

To the other fellow about the "breaker bar"--yes, a little assistance in leverage with a piece of pipe over the ratchet handle was necessary the first time I took off the blades for sharpening.

 

[Bird]

Re: 60\" MMM Blades

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( tube attached to a ratchet to increase torque )</font>

If you're going to do that to a ratchet, you need to buy some parts and learn to rebuild ratchets first. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Ratchets just may be the most abused tool that mechanics own. When my brother was a Matco distributor, I repaired/rebuilt the air ratchets (and lots of them) and he repaired/rebuilt the manual ones on the spot for the mechanics. Personally, I would never put a "cheater" on a ratchet. Instead I'd use a "breaking bar" first to break the nut loose and then use the ratchet for speed in taking it on off. If there's anyone who doesn't know what a "breaking bar" is, you can look at this socket set from Northern Tool. It has both a ratchet and a breaking bar.

And of course, in my opinion, the air impact wrench is by far the best way to go. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Egon]

Re: 60\" MMM Blades

Just wondering if that odd sized nut was maybe in metric.

Hate to admit to this but I had to resort to a 24 in. cresent wrench to remove the nuts on my 60 in. mmm as I don't have a proper sized socket to fit the nut. Its a very solid wrench. Otherwise I would have gotten the proper socket.

Sometimes a stubborn nut can be loosened by holding a large hammer on one side and the giving it several good smacks with another hammer. Another way might be to try and tighten the nut first and then try and remove it.

Egon

 

[mwechtal]

Re: 60\" MMM Blades

Well, 1 3/16 is real close to 30mm. I think it would be odd to find an english size nut on a Kubota. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

And my father and uncle (and assorted cousins) repaired lawn mowers. In my experience get the impact wrench if you have a compressor. You will probably have to block the tip of the blade in place if you use a manual wrench.

Mike