Removing Blades from Rotary Cutter

[big bubba]

I have used my HF earthquake impact to remove the bolts on my King Kutter several times with no issues.

yes to this. earthquake is cheap & does an outstanding job removing blade bolts. (11 cfm on compressor)
i finish the torque w/cheater bar.

 

[RalphVa]

Most nuts on rotary cutters are in the 450 ft/lb range.

Check the torque capabilities of your impact gun, make sure you have enough air pressure and go to it.

About a 5' cheater bar should also do the trick.

I would not try a cheater bar with 1/2 inch drive and handle: asking for a break and maybe injury. Think you need the 3/4 inch drive and handle and sockets. Unless you have a precision set impact wrench, I'd be more confident in getting that 450 ft # with 80 # of estimated push on a 6 ft piece of pipe over the 3/4 inch handle than a guesstimated set on most impact wrenches. Not rocket science. Usually, just push as hard as you can to tighten on a 6 ft piece of cheater pipe, and you're good. Run it without tail wheel for a bit and "retorque".

Get loose with the 3/4 handle and pipe cheater.

 

[5030]

I've never taken the bolt out with a socket, I use a gas axe and cut the head off and I use a 1" square drive impact (what you use on big truck wheels) to tighten the new bolt.

 

[deserteagle71]

I've never taken the bolt out with a socket, I use a gas axe and cut the head off and I use a 1" square drive impact (what you use on big truck wheels) to tighten the new bolt.

Learned something new! I've heard them called a "blue knife" but never a gas axe. Have to remember that!

 

[workinonit]

Fire axe.

 

[Otgaugres]

Google “torque multiplier”. That’s what I use to remove blades on my MX-5. Good ones are pricey but very effective. They can probably be rented.

 

[marhar]

Most nuts on rotary cutters are in the 450 ft/lb range.

Check the torque capabilities of your impact gun, make sure you have enough air pressure and go to it.

About a 5' cheater bar should also do the trick.

I use a 1/2 socket wrench and a 6 point socket with a cheater bar. The reason I use a 6 point socket instead of a 12 point; you have plenty of room to work and the nut at the bottom of the cutter often takes abuse. That being said a 12 point is more likely to round the nut than a 6 point.

 

[5030]

I'd be real careful about using a cheater pipe and a socket. You don't know the breaking point of that socket you are using, well beyond the design capabilities.

Years ago, I saw a guy get 30 stitches across his forehead when the socket failed and half of it became airborne. He was tightening a spring U bolt on a big truck with a 3/4 drive socket, breaker bar and a length of cheater pipe. 2" lower and he would have been blinded.

Myself, I'm real funny about only using impact rated (black oxide) sockets, but then I don't use cheater pipes, I have a big kohuna 1" drive impact from HF. It makes 2100 foot pounds at 130 psi

I've had very good results from the Harbor Freight impact sockets btw. I've never broke one but I've broken off plenty of stuck bolts, especially when I replace the wear bar on my snow plow. It's held on with high strength dome head plow bolts and the rust in pretty solid so I put the HF socket on them, apply the other 3/4 drive impact at maximum power and twist the nuts off.

 

[5030]

That being said a 12 point is more likely to round the nut than a 6 point.

I could be wrong but I believe all impact sockets are 6 point.