Grading Brush Hog Blade Removal

[Dakar]

Can anyone tell me the trick to getting the hub to hold still to get the blades off for sharpening? I'm sure I am overlooking something real simple, but it has me stumped. Thanks in advance.

David

 

[Bird]

Stick a crowbar, huge screwdriver, metal rod, or some such thing through the u-joint of the driveshaft so the driveshaft can't turn.

 

[Gravy]

On a PT, the "driveshaft" is a pair of hydraulic hoses attached to the hydraulic motor on the deck. Don't think a prybar will help there /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Gravy

 

[Dakar]

Thanks a lot for the quick reply, but the PT does not have a drive shaft, it is all hydraulic. Good answer for a conventional tractor though.

 

[BobRip]

This may not be much help, but I use an impact wrench.

Could you attach a visegrip to the shaft on top. It will hit the support bracket when you turn it.

Bob Rip

 

[MossRoad]

If the hydraulic hoses are disconnected, the motor shouldn't turn. If they are hooked together, it allows the fluid to circulate and the motor to turn. Try it and let us know if it works. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bob999]

My preferred approach is an impact wrench. If that is not available use a block of wood that will wedge between the end of the blade and a sturdy part of the housing. Then use a breaker bar and socket on the bolt holding the blade on.

 

[Carpenter]

The only brush hog bolts I have removed have been with an easy-out. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Dakar]

Well Mossroad, when I read that I had one of those 'well duh' moments for about 5 seconds, then remembered that the hoses were not attached, and the hub still spins freely. I was alone this evening and didn't fare so well trying to hold a 2x4 in place with one hand and turn the wrench with the other, but I will give that a shot when I get another pair of hands to keep it wedged in place until I get enough torque on the wrench to hold it there. Sounds like an impact wrench would be very handy about now, but even with one, doesn't the same problem occur? Seems like the impact wrench would only cause the hub to spin considerably faster. Thanks for the help so far, and if anyone else has a magic answer, I am still all ears.

David

 

[toy]

To start with I guess you have got the attachment plate on the brush hog swung as far forward as it will go andbolted with the extra bolt holes. With it done this way you can hook on to it with the pt and turn it up till the rear wheels are resting on the ground and the front wheels are in the air. Get a boxed end wrench and put it on the bolt and with a ball pean hammer hit the other end of the wrench a lot of times that will break bolts loose another thing you might be able to do is put the box end wrench on the bolt and put a cheater on it and give the wrench a sudden jerk that might work. Im not looking at my brush hog now but this is something else you might do is figure a way to drive a wedge under the hub a little to help hold it or maybe you could use a bar behind one blade and in front of the other to help hold it. there might be other ways but I would have to go and hook mine up and look it over. When you are working on it don't hook the hoses up, you probably have done tried all of these suggestions already but in case you haven't one of these might work. Hope everything works out for you , you are doing something that I need to do also on the near future. If the bolts shows any wear on them it would be a good time to replace them. Hope something that I have said helps you out.

 

[J_J]

Why are you taking the hub off, why not just take off the blades, and sharpen them, or get a spare set and always have a sharp set handy.

Impact wrench works best.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> then remembered that the hoses were not attached, and the hub still spins freely. </font>

Hmmm. I distinctly remember having the same problem. I always hook the hoses together when they are disconnected from the tractor so that dirt doesn't get into the connections. I was disassembling the unit to replace the bolts and such and had the same problem. Then I disconnected the hoses from each other and the hub would turn about a half a turn or so before it loaded up the pressure and I was able to get the bolts off. I did use an impact wrench to put everything back together and the second time I took it apart and put it back together, I also used an impact wrench. Surprisingly, an impact wrench doesn't spin the hub, just like it usually doesn't spin the tire on a car.

 

[Dakar]

Huh. I never have had anything as advanced as an impact wrench, but I would sure have assumed it would have made that hub spin like a top. Obviously something I need to get on this year's Christmas list.

Anyway, I finally was successful in getting the blades off. The secret seems to be getting the back side of the blade against the bolt head that prevents the blades from entangling, then getting the end of the blade up against a 2x4 wedged between the back edge of the brush hog housing where it angles up to discharge out the back and the other end of the board against the front wheel. Then with a wrench, cheater bar, small sledge hammer, stout friend and one busted knuckle, out they come. Did I mention that I want an impact wrench?

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions, especially Toy who was pretty much dead on with how I finally got it done.

 

[MossRoad]

I've had a Harbor Freight special similar to this one since the late 70's. I bought it while I was in high school. It still works fine.

 

[Bird]

I had that same half inch impact wrench for many years. It's a knock off of the Chicago Pneumatic CP734. It works just fine with the difference being that the CP734 produces 425 ft. lbs. of torque and the Central Pneumatic produces only 250 ft. lbs. so I did find some bolts that it simply would not break loose.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, it wouldn't take the bolts off that held the axles onto my old IH. I had to use the smoke wrench for those! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[toy]

Im glad those suggestions helped you. Impact wrench is nice easier on the knuckels, Ive had one for a long time but I don't remember them being too awfull expensive and are a real time saver.