Tiger Cat First Blade Removal

R

rfc

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Well I made it harder than it had to be. Used a 6" c clamp for the side blades and a breaker bar. Then the fun began with that middle blade. The pulley turns with the nut and I couldn't get it blocked correctly. So, I borrow a 3/8 drive impact wrench and it wouldn't budge. Then went to a 1/2 heavy duty and the nut zipped right off :laughing: Anyway my question is what impact to buy, 3/8 or 1/2, brand, Craftsman ok or chitty like most of their tools. Is 75 ft lbs the correct torque ? Thanks in advance.
 
Myself if I only had one impact it would be a 1/2in. The 3/8 is nice for light duty engine work. I find I don't use my 3/8 impact very much. If you do buy a impact wrench just make sure you buy the impact sockets to go along with it. Just a cheap set of impact sockets from HF will last a long time.
 
Build a blade blocker that will work on all three blades. Lay it on a blade open side down and it stays there. A clamp is a pain in the ****.
 

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If you are going to buy an impact wrench then get a good one.
I think the one I use is an Remington has 3 times the impact energy and usus 1/2 the air of my previous ( now back up ) one which came in the air kit I got with the first compressor.
Just watch the length of the shaft a lot of the better ones have long shafts which makes getting under decks a bit difficult.
 
I made a heavy gauge sheetmetal tool to be a third hand and hold the 1/2 drive socket & breaker bar underneth the deck as I loosen the top nut. I also use the blade buddy to lock up the blade from turning.
I have a 1/2 drive impact gun as my back up but I never needed it so far. When I remount the blade I torque them to 75 LBS.
 
rfc said:
Well I made it harder than it had to be. Used a 6" c clamp for the side blades and a breaker bar. Then the fun began with that middle blade. The pulley turns with the nut and I couldn't get it blocked correctly. So, I borrow a 3/8 drive impact wrench and it wouldn't budge. Then went to a 1/2 heavy duty and the nut zipped right off :laughing: Anyway my question is what impact to buy, 3/8 or 1/2, brand, Craftsman ok or chitty like most of their tools. Is 75 ft lbs the correct torque ? Thanks in advance.
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We normally change blades daily on my Tiger Cat. We use a Craftsman 1/2" 19 volt cordless impact. It works great. We pull the mower up on a sidewalk or driveway and stick a small floor jack under the deck in the very front and raise the mower that way.

A couple of times we have had a blade that the impact would not break loose. What we did in that case was wedge the bottom bolt with a combination wrench and then tool a long breaker bar in top and take it loose.

If it is possible we always try to change the blades early in the AM when everything is cold.
 
SeniorCitizen said:
Build a blade blocker that will work on all three blades. Lay it on a blade open side down and it stays there. A clamp is a pain in the ****.
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If I understand you correctly you slide that jewel on the end of the blade with the ears hanging down? I tried wedging a short section of 2x4 to no avail and finally acquired a longer breakover bar that would hit on the rear wheels. Your hootus looks a whole lot handier and works on the center blade. I'm just too stupid to see how it works.

Please explain it to me.
 
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