Snapped Bolt

[Vacula]

Well my maintenance of the 54" deck, (RCK54-22BX), on my BX1500 didn't go well today. I took all three blades off and sharpened them after I greased the pulleys, etc.
Putting the blades back on, I tried to use my torque wrench set at 80 ft lbs to tighten them up and the last blade bolt snapped. (One too many hits on the impact wrench before testing the ft/lbs).
I was having trouble with the torque wrench anyway due to the spindles moving while using the wrench. I blocked the blades and even tried to put a BIG pipe wrench behind the blade to hold the spindle but everything moved well before I could get the torque wrench to "break" at 80 lbs. (Or 60 lbs for that matter).
In any event, the bolt broke flush to the spindle end and I have no means of even attempting to get it out. It goes to the dealer Monday or Tuesday. So much for saving money. Sometimes, like most of this winter, it doesn't pay to DIY when you have my luck! That just sucked!

 

[whitetiger]

I can almost always unscrew the broken piece out using a center punch and small hammer to unscrew it.

 

[Wbk]

It really sucks when that happens, if you have a welder you can place a fairly large washer with a small center hole (body washer)over the broken stud then weld it to the stud then weld a nut to the washer. Be sure to grind the anodized finish off of the washer and nut before you start welding. Good Luck

 

[D2Cat]

Like Whitetiger said, use the center punch and get a little dimple as far out on the outside as possible. Then just angle the punch and work it counterclockwise. Might soak it with PB Blaster (or your favorite poison) to create less friction.

 

[nickelplated5s]

Easy Out. It's what they are made for doing.

 

[Vacula]

It's out! That bolt is very soft. I anticipated a hardened bolt but it actually was just the opposite. New bolt was under 3 bucks at the dealer.
It's on but again, I still could not get 80 ft lbs torque on the bolt. Everything moves long before I get to that amount of might on the wrench. I tried a pipe wrench on the cup. Wooden blocks holding the blades. I tried a strap wrench on the pulley. Everything slips. It's on. It's tight. It's greased. Blades are sharp. Time to service the other motorized things before trout season opens next month. Thanks for jogging my brain which is hard-wired to my lazy a#%!

 

[Grouse09]

It's out! That bolt is very soft. I anticipated a hardened bolt but it actually was just the opposite. New bolt was under 3 bucks at the dealer.

It's on but again, I still could not get 80 ft lbs torque on the bolt. Everything moves long before I get to that amount of might on the wrench. I tried a pipe wrench on the cup. Wooden blocks holding the blades. I tried a strap wrench on the pulley. Everything slips. It's on. It's tight. It's greased. Blades are sharp. Time to service the other motorized things before trout season opens next month. Thanks for jogging my brain which is hard-wired to my lazy a#%!

80ft lbs seems very tight. My Grasshopper ZTR is 55ft lbs per blade. Turn your torque wrench down and see where you are at...just so you know next time you change your blades out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Joe Z]

If you have one of those harbor freight torque wrenches that click i always start at say 30 ft lbs listening for the click on then off....then i proceed to say 60 lbs....then finally 80 lbs.
Bring the wrench down to zero when starting and l always set on the way up....Very important to listen for that click on then off. I learned the hard way

 

[Vacula]

I know it's been three weeks but I have a story and it is funny in retrospect.

My fairly expensive bigger torque wrench, (1/2" Kobalt), is what I have been using and yesterday late, I started removing the ag tire rims all around to switch back over to my turf tires now that the Spring maintenance is finished.
Out comes the torque wrench to snug the rear bolts to 80 - 90 ft/lbs and I'm not getting there. This is the same crap I had with the mower blade bolts.

The issue all along.................I'm freakin' deaf!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too many years as an old burned out disk jockey and then working in manufacturing using air guns, etc for 35 years have left me with not a lot of range including trying to hear that "click"
The solution was putting my Walker electronic gun-range hearing protection on, turning off the local classic rock station and turning up the sensitivity. Click heard! Unbelievable and embarrassing!
It is funny in a strange sort of way but I'm having some problems getting used to this aging process. I wonder what my mid-life crisis is going to be????

 

[bxray]

Your mid-life crisis will be buying a bigger tractor!

Ray

 

[D2Cat]

Vacula, the best thing is you found out the problem. Now, the cure may not be comfortable! But you should quit breaking bolts

 

[Daren Todd]

Your mid-life crisis will be buying a bigger tractor!

Ray

That's what mine is gonna be Already warned the wife and got it picked out

 

[thebicman]

Time for a new torque wrench. The wrench I use does make a sound but you can also feel when its at the set torque. Don't even listen for the sound anymore.

 

[Dave_eng]

In 40+ years of owning a 72" 3 blade Land Pride mower, The worst thing that can happen is to have a blade retention bolt come loose. If you do not notice it immediately, the hole in the blade wears a little bit, the bolt wears a little bit and now, regardless of how tight it is torqued it comes loose more and more often.

Last year I started with three new blades and three new bolts and three new washers.

The painted surface on the blade caused me grief as it was too slippery for the washer to lock up with. I was watching very closely and listening for slippage and it happened very quickly.

Before anything had a chance to wear out of round, I put the blade in a vice and using a large flat file removed the paint and flattened the top and bottom surfaces around the bolt hole.

No more problems all season.

Dave

 

[baronetm]

My answer to bolts I believe may loosen from worn threads or be an application where moisture may cause rust, BLUE LOCTITE. It serves two purposes, one it helps to retain bolt tightness and is service removable. Second it displaces moisture, or fills the gaps where moisture can accumulate and cause rusted threads or frozen bolts.