Off the wall comment on stump jumper -vs- "Bowtie"...

[Richard]

Been debating on a new flexwing mower. Specifically been noodling with the idea of a Schulte....but the Rhino 4150 keeps sticking in my head too.

The Rhino has an option of having a 'Bowtie' blade holder instead of the round stump jumper. My current flexwing simply has a (approx) 8" x 24" rectangular "bowtie" (without the bow!!) that hold the blades.

Looking at the Rhino I've been (over) thinking....stump jumper or bowtie, stump jumper or bowtie.... then it dawned on me.

I recently put new blades on my mower. Supposedly the prior owner NEVER put new blades on it making them maybe 20 years old. I had to get my diamond blade out for two of the six blades to literally cut the bolt in half to get that stupid nut separated so I could get the old blade off & new blade on.

Then it dawned on me.... (and actually this is a bit of a question since it's been years since I've had/seen a mower with the round pan)

Do you have EASY access to the bolts if mounted to the round pan such that you can reach in/up there with a 7" grinder to cut the bolts off?

With my current setup, I was able to raise mower height, lift wings up (and tie them back so they'd not droop/fall down) and was able to reach the UPPER side of the mounting bar to cut between the nut and lock washer to remove them. Do the bolts on the stump jumpers tend to have the edges of the pan be higher than the bolt so the pan gets in the way or is it a flat surface??

It just dawned on me that this simple issue could alone be a deciding factor for me. I would NOT want to get something if the spacing of it made it impossible to get under there with a grinder. That would have stopped me in my tracks. (I don't have any cutting flames so grinder was my only option)

 

[3Ts]

Interesting question! I'll be putting my mower on tomorrow afternoon and i'll check then. However, why couldn't you grind the heads off? Or use a drill so the flange on the head comes off?

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Just use a wrench.

 

[Richard]

Interesting question! I'll be putting my mower on tomorrow afternoon and i'll check then. However, why couldn't you grind the heads off? Or use a drill so the flange on the head comes off?

The head (if I interpret your question correctly) is maybe 2 1/2" wide verses the bolt being maybe 1".... much smaller target. I DID initially start cutting on the head (of the bolt) but after so much grinding and so little progress, decided to cut the bolt instead.

Just use a wrench.

Well, were it 'just' that simple....

I had a pipe wrench on it. Pipe wrench (with a 5' cheater bar) was about 18" in length ....the pipe wrench bent and then snapped in half.

I had a 1/2" impact on it (using 1 11/16 socket) and it was just being laughed at. I did about a full can over a month of PB blaster and... I forget name of other stuff... anyway, another can of other penetrating oil. I had my MAP gas on it trying to heat it. (I don't have anything hotter)

Laughed at

I borrowed my brother in laws 1" impact

Laughed at

Finally after spending maybe 3-4 hours on the SINGLE bolt (some of them DID come loose by the way with the 1/2" impact)

Anyway after spending quite a bit of time and just exhausting myself on it..... the nut rounded off so, I politely said "the heck with it, I'll cut the darn thing off" (<<--highly cleaned up for public consumption)

In hindsight, I wish that the couple that fought back at me would have just been cut immediately. Would have saved me SEVERAL hours of just shear persistence.....

But, persistence is what finally got them off!

 

[CADplans]

But, persistence is what finally got them off!

With equipment like that, I find that it is a MUST that bolts be lubricated annually,, not neglected for 20 years,, it is just something I am in the habit of doing,,,

 

[oosik]

Spot on - CADplans. After 20 years with no maintenance what-soever ........ what can you expect. Just cut the bolt off and use a new one when you reinstall the blade.

 

[Richard]

With equipment like that, I find that it is a MUST that bolts be lubricated annually,, not neglected for 20 years,, it is just something I am in the habit of doing,,,

So, do you recall years ago, those old "V-8" commercials? "WOW, I could have had a V-8!!!" as the person slaps themselves upside the head with the sudden revelation?

I would have never (and have never) even had the concept of oiling things like that periodically.... Frankly, and especially after the wrestling match I had, it really makes a lot of common sense.

Perhaps I need to go check my common sense reserves, see if I can find any in there, I'm feeling a bit low at the moment!!!

 

[joecdeere]

Been debating on a new flexwing mower. Specifically been noodling with the idea of a Schulte....but the Rhino 4150 keeps sticking in my head too.

The Rhino has an option of having a 'Bowtie' blade holder instead of the round stump jumper. My current flexwing simply has a (approx) 8" x 24" rectangular "bowtie" (without the bow!!) that hold the blades.

Looking at the Rhino I've been (over) thinking....stump jumper or bowtie, stump jumper or bowtie.... then it dawned on me.

I recently put new blades on my mower. Supposedly the prior owner NEVER put new blades on it making them maybe 20 years old. I had to get my diamond blade out for two of the six blades to literally cut the bolt in half to get that stupid nut separated so I could get the old blade off & new blade on.

Then it dawned on me.... (and actually this is a bit of a question since it's been years since I've had/seen a mower with the round pan)

Do you have EASY access to the bolts if mounted to the round pan such that you can reach in/up there with a 7" grinder to cut the bolts off?

With my current setup, I was able to raise mower height, lift wings up (and tie them back so they'd not droop/fall down) and was able to reach the UPPER side of the mounting bar to cut between the nut and lock washer to remove them. Do the bolts on the stump jumpers tend to have the edges of the pan be higher than the bolt so the pan gets in the way or is it a flat surface??

It just dawned on me that this simple issue could alone be a deciding factor for me. I would NOT want to get something if the spacing of it made it impossible to get under there with a grinder. That would have stopped me in my tracks. (I don't have any cutting flames so grinder was my only option)

I just don’t care for the bow tie, if you’re mowing with any speed, I just don’t think it’s gonna deal with a stump like the round one will, may be wrong!

I spray my blade bolts, give them one good try with the gun, then it’s torch them red and they come right off, I do replace mine every time I have to heat them

 

[Bearsixty7]

Interesting thread.

When I bought my Bush Hog new last year, I used my Milwaukee M18 Fuel Impact to remove the nuts that hold the blades on and applied anti seize just so they would remain serviceable.

I had to buy a torque multiplier to correctly torque them back on to 600ft lbs.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GLITFW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Richard]

I also have a torque multiplier (4x) and left that part out where I snapped the 1/2" x 3" extension I had on it to clear something. It was a 30 year old Craftsman extension so was of the old stock, not made wherever they are currently made (no idea).