6-1131/1141 54" & 56" blade question

[Sarge 3,463]

Fast question ...

 

Per the IPL for the 6-1141 and 6-1131 54" & 56" blades - how is everyone pinning the rear blade lock arms so they can't unlock the blade ? I've ran into problems with this thing before wanting to unlock itself and drop the blade half off the tractor. It seems when back dragging rough pavement, especially if I back into a snow bank the thing is moving those locks out of position and allowing the frame to drop off. The only reason it stays at least somewhat under the D is the lift arm , but getting it back into position is no fun due to the weight of this thing and especially out in the snow/cold weather. Last time I had to drag the thing back to a clear area so I could wrestle it back into position, lift the frame and lock it again. I did wire them shut for now, but don't trust it and I use it to back drag quite a bit on rough areas I don't want to ram the cutting edge against and risk damaging the rear axle differential or anything else. Mine has been rebuilt with a new cutting edge of 1055HC and the frame is highly beefed up - most of it is now boxed in and the thing has gained nearly 50lbs of steel. It cuts great, almost too good but that random dropping it off is starting to irritate me - need some ideas here...

 

The smaller 42" and other frames lock from the other direction - so to speak. The brackets are also drilled to accept large hair pin cotters to keep those locks in place - I see no way the bigger blade frame is designed for that, unless I'm missing something ?

 

Sarge

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

I've been using these in the "lock levers" on the axle bracket, not my idea but ever since I seen it, tried it and hasn't fell out since, Jeff.

[WNYPCRepair 1,921]

46 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

I've been using these in the "lock levers" on the axle bracket, not my idea but ever since I seen it, tried it and hasn't fell out since, Jeff.

 

 

I use a clevis pin and R clip.

[oldredrider 2,549]

The locking arms on my 54" blade have the "star" tension washers with nylock nuts. Pushed a lot of snow, brush, logs, dirt, rocks and anything else that would move. Never had one come loose.

Edited February 8, 2018 by oldredrider

[Sarge 3,463]

Guess I'd better study the drawings closer - the brackets were on the old bat when I got it but like everything else on this D180 it's probably been screwed up by the PO...lol. I see no holes for a pin clip, pto type or otherwise. Maybe they were altered, like the rest of the frame by whoever half destroyed it . I'll dig deeper tomorrow when the elusive MIA hose shows up, or at least I hope it does since we're getting winter storm warnings for Thursday through Saturday...seat time !

 

Sarge

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

@Sarge, see the extra hole in the "keys" 1st pic then second pic I just have a 1/4-20 bolt through to lock them in place, should be as simple as getting it locked in place and hand drilling 2 holes through the keys and axle bracket, then use a bolt or a PTO pin, and one of these "anti-sway bars" will help with that as well, Jeff.

[Sarge 3,463]

I do plan on a tracking pin this spring - that big blade puts a lot of force on the rear axle of the D due to how it's designed, not to mention it's weight, the thing is 1,400lbs or more...

 

The locks on the D blade are different - placed in front of the axle. The mounts for the rear are bolted against the housing and the rear half is the mounting bolts for the 3pt frame. Probably have to pull the wheels off and see if I can drill the frame and locks for a pin or something - will get pics later today after the shed warms up. I can't recall exactly how mine are bolted up - they could be mounted wrong or off something else like a GT14 as I think those are slightly different.

 

Sarge

[Sarge 3,463]

Ok, so upon removing the rear wheels/tires/chains/weights I got a better look at it - the locks were installed backwards, nice. Not the first one I've seen like that , most times it's the main mount section is wrong but at least that part was correct, just the locks need flipped around.

 

 

 

Just up/left of the bolt holding the lock arm you can see the hole by the factory bolt for a retaining pin to keep the lock in place so it can't open.

 

 

Left side had a hole from the factory - as the IPL showed . Right side, however did not have the hole drilled so I bored through both parts and used a 3/16" hair pin clip on them - it won't unlock on it's own again now, or at least it shouldn't .

 

Right side is now bored right through the lock and mount side plate -

 

 

 

I was a bit surprised at finding a square hole for a 3/8" carriage bolt - IPL shows just 3/8"x1-1/4" standard bolts but I went ahead and used the carriage bolts I had on hand, makes it easier to set the tension on the lock anyway. Some new nylock nuts and washers finished it off nicely.

 

Went out with it and finished moving back the banks and piles - up to 12" predicted for the next 24hrs so I figured I'd better move the piles while I had a decent chance. Turns out that was a good idea since they had been melted a bit by the sun and were frozen pretty hard to the ground. The D didn't care, just moved them as big pieces like they weren't there, only spun out once with the chains and 50lb weights. By the time I finished that and the other half of the parking lot we had a new 2" layer that had fallen early this evening before I came in - snowing pretty hard so we should get some decent seat time tomorrow. Sounds like it will be up near 30*F, so it's going to be fairly wet stuff, too - great. I love this blade, cuts easily, rolls perfectly even at low speeds and leaves the surface dead clean - the 1055HC cutting edge is working perfectly. Just need some time to get the skids done and set them up - it will move frozen gravel easily as well as sod, concrete and whatever it hits,lol...

 

Sarge

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

@Sarge,Glad we could solve this issue rather easily, if it wasn't such hassle a set of quick hitch locks like on that JD blade I converted over to the Kioti would be the car's @$$ ,Jeff.

[Sarge 3,463]

I've considered doing something similar - but in all honesty the way WH originally designed these things for the given space - it's tough to really do any better. Just odd one side was drilled, the other wasn't but mistakes do happen. This blade is a pain to lift up to hook the rear locks - it's gained so much weight with the repairs as I had replaced the entire nose section with steel twice the thickness of the original - the thing was mangled badly. Too light of a design for me - so it's 1/4" steel now and the 3-hole hoop has welded steel bushings in it - the thing will not bend again and even has a SS heat-treated pin to lock the direction. Add to that the first section is now boxed in with 3/16" steel , plus the 1055HC 1/2" thick beveled cutting edge . About got a hernia getting it off the stands when it was done - I should have set up a plate for a bar to help lift the rear to latch it and will do that when the weather breaks. The design of the lift point on this one doesn't work well trying to use the hydraulic lift to bring it up like the other smaller blades, might address that as it seems a bit off in it's lift point to me. It's sort of a love/hate thing with the spring loaded link on it , but it is nice that it will float if the ground is solid enough - but that cutting edge doesn't care and will rip out concrete and sod like nothing - lot of cleanup come spring.

 

At least now it hasn't unlatched itself - did a lot of work after the mods/repairs today and tested the heck out of it back dragging several times as well as backing into banks deep enough to nearly get stuck - no problems.

Now, let's see just how much snow we get out of this storm system...lol.

 

Sarge

[Sarge 3,463]

Ok...Thursday/Friday storm dumped right on 5" , plus a little more overnight into Saturday. I did plow it out Friday afternoon, just didn't have time to take any real pics - but here's the results.

 

 

 

Winds here do some strange things - even with fairly dry snow -

 

 

The D and it's blade worked excellent - had to do a lot of back dragging work on the north side of the building from the rough pavement over there - no issues with the locking arms. I do need to install a top flap to keep the snow from going over the top of it - the stuff is getting melted by the engine's hot air coming off the cooling fan and melting, forming thick ice on the trip springs/pivot sector and linkage. Glad I used SS on those parts - at least everything remained working despite being a solid block on the outside. The bushings on the blade center bolt have finally gotten broke in better, had to tighten the bolt down the rest of the way and it's smooth as butter, locks easily in position and releases very easily, like it should. Need to get a video - I can load this blade almost 2/3 full and just roll the stuff off to the side at a decent clip like nothing's there...

 

More predicted for tonight into tomorrow early - expecting another 3"-4" , glad I pushed the banks well back - they are frozen solid now.

 

 

Sarge

Edited February 11, 2018 by Sarge
spelling

[Sarge 3,463]

Did another 4" yesterday and about wore out the Shepherd again - man has he gotten fat and out of shape, lol. He enjoyed the exercise and getting outside for awhile...

 

 

 

QUESTION -

Anyone else with a D ran into the rear side of the blade, sector and linkage getting full of ice from the engine melting any snow that comes over the top of the blade ?? By the end of the day it was almost 1-1/2" thick and the blade was cutting ferociously from the extra weight - which it doesn't need as it's gotten quite a lot heavier during the "rebuild" . I think it's just the heat coming off the big Kohler - it blows out the front of the grill and heats up the back surface of the blade - had to use a big wooden block to knock it all loose before putting the old girl away. I have some snow plow rubber strip just for the top of the blades - plan to install those this week when it warms up and may give it a set of wings as well.

 

Sarge

 

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,343]

Sarge I am like your Shepard , fat and out of shape , maybe I need to run beside the D when you are moving snow . Great looking Shepherd , D is not too shabby either.

[Sarge 3,463]

I just wish the shepherds would last as long as the Horse - great dogs but their life span is pretty short for the most part. My last one died of cancer at 10yrs, that about killed us since it was a long-term fight that he lost in the end. Now, this one is 7 already and starting to have some issues , mostly from his own drive pushing him, but it's what they are made for as a breed. I love their intelligence and loyalty and I trust him without question as he does with me, has been one of the best I've had. Wish I had more time, funds and a decent place to work on the D - would love to at least get a decent paint job on the old bugger - but it's a heavy worker and the pink is sort of a weathered badge of durability, lol. I'm one of those weird skinny people, never have been able to put on much weight and have a crazy-high metabolism - if it ever goes the other way I'm in serious trouble. Some folks can look at the fridge and gain weight - I can eat the dumb thing and end up losing weight - go figure. I get the same type of lecture from the Doc , just opposite of most of his patients is all...age is not kind either way and my joints are pretty much gone . I wear out parts, just like the Horse, and the shepherds.

 

Btw- he's an all-German black and red, very old and protected blood line and cost me a bunch to get him. These are more of what they call the "Old World" type, more like the original breed from over 100yrs ago. He was suppose to top out at about 80-85lbs, but he's at 100 now and needs to get more exercise or it can lead to a lot of health issues in that breed. He's almost all hand signals and enjoys search work , we spend hours in the summer doing that stuff to keep him engaged and sharp - plus he's happier that way when working . If I could have 10 just like him I would, lol.

 

Sarge

[Sarge 3,463]

Got tired of the snow coming over the top of the blade, then freezing into a sheet of gunk that was freezing up the linkage at times - so I made a top flap for it . Had some strips of old stock Western plow flaps for big truck plows, some 1-1/4" x 1/8" steel flat stock and 10 sems bolts w/locking nuts - works great for now and might build one out of steel this summer to help the blade roll the snow better.

 

Marked and pre-drilled the flat stock , clamped it in place where it needs to sit and bored the blade's top lip to match.

 

 

Rubber installed -

 

 

Side view -

 

 

Moved the trailer to clean it where it's parked to get better drainage off the parking lot -

 

 

Overall, productive day for once. Now I'm paying for working out in the damp weather, heating pads should help with that...I hope.

 

Sarge

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,195]

"I can't wait to see the end results for that mod", nice work

 

Oldman

[Sarge 3,463]

Not even a good start - lot of plans this spring . That new little lunch box welder is going to get it's butt kicked , a lot. Gathering iron now and drawing plans out .

 

Sarge