42" Blade Question

[Shadrack]

Has anybody modified the 42" blade from the welded connecting rod (on the main frame) to a removable connecting rod for ease of decoupling (main frame from sub frame)? I bought one on eBay that was shipped to me with the two pieces separated. I asked the seller about the authenticity of the welded rod and he said it was supposed to be welded, not to modify it (because it wouldn't work correctly), and I should reconnect the two pieces using a pry bar and never decouple them again.

Thanks.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Shadrack, WELCOME!

I only have snowthrowers so I can't answer your question but someone should be along soon to offer at least an opinion.

 

[snicklas]

That’s the way I’ve done it. They are welded in place. I either use a pry bar or have even used a small bottle jack to spread the fork open enough to put it back together. Once together, they stay that way. I just stand mine up (with the pushing surface of the blade facing the floor, and lean the undercarriage against the wall. The only reason I see to separate them is if you are changing undercarriages to go from a narrow to wide frame undercarriage. The blade itself is the same, just the undercarriage and lift rod a different. Also the little mount the lift rod goes in on the blade is different over the years, but I’ve mounted the exact same blade on a narrow frame, wide frame and 82 Series. The only change was the undercarriage and lift rod between the narrow frame and wide/82 tractors. According to the book the wide frame 1x8/9 and Quietline use a different rod mount on the blade than the 82 series, but I didn’t have an issue with the one for the wide frame on the 82 series.

I’d say fight with it once to put it together and then leave it that way. I just lay mine dow and drive up to it to installed it. Be doing that in the next couple of weeks.

 

[dschwandt]

Here's a tip that will make mounting a blade on yoiur wide frame Cub a snap..
Weld, or have someone weld a couple extensions on the upper tine of the "pickle fork" of the end of the sub frame.

Then you don't have to fight the damn thing trying to align the fork and the QA rod at the same time.

Just hang the sub frame from the rockshaft on the extensions then raise the blade and front of the sub frame and push to engage the QA.

 

[snicklas]

I might look into lengthening the pickle fork.

As I get older, my current method won't be as easy. I'm tall and strong enough (for now at least) that I lay on the ground beside the tractor, with the QA pins just clearing the QA, I "stand" the blade up (about where it should be when mounted), hook the toe of my boot under the undercarriage back toward the forks, with the blade standing up, I line up the QA with my hand, the fork with my foot and either pull everything back (if I am on a surface that will slide) or have a helper creep the tractor forward. Everything slides where it should, and I latch the QA, put the lift rod on, the bobby pins in the QA pins (I leave the bobby pins in the plow rod), hook up the two hydraulic lines and everything is ready. Take the 20-30 minutes to put the chains on (I have a trick or two there also) and its ready to work, or sit in the garage all winter like it has the last couple of years........

 

[Shadrack]

All,
Thanks for the welcome. Thanks also for sharing your thoughts and experience. What I didn't ask in my post was "what's the trick to mounting the blade when the two pieces are coupled?" Thanks David and Scott!! I mounted my sub frame then tried to couple the blade with no success. I'm going to stay with the welded rod for now. I still believe having a removable rod would be a benefit by compacting the storage space and making it easier to mount. Tom

62 504, 66 Cub, 50 Cub, 70 106

 

[dschwandt]

But, a non welded rod will just create 2 more places (in the sub frame) for slop and wear to eventually take it's toll!!
This type of equipment take enough beatings over the years as it is.

 

[tfrashure]

I absolutely like the idea of welding on those extensions as i just put one on a 1650 that was quite the challenge. Do extentions need to be that long though? I was wishing for a quarter inch, those are 2.5"?

 

[dschwandt]

They need to be long enough to engage the rock shaft BEFORE the QA pins engage.

 

[dschwandt]

Shadrach,
Ad an add on to my previous post,
The steel the A frame is made from is only about 1/3rd as heavy (thick) as the material the sub frame is made from,
That is another reason NOT to remove the welded rod joint.
That is UNLESS you weld a suitably heavy/thick enough bushing to the inside of the A-frame take the load of the punishment these blades take.

Good luck!

 

[dgunn]

After almost 40 years of just having a QA42A blower this past year picked up a 2nd 149 and added a plow. The first time I hooked up the plow I had exactly the same thoughts. Why not just put a removable rod in place of the pins so I wouldn't have to mess with a crow bar and muscling the whole assembly. I see the pros and cons and might still try a the rod modification for next year. As an aside my QA42A used to break the welds at the pins so I drilled them out and replaced them with a rod. They have been working fine for the last ten years.

 

[lkortkamp]

The pivot pin for the blade is removable on mine, from the PO. Mount the frame easily, then just slide the blade up to it, tip the back up and with the wheels turned hard one way, slip the rod in and install the hitch pins to secure it. The PO always added 6" to each side of my 42" blade to make it 54" wide.

 

[lkortkamp]

Here you can see the rod across the bottom of the picture.

 

[Shadrack]

Nice!!