Jump to content

Unofficial Home of Old Simplicity & Allis-Chalmers Garden Tractors

Blade mounting....A better Idea!


lkydvl

Recommended Posts

Bought a used 6216 and pulled the blades to sharpen. Thought at first some idiot had put on the wrong blades when I saw those spring steel bushings between the blade and splined shaft. Checked with a dealer and its the way they are made?!?! What kind of silliness is that? Previous owner had never changed them so the shafts were well worn and beaten where these bushings were. Tried new ones and found them too thin for the damaged area blades still shifted and could not be assured they were centered. Tried other thicknesses but damaged was not uniform. Blades were badly off balance too. Welded the splined washers to blades, sharpened and balanced to a gnat's eyelash and replaced. Cleaned the underside of the deck and Man does that thing mow now! Have a new set of blades on order and another set of splined washers and bushings too. Figure I can replace a whole bunch of the washers and blades before I have to replace the shafts as they are OK where the splined washers seat. Think they should have come this way!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ran into this when I tried to replace the spindle bearings on my 6216, It took some serious sledge bashing to drive the shaft out of the upper blade flange. My tractor did not have the spring bushings, and the cupped washers that hold the splined washers had long since lost their cup so all 3 shafts were hashed. Thinking that the blades were wrong for the tractor I just wrapped bailing wire around the shaft and that worked OK. I did not even know there was supposed to be a bushing in there untill I broke a bolt off in one of the shafts after sharpening, and had to order a new shaft. I also ordered the cupped washers, and was suprised how much of a cup they are supposed to have when new. I'm now considering a peice of garden hose or a thick O ring because the spring bushing is a sloppy fit in the blade. Let me know if you come up with a non-welded solution.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Arnold, The welded solution adds $4 per blade to the replacement cost of new blades, providing you hvae't planned ahead and welded all around the washer. These were welded in just a couple spots so can be removed for new blades and reattached.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate to spend money, and love to repair things. But not when it comes to spinning blades. It cost me less than $300 to rebuild my deck replacing worn shafts, bearings, bushings, washers, belts, blades, controls, and adjusters with new parts. I figured it was insurance against a potential catastrophe if a blade broke or came loose. The splined and cupped washers are designed to hold the blade to the spindle, but permit the blade to slip if you hit an object. Welding the washer to the blade defeats that safety design. If the blade can’t slip when it hits an object, it will cause damage to the deck, or worse snap off and go flying. Welding changes the metal properties of the blade. Please, don’t ever weld a mower blade, or rig the attaching hardware.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Dutch. When you weld it excites the molecules of the metal and "crystalizes" the metal beside the weld. This in turn causes a break down in the "temper" of the metal that is added during manufacturing process. You may be asking for an "unguided" missle being launched. Spend the 2 to 3 hundred dollars and do this job properly - please?? Marion W. Kerr
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...