I'm glad you demonstrated safety. An unfortunate farmer in my area was crushed by the brush mower after the hydraulics failed while attempting a repair.
At first I thought "Are those reverse thread?". I just had this problem with a rear differential plug, I ended up welding a large bolt on to it, then removing it. I think you're correct, you just need a bigger tool. Which is always a great reason to get a new one. Nice video, thank you.
I do mine the same as you have described but I take a little more precaution as far as my body is concerned . I wear heavy clothing , a welders jacket if you have one , at least some welders gloves and a heavy jacket . A friend of mine had one of those grinding disc explode and a big chunk ended up in his arm . His whole arm is now about useless . Do not buy those cheap grinding cut off or grinding wheels . Stay safe
Hi can you tell me the brand grinder you use AND the name of the disc YOU use please??? I inherited a home, pasture and John Deere tractor. I want to have my tractor guy sharpen my 🚜 blades BEFORE he bushhogs again. Thank you VERY much 😁
It's easier to turn the Grass cutter on its side and pull the stump jumper, with blades on it, the sharpen and balance them, thats the proper way to do it.
Nuts can be tricky some are left handed threads . If it's an older cutter and nut is to hard and I say dangerous to break loose I find it more practical to cut off with a touch and put a new blade bolt and nut . Older blades and blade bolts are usually worn with excessive slack anyway. It will save cracking your socket and breakeven bar. Which would pay for new bolts
Just remember to check the gear box to be sure you didn't drain the fluid out the breather hole. If you take a break before turning the brush hog upright, it can leak a good bit.
Thse bolts are torqued to about 450 ft lbs. I have found that if you use a 5 to 6 ft pipe on a 3/4 inch drive breaker bar when you first get the rotary cutter you can remove the blades. Apply silver anti-seize compound on the bolts and reinstall the blades. I weight about 150 pounds so a 3 foot pipe multiplies my weight force to 450 ft pounds. This is less expensive than a 3/4 inch air torque wrench [$450.00]. Have also found that just taking the blades off once a year and reapplying the anti-seize compound as a standard maintenance procedure very helpful. That way if you accidentally hit a object that bends a blade. Is is a very easy job to just change to a spare set of blades and then you can sharpen or replace the blade as needed. Most of the time when no maintenance has been done on the rotary cutter the only way to get the bolts off is to burn them off and replace the bolts, nuts and blades. This might be something you want to consider if you can get the nuts loose.
Thanks for the tips, Jan! I might get a 3/4” drive breaker bar as you suggest, but I do plan on getting an larger compressor and impact wrench for other projects anyway so that might do the trick. Thanks for watching!
I sharpen my blades periodically. Luckily, my 3 point lifts my cutter pretty high. You can back up onto car ramps and get another foot or so of height off the ground.
Welp. I broke the PTO cross bearing and yoke on mine. I think I hit a particularly thick sapling or something. Probably should check the blades as well when I get the replacement shaft. And maybe a slip clutch, too.
Great idea....NOT having to remove the blades!....Why are your PTO guards spinning at 540rpm?....Chains? Some folks seem to want them and other folks seem to not want / need them. What are your thoughts on chains?....Maybe a separate video on "spinning PTO shaft guards?
Well that’s an interesting idea, Mitchell! So after you cut the grass, how do you dull the blade for brush? My way of dulling the blade IS to cut brush - and rocks. Rocks are really good at dulling blades and I have an ample supply of them! Thanks for watching!
Brush hogs are not finish mowers. Get the blades sharp and you can cut grass pretty good, but dull easily when you switch back to mowing your brush. So you'll get more edge damage when you reduce the edge thickness too much.
8' pipe with -1' drive breaker bar and socket- basically a mammoth breaker bar is how you get the nuts broken loose- anti-seize compound is your friend during reinstall...I cannot fathom sharpening blades as shown in this video under a shredder, thats just nuts
Never sharpen the bottom edge. It will round off quickly now. Get an electric/battery impact. The milwaukee is good. No extension. You lose all your torque. WD-40 is as useless as tits on a bull. It's not a lubricant or a penetrating oil. Try PB Blaster.
I have been mowing fields for myself, and professionally, for 60 plus years (since 1962) in heavy brush(4-6' tall) and softball size rocks with a 6 foot mower with blades 1/2 inch thick. I have had the present mower for over 25 years and only replaced one blade because I ran over a huge jagged rock and it broke one of the 2 blades. I was a welder/ machinist and built up and sharpened the blades countless times. Never had a problem with brittle or soft blades. They are not tool steel! I just let them air cool and grind them to an edge of about 1/16 of an inch with 1/8" manganese base welding rod. It is a work hardening metal and is easy to stick weld with. I nearly always remove the blades to work on them, especially if they need to be built up
I'm fortunate to have an impact tool with enough oomph to remove those nuts. It is so much easier and actually quicker to remove those blades, sharpen them and re-install them.
Save your money on buying a bigger compressor and impact. Just buy the big Milwaukee 18v impact you will be very happy with it and it makes most air impacts look weak! Plus you can take it anywhere with no hose or cord to trip on! I have all the air tools and a big compressor and I barely use either anymore.
Morning Martin! I think sharpening from time to time is the way to go, myself. Looks like you have a few rocks on the property as I do. LOL. Thanks for sharing!
Never use cinder blocks to support anything. They can crack and fail allowing the Bush Hog to crush you to death. Use good solid wood, or steel, or a couple of steel jack stands. I learned never to use bricks, cider blocks or concrete blocks when young. The neighbor was crushed to death when the cinder block collapses that was holding up his car.
Great video - I was wondering (based on the video) are you loosening the blades going counter clockwise? Most blades I have taken off have a reverse tightening so to loosen the blade you would actually use the forward (clockwise) to loosen. Thanks again for the video.
Thanks! As I recall, I tried both directions. From what I could see of the visible threads, it looked like it was a “lefty loosy”. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for your video. I'm of the sharpen 'em school while my brother says he's never sharpened his in 20 years he's owned the machine. I'll service the machine at the end of the season so it's ready to go. I'll use grease on the PTO shaft and connectors. It's what the book calls for. May I suggest a chain fall to lift the Cutter? Also foot thick stacks of 2X12's fastened together make good safety blocks. Cinder blocks are brittle and can crush under a shock load. Thanks again for all your hard work!
I made a wood chock that the blade sets into so I can get my angle easier to sharpen and always use a long sleeve shirt and gloves and on my tractor I am able to raise the deck up very high. My tractor is a Kubota L-3130. You did an excellent job in your description of ‘how-to’ !,
Martin, regarding your use of concrete blocks as safety support, I will quote my Kubota Manual: "Always secure equipment with solid, non-concrete supports before working under it. Never go under equipment supported by concrete blocks or hydraulics. Concrete can break, hydraulic lines can burst....." Stay safe, and healthy and keep up the excellent videos.
Oh, I forgot to mention in the video that those concrete blocks were actually made of unobtainium, which is almost as dense and heavy as a collapsed star, so no worries about strength there. Seriously, thanks for the safety tip and for watching!
He used the blocks just like they are to go in the wall which is the strongest way. Most people make the mistake of laying them with the solid side up and down. The webs have little strength. I was a brick layer for 25 years it takes a very heavy load to fail in that orientation.
Yup, you gotta sharpen them blades. I use a 3/4 hi-impact gun hooked to a 1/2 inch hose directly to the air compressor tank to remove mine. When the blades are sharp, the tractor works a lot less when cutting up small trees. Rocks can be hard on them and you can ask my neighbor as she was running from the rocks thrown by the mower when I was cutting by the road and she was going by.
Rocks, rocks, ROCKS! Even though I pick them up before or after I hit them, I always have a fresh crop of them the next time I mow. I think they grow faster than the grass! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for your video I’ve been doing this for the past 10 years and I didn’t know if I was wrong to do it but I never had a problem bush hogging after I did. It’s good to know that there are people out there like me that can fix something instead of replacing it.
@@DIYMyWay We have a Big Bee cutter that has been used nearly 25 years, every year or two we take them off and sharpen. Dads always lived by that and I believe you get a better finish specially this time of the year. I always put some grease on the threads
Couple things. You can take off any burrs hanging down but never put a chamfer on the bottom edge. It can cause the blade to strike an object and deflect upwards, giving the classic smashem ring on the cutter top sheet metal. Many cutters are designed to stand on end (3 point end). Spin the blades horizontal to make sure of no ground contact and remove the PTO shaft sliding half. Hoist or loader lift the rear wheel.
I'm definitely from the occasional sharpening group just makes sense to have a somewhat Sharp blade going through grass and brush verses a blunt blade working your machine harder to do the same job good instructional video DIY bought a new l2501 in December and your videos have helpful many times thank you
Hi Matt! We think alike when it comes to sharpening brush hog blades. So glad you have found my videos helpful! I always love to hear that, so thank you for saying so!
We mow "pasture " weeds ( with hidden rocks, stumps and downed limbs), those blades looked plenty sharp before you sharpened them:). The bush hog is rated at 4" tree capacity. Confirmed.
Thanks Martin. I'm well overdue for blade sharpening. I appreciate you showing how you do your blade sharpening. Tons of rain days up here. Will send some rain down your way if needed. Have a fine week. Full-watch 👍🏽
Hi Don! It was actually easier than I expected and didn’t take long either. Thanks, but you can keep your rain 🌧! We have all we need down here. Thanks for watching! Hope you have a most excellent week too!
I sharpen mine about once a year, only sharpen mine on the bottom to a sharp edge. It is a 6 footer and is about 16 years old. Never had any vibration problem with it, the blades are real heavy and have no rocks in the fields to nick the blade up. Makes a world of difference each year from being rounded over about a 3/8 inch to a sharp edge. If I did not have a bad back I would sharpen it about every two months. As much metal weight and mass that it has I never have turned the metal blue while sharpening it so no chance of heat hardening it. If you cut the brush more than once a month it will kill the brush and the grass will take over, if you give the brush time to regrow you will just keep on fighting it ever couple of years plus the chance of putting a hole in your tractor tires. Cut, spray, cut spray, cut, cut, cut and let the grass take over.
Nice job. Ever considered lifting the unit up with the loader even into a vertical position? I hate crawling around on the ground. I lift our 60” land pride finish mower up with the forks and then remove the blades for sharpening. Works great.
Thanks, Stephen! No I didn’t since I had a shop with a concrete floor and a creeper. It would have been more work the other way. One day I’ll have the tools to remove the blades. Thanks for watching!
You said that the blade nut was 1 1/16" but the graphic showed 1 11/16". I've got the same tractor and bush hog and need to sharpen mine as well. Which socket size is it? Thank you
Ah-ha! You noticed! It's actually 1 11/16". From what I've seen on some other videos on the topic, it seems to be a common size for the blade nut. Thanks for watching!
Your brush hog doesn't look old enough to have presented such a problem breaking the nuts loose with the breaker bar. I have a Bush Hog SQ160, and the manual recommends 600 ft-lbs torque on the bolts. It takes a pretty good yank on a breaker bar with a 5' pipe extension, but they come loose every time. I keep two sets of blades on hand, rotating them about every 50 hours and then sharpening them, and they are on and off the mower frequently enough that they aren't problematic getting them off. I mow primarily a pond dam and driveway and powerline right-of-ways, and occasionally thicker, more challenging brush, but with frequent mowing and relatively sharp blades I get an almost finish mower result on the grassy areas.
Hate to tell you bud but the nut you couldn't get off is a reverse thread so you were tightening it instead of loosening it. Reverse thread keeps the blade from coming off.
Good evening Sir 😉 What happen to your thumb ( black nail ! ) 🤔 Yes these blades need sharpening for sure 👍Great sence of humor about the thanks giving Turkey Sir 🤣😂👍 Yes the mission is GO for Sure 👍 Have a great week Sir and thank you for you nice video Sir Cheers 👍
Hi Dave! It got smashed by a curious chain of events while trying to remove an electrical outlet box that I was moving. Many, many bad words were shouted at the time of the incident! LOL! Have a most excellent week and Thanks for watching!
I had a similar problem removing my blades. I broke a 18-inch long half-inch drive with a very long cheetapipe. I bought a three-quarter drive, the nut came off really easy with the new drive. You will have to remove the blades one day!
95 percent of my mowing is on my grassed waterways. It is too tough for a finish mower - it wouldn't stand a chance in 5 foot tall Reed Canary grass. Running sharpened blades gives me a cleaner cut, better secondary cut (mulching) and does it with less tractor horsepower.
FYI WD-40 is a basically a solvent. Water-Displacement. Recommend a true penetrating lube or Automatic transmission fluid. Nice video and efforts are appreciated.
I unhook mower from tractor and stand it up, easier to sharpen and see. The only way I could get blades off was my neighbors one Inch impact . Leave loader attached to stabilize unit. Enjoyed your process also. Thanks for sharing.
Yep. I considered doing it that way but since I had my shop and a creeper and had plenty of room to work underneath. it was easier to do it this way. BTW, my loader was attached. Thanks for watching!
I was taught to never use cinder blocks to hold up vehicles or equipment. They break and collapse with any side loads. Do not know if this is really true.
While I like you videos, I disagree with only two lines of thought. First of all, you do not address the need for regular inspection regardless of which school you subscribe to. Any nick or chip needs to be remediated immediately as they create a splitting/shattering hazard. If you had regularly removed your blades for inspecting and sharpening your retaining bolts would not be so hard to remove (assuming you're using some anti-sieze compound when installing). Also, you were poorly equipped to remove the bolts. The 280 series Bush Hog manual calls for the bolts to be torqued to 450 ft/lbs (my diesel pickup has less torque than that). You'll need a way to lock the spindle and then generate more torque than that to break them loose. Neither of us are as young as we once were, so anything less than a 3/4" drive socket and a 6 foot breaker bar just isn't going to cut the mustard. But back to blades... Nothing beats a #2 bastard cut file for sharpening an abused blade (or axe, or shovel, or any other tool with an edge). You have to remove a lot of metal to get those chips off the cutting edge. Slow is the way to go. An angle grinder or bench grinder is not a sharpening tool - period. I have a portable bench grinder for sharpening tools - it turns a whopping 60 RPM, and yes, it takes a while to sharpen an abused blade of any sort, but the end result is wondrous. Then if I am feeling all Hank Hill, I dress them up with my Arkansas soft then hard stone. So, sharpen or not sharpen? The answer is really "depends". Only because I can afford it (won't be able to when I retire), I buy a set of mower blades for my zero-turn mower every year, and touch them up maybe 3 times over the mowing season. Not everyone can be so spendy, so it's even more important to do regular maintenance.
Hi Joe! Hearing that you think like me is a compliment because I admire your reasoning and design abilities, AND your great fabrication skills! Thanks for watching!
take a rope and tie a loop on one end , slip it over the end of the blade and tie the rope to an anchor point , keeps the blade from moving all over while sharpening
I did that exactly the same way for 10 years. Couldn't get the bolts loose. Went to Harbour Freight, bought that electric impact ( the 1050 ft lb one).In a few minutes had them off. Those bolts alone cost $30. The hf impact was $90, got a $30 rebate. For $60 it was well worth it...
How's she goin'? Those blades aren't going to fall off eh!! They're on some tight. Nice job sharpening the blades. Hard to get at, but I think you are on the right track to put an edge on them to make it easier on the tractor. BTW, you are all in on Kubota Orange, even your grinder is orange!!! LOL Take care!!!
Its more of a reshape if you get large cuts or dinks in the blade rather than a sharpen... sharpening it down to a knife edge can do more damage than good.... great vid
I doubt you could heat up a blade enough to harden it, virtually impossible. You can heat up a blade enough to soft soften it or lose its temper. Work hardening is possible at low temperature which would make it brittle. Like banging into rocks.
nice video, however I was taught never ever user cinder blocks to prop up any kind of weight as they can shatter under excessive load. Wooden blocks are much much safer.
Good point! However, these cinder blocks were not supporting excessive weight and they were turn up in the right direction to carry the load. Most cinder block accidents happen because they are turned on their side so they are the weakest. Someone else expressed the same concern in the comments and a brick layer replied basically what I just shared with you. Still, I agree that wood blocks or a piece of 4x4 post would be safer. Thanks for watching!
If the tractor hydraulic leak off pressure and the blocks crack ( he did put a cap block across the top to distribute the weight across the webbing), then the tractors hydraulics are repressurized and will temporarily hold , that is unless he pushed the lift lever all the way down or has a terrible leak in the hydraulic lift. Plus he has jack stands. Always a good plan when younwork by yourself.
You're so very meticulous on all that you do; just super videos. To that end, however, are you intentionally not chaining your PTO cover to prevent it from spinning? I suppose if something went around it or snagged on it that it hopefully would be free from the actual PTO and the quick resistance would cease it from spinning and harming whatever became wrapped on it? Final question - how is the PTO quick coupler holding up? Pretty close to just getting one of those myself, but need to check my PTO shafts - I'd really prefer not to have to shorten them. Hopefully they recess the 5" or so as is. Great stuff sir!
Thank you for the kind words, Kip! Yes, I don’t chain the PTO cover deliberately and mainly for the reason you mention. In fact, I’ll probably do a video on the topic since others have asked about it. Yes, the PTO Connect is still going strong and sure takes the aggravation out of hooking up a PTO shaft. Thanks for watching!
Hi Chris! Not necessarily. There maybe a little vibration as you start spinning the blades, but it should smooth out as you bring it to PTO speed. If there is a strong vibration, that means there is a significant weight difference between the blades. You could take them off, weigh them then grind on the heavier one evenly along the length of the cutting edge until they weigh the same. If that doesn't do it, it probably time for new blades. Obviously, if a blade is twisted or missing a chunk out it, I would replace the blades. Thanks for watching!
Great info. I appreciate your approach to safety, the actual process, and gotta say, seeing your purple thumb nail shows a hard workin' man. Appreciate you!!
I have a DeWalt DCF900 1/2" cordless impact...took those nuts off with no problem. Sure beats trying to sharpen them on the 'hog, and ya get to balance them too. (I use a corded grinder though).
I wish you had filmed it when you smashed your thumb and it gave you that blood blister under your thumbnail. I bet I could hear that curse here in N.Dakota. :p.
The cameras weren’t rolling when I did that, but I’m surprised you didn’t hear me cussing all the way in N. Dakota. I spewed a long list of blasphemous expletives at the time. Thanks for watching!
@@DIYMyWay I think I heard it today! It came on the winds we are experiencing, but took a while to get through the riots, virus etc. Love your channel.
I've got a 50 year old plus heavy duty 5' Terrain King Brush hog amongst others I own. The structure for the tail wheel itself is heavier than any brush hog I've ever seen and still perfectly intact. My dad bought this hog brand new in about 1972. It has a huge gearbox on it and total weight of the hog is about 1k lbs. It's had one blade change in 50 years because I did it. My dads favorite saying was if I can push it down this will cut it up. That was the truth. This brush has been through hell. I stuck it on the tractor and mowed with it the other day and it still cuts just fine. The blades are not "sharp" and have never been sharpened. This is a brush hog that was used to cut 4" brush or greater as well as grass through out its lifetime. If you want to spend time working on your stuff then by all means sharpen your blades. It will help in a situation where the tractor hp is small and the brush hog is big. Is it necessary for most unfinished mowing? No, not at all.
Hi Martin, you have given me something to look to, I have the same unit & I need to peak under there also & ck mine out... Question, did you unit come with the chains front & back or did you add them later... My unit has the rubber strip, and wonder if the chain would work better moving more air...Stay safe...& God Bless...Chief...{NYS/ADK}...PS Just broke a bolt in one of my spindles in my finish mower another job for tomorrow...Lol
Hi Chief! I ordered the chains and I like them because they allow better airflow and stop rocks and other projectiles better. I highly recommend them. Thanks for watching!
I have a 72" cutter and I sharpen the blades twice a season. I have a 55 horse Kubota and the amount of stress sharp blades take off of the motor is very noticable. Don't listen to these guys about concrete blocks, they're also used for building commercial buildings so they will withstand a lot of weight when the weight is distributed evenly as you showed in your video. Thank you sir.
Whats the rush? Still looked like you may have raised the temp a bit too high, as once you get the edge red hot, its too late. A file is best, if you have the time! As Abraham Lincoln said; "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." Course they did not have Dewalt around yet, but had their original ax heads for ever, sharpening slow and cold.
Thanks good video. I have to do same to mine. It's fine on small brush but splitting saplings. It would have been great to have shown the mowing or brush cut to my results before and after the sharpening.
I find it esier to flip the deck over with the front loader then I can work semi comfortably with the grinder and things never fall "up." I use a 80 grit flap disk and count passes so I can keep things more or less equal.
Just watched a few of your videos, of course this one, PTO safety chain was the first, and the Messicks brush guard... You good sir just got another Subscriber and Bell ringer. Thanks for the well made videos.👍 Found you btw way Google searching for a PTO safety chain. Your video was in the Google search. After your points in that video, you saved me a few bucks and a trip to TSC! 👍 🙂
I am more interested in how the blades move. I can look at hundreds of pictures of the top of brush hogs but close to none on the underside where it cuts. So if you hit a hard object the blade can swing backwards?
Definitely in the sharpening team; however, using a flap disc instead of a rock wheel has proven me well.
Yep, flap disks are wickedly affective. Thanks for watching!
Tiger paw
I wondered about that! I’ve got a flap disk and it seems to do a good job.
Yeah flappers rock
Mistake many people make is getting it knife sharp look at new blades for a reference . Two sharp and you actually dull it right back off quickly
Exactly, they need a blunt edge. Not a blade thickness blunt edge, but a 1/16" to 1/8" blunt edge.
I'm glad you demonstrated safety. An unfortunate farmer in my area was crushed by the brush mower after the hydraulics failed while attempting a repair.
Thanks, Micah! Wow, that is so sad! I love the power of hydraulics but I wouldn’t trust them with my life unless I had no choice. Thanks for watching!
Omg I pray for the farmer’s family 🙏🏼✝️🇺🇸
My elderly cousin was killed that way trying to remove barb wire he picked up in the field. The tractor hydraulics leaked.
At first I thought "Are those reverse thread?". I just had this problem with a rear differential plug, I ended up welding a large bolt on to it, then removing it. I think you're correct, you just need a bigger tool. Which is always a great reason to get a new one. Nice video, thank you.
I had the same thought about the threads being reverse. Yep, I’ll get a bigger tool one day to get the blades off.
I do mine the same as you have described but I take a little more precaution as far as my body is concerned . I wear heavy clothing , a welders jacket if you have one , at least some welders gloves and a heavy jacket . A friend of mine had one of those grinding disc explode and a big chunk ended up in his arm . His whole arm is now about useless . Do not buy those cheap grinding cut off or grinding wheels . Stay safe
Hi can you tell me the brand grinder you use AND the name of the disc YOU use please??? I inherited a home, pasture and John Deere tractor. I want to have my tractor guy sharpen my 🚜 blades BEFORE he bushhogs again. Thank you VERY much 😁
The next dry day, I'm on it. Thanks!
Absolutely Great video and very informative. I'm now looking forward to sharing my own blades for the first time.
Hi Bryant! So glad to hear you found the video helpful. Good luck sharpening your blades. Thanks for watching!
Excellent! I’ve been wondering the exact same thing about my rotary cutter. I’m gonna try the same thing you just did.
It's easier to turn the Grass cutter on its side and pull the stump jumper, with blades on it, the sharpen and balance them, thats the proper way to do it.
Nuts can be tricky some are left handed threads . If it's an older cutter and nut is to hard and I say dangerous to break loose I find it more practical to cut off with a touch and put a new blade bolt and nut . Older blades and blade bolts are usually worn with excessive slack anyway. It will save cracking your socket and breakeven bar. Which would pay for new bolts
Your timing couldn't be better. I have to take a look at mine to see what needs to be done to it. Thanks Martin. Later
Hi Mech! Well I’m looking forward to seeing your video on maintaining your brush hog. Thanks for watching!
You can take off the mower and flip it upside down with your loader. Its a whole lot safer and convenient.
Just remember to check the gear box to be sure you didn't drain the fluid out the breather hole. If you take a break before turning the brush hog upright, it can leak a good bit.
Thse bolts are torqued to about 450 ft lbs. I have found that if you use a 5 to 6 ft pipe on a 3/4 inch drive breaker bar when you first get the rotary cutter you can remove the blades. Apply silver anti-seize compound on the bolts and reinstall the blades. I weight about 150 pounds so a 3 foot pipe multiplies my weight force to 450 ft pounds. This is less expensive than a 3/4 inch air torque wrench [$450.00]. Have also found that just taking the blades off once a year and reapplying the anti-seize compound as a standard maintenance procedure very helpful.
That way if you accidentally hit a object that bends a blade. Is is a very easy job to just change to a spare set of blades and then you can sharpen or replace the blade as needed. Most of the time when no maintenance has been done on the rotary cutter the only way to get the bolts off is to burn them off and replace the bolts, nuts and blades. This might be something you want to consider if you can get the nuts loose.
Thanks for the tips, Jan! I might get a 3/4” drive breaker bar as you suggest, but I do plan on getting an larger compressor and impact wrench for other projects anyway so that might do the trick. Thanks for watching!
Thanks
You’re welcome, Jerry!
I sharpen my blades periodically. Luckily, my 3 point lifts my cutter pretty high. You can back up onto car ramps and get another foot or so of height off the ground.
Welp. I broke the PTO cross bearing and yoke on mine. I think I hit a particularly thick sapling or something. Probably should check the blades as well when I get the replacement shaft. And maybe a slip clutch, too.
Yikes! Sounds like you shear pin didn’t shear when it was supposed to. Yep, a slip clutch is probably a good idea. Thanks for watching!
Great idea....NOT having to remove the blades!....Why are your PTO guards spinning at 540rpm?....Chains? Some folks seem to want them and other folks seem to not want / need them. What are your thoughts on chains?....Maybe a separate video on "spinning PTO shaft guards?
Thanks, David! Nope. No chains for me. It’s a silly idea, really. And yes, I plan to do a video on the topic. Thanks for watching!
Yo bro great video nice editing well don
Sharpen for grass, leave dull for brush and things can stab your tires.
Well that’s an interesting idea, Mitchell! So after you cut the grass, how do you dull the blade for brush? My way of dulling the blade IS to cut brush - and rocks. Rocks are really good at dulling blades and I have an ample supply of them! Thanks for watching!
So why don't they come from the factory dull!
You’ll have to ask the factory. Thanks for watching!
They do. Well, not totally blunt, but definitely not a knife edge on them.
Brush hogs are not finish mowers. Get the blades sharp and you can cut grass pretty good, but dull easily when you switch back to mowing your brush. So you'll get more edge damage when you reduce the edge thickness too much.
8' pipe with -1' drive breaker bar and socket- basically a mammoth breaker bar is how you get the nuts broken loose- anti-seize compound is your friend during reinstall...I cannot fathom sharpening blades as shown in this video under a shredder, thats just nuts
Spray some yield on them. Yield is superior to all other penetrating oil.
Haven’t heard of Yield. I’ll check it out. Thanks!
Never sharpen the bottom edge. It will round off quickly now.
Get an electric/battery impact. The milwaukee is good. No extension. You lose all your torque.
WD-40 is as useless as tits on a bull. It's not a lubricant or a penetrating oil. Try PB Blaster.
Thanks for the tips, Steve!
Its 450 ft lbs of torque on that nut youre not getting it off with a few love taps
The blade doesn't heat up with a file.
True, but I would heat up using a file and would never do that when I have an angle grinder. Thanks for watching!
I have been mowing fields for myself, and professionally, for 60 plus years (since 1962) in heavy brush(4-6' tall) and softball size rocks with a 6 foot mower with blades 1/2 inch thick. I have had the present mower for over 25 years and only replaced one blade because I ran over a huge jagged rock and it broke one of the 2 blades. I was a welder/ machinist and built up and sharpened the blades countless times. Never had a problem with brittle or soft blades. They are not tool steel! I just let them air cool and grind them to an edge of about 1/16 of an inch with 1/8" manganese base welding rod. It is a work hardening metal and is easy to stick weld with. I nearly always remove the blades to work on them, especially if they need to be built up
Hi John! Since 1962?! Wow, I was born in 1960. You’ve been around a while, my friend. Thanks for the tips!
I'm fortunate to have an impact tool with enough oomph to remove those nuts. It is so much easier and actually quicker to remove those blades, sharpen them and re-install them.
Save your money on buying a bigger compressor and impact. Just buy the big Milwaukee 18v impact you will be very happy with it and it makes most air impacts look weak! Plus you can take it anywhere with no hose or cord to trip on! I have all the air tools and a big compressor and I barely use either anymore.
Morning Martin! I think sharpening from time to time is the way to go, myself. Looks like you have a few rocks on the property as I do. LOL. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Gord! Yep, I have a few rocks, but nothing like the Canadian Shield you live on top of! Thanks for watching!
Never use cinder blocks to support anything. They can crack and fail allowing the Bush Hog to crush you to death. Use good solid wood, or steel, or a couple of steel jack stands. I learned never to use bricks, cider blocks or concrete blocks when young. The neighbor was crushed to death when the cinder block collapses that was holding up his car.
I went to China Freight today and bought a grinder to sharpen mine . (Harbor Freight) 😂
Great video - I was wondering (based on the video) are you loosening the blades going counter clockwise? Most blades I have taken off have a reverse tightening so to loosen the blade you would actually use the forward (clockwise) to loosen. Thanks again for the video.
Thanks! As I recall, I tried both directions. From what I could see of the visible threads, it looked like it was a “lefty loosy”. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for your video. I'm of the sharpen 'em school while my brother says he's never sharpened his in 20 years he's owned the machine. I'll service the machine at the end of the season so it's ready to go. I'll use grease on the PTO shaft and connectors. It's what the book calls for. May I suggest a chain fall to lift the Cutter? Also foot thick stacks of 2X12's fastened together make good safety blocks. Cinder blocks are brittle and can crush under a shock load. Thanks again for all your hard work!
I made a wood chock that the blade sets into so I can get my angle easier to sharpen and always use a long sleeve shirt and gloves and on my tractor I am able to raise the deck up very high.
My tractor is a Kubota L-3130. You did an excellent job in your description of ‘how-to’ !,
Hi Bernard! Sounds like you have a good system for sharpening your blades. Thanks for the kind words and for watching!
People who don't ever sharpen their brush hog blades are just plain LAZY!
Martin, regarding your use of concrete blocks as safety support, I will quote my Kubota Manual: "Always secure equipment with solid, non-concrete supports before working under it. Never go under equipment supported by concrete blocks or hydraulics. Concrete can break, hydraulic lines can burst....."
Stay safe, and healthy and keep up the excellent videos.
Oh, I forgot to mention in the video that those concrete blocks were actually made of unobtainium, which is almost as dense and heavy as a collapsed star, so no worries about strength there. Seriously, thanks for the safety tip and for watching!
He used the blocks just like they are to go in the wall which is the strongest way. Most people make the mistake of laying them with the solid side up and down. The webs have little strength. I was a brick layer for 25 years it takes a very heavy load to fail in that orientation.
Hi Alan! Thanks for pointing that out! You are right that a lot of people make the mistake of stacking them on their sides. Thanks for watching!
When i can't get a jack stand or a solid log of wood , I've used the concrete blocks with a scrap piece of wood across the top.
Yup, you gotta sharpen them blades. I use a 3/4 hi-impact gun hooked to a 1/2 inch hose directly to the air compressor tank to remove mine. When the blades are sharp, the tractor works a lot less when cutting up small trees. Rocks can be hard on them and you can ask my neighbor as she was running from the rocks thrown by the mower when I was cutting by the road and she was going by.
Rocks, rocks, ROCKS! Even though I pick them up before or after I hit them, I always have a fresh crop of them the next time I mow. I think they grow faster than the grass! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for your video I’ve been doing this for the past 10 years and I didn’t know if I was wrong to do it but I never had a problem bush hogging after I did. It’s good to know that there are people out there like me that can fix something instead of replacing it.
Seems to me you’d sharpen bush hog blades like you would your lawn mower blades until they need replacing. We think alike. Thanks for watching!
@@DIYMyWay We have a Big Bee cutter that has been used nearly 25 years, every year or two we take them off and sharpen. Dads always lived by that and I believe you get a better finish specially this time of the year. I always put some grease on the threads
Couple things. You can take off any burrs hanging down but never put a chamfer on the bottom edge. It can cause the blade to strike an object and deflect upwards, giving the classic smashem ring on the cutter top sheet metal.
Many cutters are designed to stand on end (3 point end). Spin the blades horizontal to make sure of no ground contact and remove the PTO shaft sliding half. Hoist or loader lift the rear wheel.
I am on the sharp occasionally team, thanks. Will use some of your safety approaches.
I'm definitely from the occasional sharpening group just makes sense to have a somewhat Sharp blade going through grass and brush verses a blunt blade working your machine harder to do the same job good instructional video DIY bought a new l2501 in December and your videos have helpful many times thank you
Hi Matt! We think alike when it comes to sharpening brush hog blades. So glad you have found my videos helpful! I always love to hear that, so thank you for saying so!
I picked up a 100 to 600 lb torque wrench on amazon for 186. So, I think I'll remove them and sharpen then, bang out a dent or two.
We mow "pasture " weeds ( with hidden rocks, stumps and downed limbs), those blades looked plenty sharp before you sharpened them:).
The bush hog is rated at 4" tree capacity. Confirmed.
If you have got anything more than grass in your pasture you’re not cutting often enough.
Thanks Martin. I'm well overdue for blade sharpening. I appreciate you showing how you do your blade sharpening. Tons of rain days up here. Will send some rain down your way if needed. Have a fine week. Full-watch 👍🏽
Hi Don! It was actually easier than I expected and didn’t take long either. Thanks, but you can keep your rain 🌧! We have all we need down here. Thanks for watching! Hope you have a most excellent week too!
I sharpen mine about once a year, only sharpen mine on the bottom to a sharp edge. It is a 6 footer and is about 16 years old. Never had any vibration problem with it, the blades are real heavy and have no rocks in the fields to nick the blade up. Makes a world of difference each year from being rounded over about a 3/8 inch to a sharp edge. If I did not have a bad back I would sharpen it about every two months. As much metal weight and mass that it has I never have turned the metal blue while sharpening it so no chance of heat hardening it. If you cut the brush more than once a month it will kill the brush and the grass will take over, if you give the brush time to regrow you will just keep on fighting it ever couple of years plus the chance of putting a hole in your tractor tires. Cut, spray, cut spray, cut, cut, cut and let the grass take over.
I use a 3 point Boom to lift the Brush Hog. I do not have to sharpen on my back and it is much safer.
Hi Gary! A three point boom would be nice to have for sure. Thanks for watching!
Nice job. Ever considered lifting the unit up with the loader even into a vertical position? I hate crawling around on the ground. I lift our 60” land pride finish mower up with the forks and then remove the blades for sharpening. Works great.
Thanks, Stephen! No I didn’t since I had a shop with a concrete floor and a creeper. It would have been more work the other way. One day I’ll have the tools to remove the blades. Thanks for watching!
You said that the blade nut was 1 1/16" but the graphic showed 1 11/16". I've got the same tractor and bush hog and need to sharpen mine as well. Which socket size is it? Thank you
Ah-ha! You noticed! It's actually 1 11/16". From what I've seen on some other videos on the topic, it seems to be a common size for the blade nut. Thanks for watching!
Ecclesiastes 10:10 (KJV) If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
Very practical in your approach. I appreciate how hard, at times, it is to get those bolts removed. Good job!
Thanks, Tim! And thanks for watching!
Your brush hog doesn't look old enough to have presented such a problem breaking the nuts loose with the breaker bar. I have a Bush Hog SQ160, and the manual recommends 600 ft-lbs torque on the bolts. It takes a pretty good yank on a breaker bar with a 5' pipe extension, but they come loose every time. I keep two sets of blades on hand, rotating them about every 50 hours and then sharpening them, and they are on and off the mower frequently enough that they aren't problematic getting them off. I mow primarily a pond dam and driveway and powerline right-of-ways, and occasionally thicker, more challenging brush, but with frequent mowing and relatively sharp blades I get an almost finish mower result on the grassy areas.
600 lbs of torque I never would have guessed. Thanks for the comment.
Get you a Milwaukee 20v battery impact. It will knock that nut off. Sucker is the best tool I’ve ever bought.
Hate to tell you bud but the nut you couldn't get off is a reverse thread so you were tightening it instead of loosening it. Reverse thread keeps the blade from coming off.
Good evening Sir 😉 What happen to your thumb ( black nail ! ) 🤔 Yes these blades need sharpening for sure 👍Great sence of humor about the thanks giving Turkey Sir 🤣😂👍 Yes the mission is GO for Sure 👍 Have a great week Sir and thank you for you nice video Sir Cheers 👍
Hi Dave! It got smashed by a curious chain of events while trying to remove an electrical outlet box that I was moving. Many, many bad words were shouted at the time of the incident! LOL! Have a most excellent week and Thanks for watching!
@@DIYMyWay So Sir, if I understand that, all the Church dishes were very well polish during that sad event ? 🤣😉😊👍 Cheers !!!
I'm with you Martin! I like them a little more then a blunt edge. Nicely done video! Have a good one my friend!!!
Hi John! Yep, Somewhere between a baseball bat and surgical scalpel is about right. LOL! Thanks for watching and have a great week!
Wow I hard face slasher blades with 54 Rockwell 😂.
I had a similar problem removing my blades. I broke a 18-inch long half-inch drive with a very long cheetapipe. I bought a three-quarter drive, the nut came off really easy with the new drive.
You will have to remove the blades one day!
You are right, Eric. Some day I'll have to take them off and by then, I'll have the tools to do it with. Thanks for watching!
95 percent of my mowing is on my grassed waterways. It is too tough for a finish mower - it wouldn't stand a chance in 5 foot tall Reed Canary grass. Running sharpened blades gives me a cleaner cut, better secondary cut (mulching) and does it with less tractor horsepower.
Anyone ever open the back end of a closed rotary cutter 3 point and added a chain guard?
FYI WD-40 is a basically a solvent. Water-Displacement. Recommend a true penetrating lube or Automatic transmission fluid. Nice video and efforts are appreciated.
I unhook mower from tractor and stand it up, easier to sharpen and see. The only way I could get blades off was my neighbors one Inch impact . Leave loader attached to stabilize unit. Enjoyed your process also. Thanks for sharing.
Yep. I considered doing it that way but since I had my shop and a creeper and had plenty of room to work underneath. it was easier to do it this way. BTW, my loader was attached. Thanks for watching!
I was taught to never use cinder blocks to hold up vehicles or equipment. They break and collapse with any side loads. Do not know if this is really true.
That’s been discussed in other comments here that you might want to check out. Thanks for watching!
While I like you videos, I disagree with only two lines of thought. First of all, you do not address the need for regular inspection regardless of which school you subscribe to. Any nick or chip needs to be remediated immediately as they create a splitting/shattering hazard.
If you had regularly removed your blades for inspecting and sharpening your retaining bolts would not be so hard to remove (assuming you're using some anti-sieze compound when installing). Also, you were poorly equipped to remove the bolts. The 280 series Bush Hog manual calls for the bolts to be torqued to 450 ft/lbs (my diesel pickup has less torque than that). You'll need a way to lock the spindle and then generate more torque than that to break them loose. Neither of us are as young as we once were, so anything less than a 3/4" drive socket and a 6 foot breaker bar just isn't going to cut the mustard.
But back to blades... Nothing beats a #2 bastard cut file for sharpening an abused blade (or axe, or shovel, or any other tool with an edge). You have to remove a lot of metal to get those chips off the cutting edge. Slow is the way to go. An angle grinder or bench grinder is not a sharpening tool - period. I have a portable bench grinder for sharpening tools - it turns a whopping 60 RPM, and yes, it takes a while to sharpen an abused blade of any sort, but the end result is wondrous. Then if I am feeling all Hank Hill, I dress them up with my Arkansas soft then hard stone.
So, sharpen or not sharpen? The answer is really "depends". Only because I can afford it (won't be able to when I retire), I buy a set of mower blades for my zero-turn mower every year, and touch them up maybe 3 times over the mowing season. Not everyone can be so spendy, so it's even more important to do regular maintenance.
What a pain in the ass. You ought to do videos!
Nicks or chips in bush hog blades will not shatter or split. I have been mowing vacant lots & fields for 45 years & never had a blade break.
Did you notice any difference with the sharpened blades?
Yes, the mower definitely cut cleaner. Thanks for watching!
I think exactly like you. I hope one day I have a brush hog and clear trails. I should come soon. Thanks!
Hi Joe! Hearing that you think like me is a compliment because I admire your reasoning and design abilities, AND your great fabrication skills! Thanks for watching!
take a rope and tie a loop on one end , slip it over the end of the blade and tie the rope to an anchor point , keeps the blade from moving all over while sharpening
I did that exactly the same way for 10 years. Couldn't get the bolts loose. Went to Harbour Freight, bought that electric impact ( the 1050 ft lb one).In a few minutes had them off. Those bolts alone cost $30. The hf impact was $90, got a $30 rebate. For $60 it was well worth it...
Hmmm…. I’ll have to look into that. Thanks for the tip!
I'm struggling to find a 1-11/16" impact socket at a reasonable price.
Even if the PTO was connected to the tractor the engine is off hah
How's she goin'? Those blades aren't going to fall off eh!! They're on some tight. Nice job sharpening the blades. Hard to get at, but I think you are on the right track to put an edge on them to make it easier on the tractor. BTW, you are all in on Kubota Orange, even your grinder is orange!!! LOL Take care!!!
Hi Mike! Yep, I'll need some more powerful tools to get them off. LOL! Yep, I'm all in on Kubota Orange! Thanks for watching and stay well!
And you have to use a torque multiplier to torque them to spec, my John Deere is 480 ftlbs
Its more of a reshape if you get large cuts or dinks in the blade rather than a sharpen... sharpening it down to a knife edge can do more damage than good.... great vid
Right you are, Gavin! Thanks for watching!
I doubt you could heat up a blade enough to harden it, virtually impossible. You can heat up a blade enough to soft soften it or lose its temper. Work hardening is possible at low temperature which would make it brittle. Like banging into rocks.
I agree, Brian. Thanks for watching!
Bolts are probably left handed thread.
Remember to keep blades balanced in weight
nice video, however I was taught never ever user cinder blocks to prop up any kind of weight as they can shatter under excessive load. Wooden blocks are much much safer.
Good point! However, these cinder blocks were not supporting excessive weight and they were turn up in the right direction to carry the load. Most cinder block accidents happen because they are turned on their side so they are the weakest. Someone else expressed the same concern in the comments and a brick layer replied basically what I just shared with you. Still, I agree that wood blocks or a piece of 4x4 post would be safer. Thanks for watching!
If the tractor hydraulic leak off pressure and the blocks crack ( he did put a cap block across the top to distribute the weight across the webbing), then the tractors hydraulics are repressurized and will temporarily hold , that is unless he pushed the lift lever all the way down or has a terrible leak in the hydraulic lift. Plus he has jack stands. Always a good plan when younwork by yourself.
You're so very meticulous on all that you do; just super videos. To that end, however, are you intentionally not chaining your PTO cover to prevent it from spinning? I suppose if something went around it or snagged on it that it hopefully would be free from the actual PTO and the quick resistance would cease it from spinning and harming whatever became wrapped on it? Final question - how is the PTO quick coupler holding up? Pretty close to just getting one of those myself, but need to check my PTO shafts - I'd really prefer not to have to shorten them. Hopefully they recess the 5" or so as is. Great stuff sir!
Thank you for the kind words, Kip! Yes, I don’t chain the PTO cover deliberately and mainly for the reason you mention. In fact, I’ll probably do a video on the topic since others have asked about it. Yes, the PTO Connect is still going strong and sure takes the aggravation out of hooking up a PTO shaft. Thanks for watching!
A bit late to the thread, but what do you do if you DO get vibrating when you do your trial spin up? Is it just time for replacement blades?
Hi Chris! Not necessarily. There maybe a little vibration as you start spinning the blades, but it should smooth out as you bring it to PTO speed. If there is a strong vibration, that means there is a significant weight difference between the blades. You could take them off, weigh them then grind on the heavier one evenly along the length of the cutting edge until they weigh the same. If that doesn't do it, it probably time for new blades. Obviously, if a blade is twisted or missing a chunk out it, I would replace the blades. Thanks for watching!
Great info. I appreciate your approach to safety, the actual process, and gotta say, seeing your purple thumb nail shows a hard workin' man. Appreciate you!!
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, Tim! Glad you found the video helpful.
Balanced and sharp. Nice tight fit
I have a DeWalt DCF900 1/2" cordless impact...took those nuts off with no problem. Sure beats trying to sharpen them on the 'hog, and ya get to balance them too. (I use a corded grinder though).
I wish you had filmed it when you smashed your thumb and it gave you that blood blister under your thumbnail. I bet I could hear that curse here in N.Dakota. :p.
The cameras weren’t rolling when I did that, but I’m surprised you didn’t hear me cussing all the way in N. Dakota. I spewed a long list of blasphemous expletives at the time. Thanks for watching!
@@DIYMyWay I think I heard it today! It came on the winds we are experiencing, but took a while to get through the riots, virus etc. Love your channel.
I've got a 50 year old plus heavy duty 5' Terrain King Brush hog amongst others I own. The structure for the tail wheel itself is heavier than any brush hog I've ever seen and still perfectly intact. My dad bought this hog brand new in about 1972. It has a huge gearbox on it and total weight of the hog is about 1k lbs. It's had one blade change in 50 years because I did it. My dads favorite saying was if I can push it down this will cut it up. That was the truth. This brush has been through hell. I stuck it on the tractor and mowed with it the other day and it still cuts just fine. The blades are not "sharp" and have never been sharpened. This is a brush hog that was used to cut 4" brush or greater as well as grass through out its lifetime. If you want to spend time working on your stuff then by all means sharpen your blades. It will help in a situation where the tractor hp is small and the brush hog is big. Is it necessary for most unfinished mowing? No, not at all.
Hi Martin, you have given me something to look to, I have the same unit & I need to peak under there also & ck mine out... Question, did you unit come with the chains front & back or did you add them later... My unit has the rubber strip, and wonder if the chain would work better moving more air...Stay safe...& God Bless...Chief...{NYS/ADK}...PS Just broke a bolt in one of my spindles in my finish mower another job for tomorrow...Lol
Hi Chief! I ordered the chains and I like them because they allow better airflow and stop rocks and other projectiles better. I highly recommend them. Thanks for watching!
DIY My Way i think i will do the same... thanks
I have a 72" cutter and I sharpen the blades twice a season. I have a 55 horse Kubota and the amount of stress sharp blades take off of the motor is very noticable. Don't listen to these guys about concrete blocks, they're also used for building commercial buildings so they will withstand a lot of weight when the weight is distributed evenly as you showed in your video. Thank you sir.
Are the nuts on the blade left or right hand thread ? Great video
From what little of the threads I can see, they appear to be right hand threads. Thanks for watching!
Whats the rush? Still looked like you may have raised the temp a bit too high, as once you get the edge red hot, its too late.
A file is best, if you have the time! As Abraham Lincoln said; "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." Course they did not have Dewalt around yet, but had their original ax heads for ever, sharpening slow and cold.
We cut mostly heavy weeds and grass with ours. And occasional bush or two. I try to get an edge on the blades every spring.
How kind of you to share your knowledge in this excellent video!
Hi Rick! I’m no expert by any means but I’m glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching!
Thanks good video. I have to do same to mine. It's fine on small brush but splitting saplings. It would have been great to have shown the mowing or brush cut to my results before and after the sharpening.
Thanks, deer rudy! Your right. A before and after would have been good to do. Thanks for watching!
@@DIYMyWay you can always put it on the list for future content. I think it be an interesting watch. Thx
We lightly. Sharpen just to make it easy on machime
It just makes sense to sharpen them occasionally. Thanks for watching!
hd
Done wrong. Top should be flat , cutting edge should be at 45 degree
I think the nuts are reverse thread.
On bush hog brand , they are not. They are just tightened to 600lb/ft....
What do you recommend to use on your grinder to sharpen? Ty!
Hi Ryan! I used an A24R 4.5" x 1/4" type 27 grinding wheel. Thanks for watching!
I find it esier to flip the deck over with the front loader then I can work semi comfortably with the grinder and things never fall "up." I use a 80 grit flap disk and count passes so I can keep things more or less equal.
Sounds like a good system, Michael! Thanks for watching!
very helpful
Just watched a few of your videos, of course this one, PTO safety chain was the first, and the Messicks brush guard... You good sir just got another Subscriber and Bell ringer. Thanks for the well made videos.👍
Found you btw way Google searching for a PTO safety chain. Your video was in the Google search. After your points in that video, you saved me a few bucks and a trip to TSC! 👍 🙂
Glad you are getting some value from my videos! Thanks for watching and subscribing!
Thank you! 👍🏻
You're welcome!
Thank god for this 🙏 video 📹.
I am more interested in how the blades move. I can look at hundreds of pictures of the top of brush hogs but close to none on the underside where it cuts. So if you hit a hard object the blade can swing backwards?
Hi James. Yes, that right. The blade can swing backwards if it hit a hard object, which prevents chaos, death and destruction. Thanks for watching!