Has anyone ever stretched the pocket holes on your stump grinder

[treeclimber]

I have one of our 352's with a problem with four holes that are now ovaled and will not hold a bolt for more than two days is the wheel trash ??? This problem is on the cutter wheel ....

 

[FJR]

Interesting, I am starting to have the same problem and was wondering what to do. Might be new wheel time?

 

[treeclimber]

Interesting, I am starting to have the same problem and was wondering what to do. Might be new wheel time?

I was told that were having this problem because improper bolt torque..

 

[lumberjack]

Yeah, the torque was too low. The bolts shouldn't be in shear, only tension (for all intensive purposes). The friction between the pocket and the wheel is what transmits the force.

That can be caused by too little torque initially applied to the bolts, the threads in the pockets pulling (relieving the tension), the bolts being worn out (over torqued and yielded), or the wheel compressing (unlikely).

Unless the holes are realllly worn, the wheel should still be serviceable assuming you fix the problem. The wheel can probably be repaired.

One thing Rayco got right (IMO) is a thick wheel. We put 1900 hours on the first and only changed it out because dad ordered one before he got hurt, IMO it could have went for another while before needing to be changed.

 

[treeclimber]

Yeah, the torque was too low. The bolts shouldn't be in shear, only tension (for all intensive purposes). The friction between the pocket and the wheel is what transmits the force.

That can be caused by too little torque initially applied to the bolts, the threads in the pockets pulling (relieving the tension), the bolts being worn out (over torqued and yielded), or the wheel compressing (unlikely).

Unless the holes are realllly worn, the wheel should still be serviceable assuming you fix the problem. The wheel can probably be repaired.

One thing Rayco got right (IMO) is a thick wheel. We put 1900 hours on the first and only changed it out because dad ordered one before he got hurt, IMO it could have went for another while before needing to be changed.

Well now we are shearing bolts and ruining pockets can we build those holes up with weld or is the wheel hardened ..

 

[lumberjack]

Don't think it's hardened, test it with a file.

If I were doing it, I'd heat the wheel in an oven, weld, and use a mill to true the hole and face.

How do you torque the bolts?

 

[treeclimber]

Don't think it's hardened, test it with a file.

If I were doing it, I'd heat the wheel in an oven, weld, and use a mill to true the hole and face.

How do you torque the bolts?

Well thats the problem we were using a torque wrench but I recently found out the cutter operator was just using a long wratchet, I believe that filling with weld would work but if its hopeless than I'll just replace the wheel ..

 

[SkwerI]

Also, those bolts should be replaced once in a while. Especially if they have been overtorqued. Think of a bolt as a sort of steel bungee cord. When you tighten the nut, it stretches the bolt and that stretch is what keeps it tight. If it's been overstretched then it won't have the same clamping power when reused.

 

[treeclimber]

Also, those bolts should be replaced once in a while. Especially if they have been overtorqued. Think of a bolt as a sort of steel bungee cord. When you tighten the nut, it stretches the bolt and that stretch is what keeps it tight. If it's been overstretched then it won't have the same clamping power when reused.

Well we try to replace them every third time we replace all the teeth , the problem is the teeth have rubbed into the side of the wheel so they move two of those pockets won't hold a tooth for more than three stumps our bigger cutter has never had a problem and is used more often and on larger stumps.

 

[NeTree]

Reminds me of Ford's "stretch torque" head bolts.

 

[Stumper]

Screw up the tigfhtening for a while and things wear to the point no ammount of tightening holds properly. Build up the worn areas and resurface or else replace the wheel.
Torque wrench? We don't need no stinking torque wrench! I use my calibrated elbow, a cheater pipe and the precise tightening instructions I got from my father "Tighter than heck, then 3 more rounds".

 

[stehansen]

I usually torque them to all my impact wrench will do. I'm thinking you need to replace the wheel. I have fixed "wallered out" holes by filling the outside in with weld and drilling it out. But you need one of those old school drill presses that goes real slow and has the coolant pump on it.

 

[lumberjack]

Or take the wheel off and stick it in a mill so you can true the face of the wheel where the pocket touches.

 

[stehansen]

Have the pockets messed up the surface of the wheel also? Oh and Stumpie my Father's advice was "quit just before you wring it off".

 

[lumberjack]

I was figure it'd be hard to repair the holes without having to have weld metal above the face of the wheel.

You could probably use a grinder and knock it flatish, and use a hand drill on the holes (wouldn't that be fun).

 

[stehansen]

Either way would probably work. The piece of equipment I worked on the holes was a tool bar for a caterpillar. So it wasn't so precision.

 

[lumberjack]

I figured it it was already in a drill press for the holes, you might as well stick it in a mill (assuming you have one) and spot face the contact areas.

 

[stehansen]

I've never had one. Our mill was a portable grinder. My cousin recently bought one but it is not hooked up yet.

 

[treeclimber]

Have the pockets messed up the surface of the wheel also? Oh and Stumpie my Father's advice was "quit just before you wring it off".

Yes the outer surface is worn on both sides, but my thoughts for that was to lay some weld and grind it smooth again to fill those areas, but is the time worth it.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I guess you would have to ask yourself how much is your time worth vs the cost of replacement.

 

[Stumper]

I think it is worth it. I have a welder and a grinder. The new wheel is costly and takes time to be delivered. If you have a mill to face it off beautifully that would be nice but it doesn't have to be extremely precise.

 

[lumberjack]

It shouldn't take much more than a 2-3 hours to to repair 8 holes and faces.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Then I think it would be worth it....

 

[lumberjack]

Yeah, in 2005 we dropped near $3k replacing the cutter wheel (and shaft), bearings, sprockets, belt, and convert to green teeth. About $1k was the cutter wheel which we got at a discount (compared to Rayco's MSRP).

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Definitely worth it then. I just figure what my hourly is worth and figure out how long something is going to take me. If it comes out cheaper for some one else to do or replace it, you get the jist.
Apples and oranges for an example.. I just sharpened three sets of chipper blades in 40 minutes... 4 to the set two sided. If Steves guy did them for 22.00 a set.. 66 bucks in 40 minutes... If I were to pay myself for it... yup.. worth it