The Green Industry's Resource Center

NEUSWEDE · #1 03-06-2006, 03:30 PM

I have a Exmark TTHP , I took the blades off today to sharpen for the season after sitting since DEC. 2 of the bolts came out fine but the bolt on the spindle opposite of the discharge is stuck, I heated it and still didn't budge. I had vise grips on the spindle above the blades that went upp against the inside and a breaker bar for the socket for the bolt for the blades.

Any ideas? or am I screwed and have to replace the whole spindle?

Thanks

lawnmaniac883 · #2 03-06-2006, 03:35 PM

First, spray down with some PB Blaster, it is some good stuff. Second, you dont want to heat the bolt, that just made things worse. You want to freeze the bolt/heat the spindle. Third, wedge a 2x4 between the blade and the baffle, take your breaker bar and really wrench on it. If that doesnt work, find an impact wrench. Usually you can get them off with a breaker bar or length of pipe.

NEUSWEDE · #3 03-06-2006, 03:50 PM

put pb on it for 30min, heated only the spindle didn't heat the bolt.

I had vise grips clamped onto the spindle wedged against baffle. I had the breaker bar on there and was wrenching so hard I was moving the whole mower which I was holding onto!

Don't have a strong enough impact wrench.

Might pull the whole thing off and take it to a friends shop.

mmacsek · #4 03-06-2006, 03:50 PM

I agree with lawnmaniac. About 2 years ago I hit a metal rod with my TTHP and the same bolt was stuck big time. i couldn't get it off and didn't have time to mess with it. I took it to the dealer. He tried an impact and nothing. He used a breaker bar with about a 6' cheater bar and a 2x4 wedged by the blade. It came loose fast. I figured if the bolt snapped they could change the spindle faster than me. Good Luck Matt

K c m · #5 03-06-2006, 04:10 PM

you are going to need 2 box wrenches and 2 pieces of pipe.

take the top box wrench and put the circular part on the top with the deck proped up and put the piece of pipe over the wrench (inside of it and rest it up against the motor.
take the other box wrench and put it on the bottom and put the pipe over it as well and put some torque on it.
the reason I believe this could have happened is you may have hit something which has bent the bolt. so put it on a glass table and roll it. Just a thought.

EXspyguy · #6 03-06-2006, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K c m

you are going to need 2 box wrenches and 2 pieces of pipe.

take the top box wrench and put the circular part on the top with the deck proped up and put the piece of pipe over the wrench (inside of it and rest it up against the motor.
take the other box wrench and put it on the bottom and put the pipe over it as well and put some torque on it.
the reason I believe this could have happened is you may have hit something which has bent the bolt. so put it on a glass table and roll it. Just a thought.

Never put a wrench on the top nut of a floating deck, It will loosen the preload on the bearing and then you will be replacing a spindle assm. The PB blast will help but it is probably locked up from being overtorqued from the blade striking something. By heating the spindle you could have damaged the seals on the bearings so don't be suprised if that bearing fails shortley after the mowing season starts. I normaly will clamp a vise grip to the back of the mower deck and allow the blade to come around to the vise grip (to hold the blade in place ) Then use a 4-6' pipe on the breaker bar. It will probably come off with a loud bang.

KERRTURF · #7 03-06-2006, 04:53 PM

Same thing happened to me last year. I ended up taking it to a local auto mechanic. He had an impact strong enough to break it loose. Cost me $2 and about 15 minutes.