Taking the blade off an AC 160 mower?
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=152515
Printed Date: 22 Jun 2025 at 1:07pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Taking the blade off an AC 160 mower?
Posted By: garden_guy
Subject: Taking the blade off an AC 160 mower?
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2018 at 4:06pm
Not sure when this thing was last sharpened, but I can tell it needs it... Would like to take the blade off, as best I have to do it with is a bench grinder. However, after crawling underneath, I was curious what bolts need to come out to take the blade off... Seems like it should be two separate blades, and that #1 and #6 bolts is all that holds them on? Or does this not work how I think it does?
|
Replies:
Posted By: Travis(NE)
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2018 at 4:25pm
| Remove 1 & 6. Might have to loosen 2 & 5. Might be an access hole on top side to get a socket through. |
Posted By: Hubert (Ga)engine7
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2018 at 4:47pm
|
Should be an access plate on top covering a hole you can get a big socket and extension through. Will really help if you have a good strong impact wrench. Might be advisable to soak the nut and bolt with penetrating oil overnight. ------------- Just an old country boy saved by the grace of God. |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2018 at 5:57pm
X2 on what Travis said. Your setup appears different, than the 160, that I have. Min has an arched upper bar, very thick, with 2 -3/4" carriage bolts that each hold 1 blade on. There is another strap, under the blades, that has the square for the bolt to sit in. We usedta change one at a time, that way no struggles with lifting that heavy bar up, and jiggle the bolts through the blade, blade bushing, and upper bar. No access hole on mine. Note that there are 2 different 160 mowers. One was built for AC, by Danuser, and the other was built in house at LaPorte works. If you post a picture, of the top side view of the mower in question, the question is easily answered. Mine was a LaPorte built unit...
 |
Travis(NE) wrote:Posted By: garden_guy
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2018 at 7:09pm
|
Oooh, I don't think this will be too bad then. Though I will probably need to soak it good, as I have no idea when the last time these blades have been off, but I will guess 30+ years. And see if I can find the access panel. DIYDave -- Oh sure, I've got some more pics. Didn't realize there were different makers.   |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2018 at 8:57pm
|
OK, yours is a LaPorte unit, must just have a different bottom end, than mine. Make sure you keep an eye on the oil level, in the gear box, they are getting rare....
|
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2018 at 9:01pm
One other thing, on edit. The 3/4" bolts (fine thread)on mine have a castle nut and cotter pin, on top. Don't know if yours do or not, but look, before trying to remove. Might save you some hassles... On looking at your picture again, clear that stuff off the spindle center, and keep it clean, barbed wire, if it wraps around the seal, can wipe it out quick...
 |
Posted By: garden_guy
Date Posted: 29 Jul 2018 at 11:09am
Indeed. First thing I did when I got it in 2012 was to flush the gearbox with fresh oil. It had sat outside previously, but I keep it shedded now. Any big differences between the LaPorte units and the others? It seems to be very sturdily built and heavy.
I was curious if they had a cotter pin in them, just so they would never "come loose". Will have to check that when I am out there next. Will probably spray them with penetrating oil a few times before I try to "remove" anything. And yeah not sure what that stuff is on the spindle center, but gonna get in there and cut that off as well. |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 29 Jul 2018 at 6:09pm
|
Other than the depth of the deck, the Danuser made unit was strictly a snap coupler setup. THe LaPorte units could be pull type, 3 point, or snap coupler. The brackets, on the back or yours, are for the tail wheel, and the 4 holes on the front, are where the 3 point lift bracket would mount. Also, your axle brackets can be flipped around, so that they are inside the cutting width of the machine. Handy in a cornfield, but a real pita, to hook up, with all the weight of the machine, on the tongue... One other item, all the LaPorte units that I have seen have a rattle clutch, in front of the over-running(clicker) clutch. Have you checked if the rattle clutch is working, as it should? Basically it should start rattling fiercely if you hit something like a stump, or ground hog mound. Do not over grease the rattle, or it'll rattle, and slip, at almost every opportunity...
|
Posted By: garden_guy
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2018 at 10:07pm
Hmmm... I guess I am never sure what I am looking at when I am tinkering with the thing, exactly, but I know that if I engage the PTO and let the clutch out too quickly it will "rattle"... And if I hit a stump or a log, it seems to do the same. And I have to push the clutch in and then slowly let it back out to make it "catch" again, if that makes sense? As per the manual I have on page 5, looks like the Slip Clutch and Overrunning Clutch are just in front of the gear box. So... Seems like I have them. Interestingly, it shows the height adjust bar mounted towards the rear instead of towards the front (like mine), and it shows a rear guard and a front guard with a bunch of chains hanging down (assumedly to stop stuff from flying out of the mower). I also didn't realize that when you adjust the lift height in the back, you are supposed to adjust the tongue bracket to match it. That may explain why mine seems to have a massive "forward slope" towards the tractor. It must have been raised at some point and the tongue was not shifted.
EDIT: Hmmm... I see in the manual where #1 and #6 probably hold my blade on, but the undercarriage in the manual doesn't quite match what I've got. It also shows having a "shredder" blade option and a few other odds and ends, but nothing with 6 bolt holes. However, it does show the nuts have cotter keys in them! Apparently some sort of bushing there. |
Posted By: Gary Burnett
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2018 at 1:24am
|
If you run the wheels to the rear(which I like far better than the way yours is set up) the whole axle has to be taken off and turned around and the mounts for the depth control and cylinder have to be moved to the back.
|
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2018 at 4:41am
|
Posted By: garden_guy
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2018 at 6:07pm
|
GaryBurnett -- Hmmm... For hitching it is nice, and I am not trying to get up close to much, but I could see having the wheels back and tucked in would make it good for getting up next to stuff (especially near fields) and would change the dynamic of how it "trails". DiyDave -- Whew, glad to hear my rattle clutch/stump jumper seems to be going good. Think I will go out and try to adjust the deck and take it out for a spin and see how it goes once it is a bit more "leveled out" appropriately (with like 1/2" slope instead of probably a 4"-6" slope it may have now). Got a lot of rain though so may not have much luck mowing. Then next up, taking the blades off for a good sharpening! Thanks for all the help as usual, guys. :) |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2018 at 6:20pm
Just for educational purposes, a stump jumper is another part, entirely. Surrounds the blade bar, and keeps it from snagging a stump... https://www.agrisupply.com/rotary-mower-blade-pan-12-spline/p/89742/" rel="nofollow - https://www.agrisupply.com/rotary-mower-blade-pan-12-spline/p/89742/ On edit, link goes to agrisupply, search there, for stump jumper, and you'll see a picture...
|
Posted By: *DougW
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2018 at 7:10pm
|
I have a 172 mower. Put new blades on. Getting old ones off was surprising easy. Take great care with overrunning clutch and slip clutch as parts are not available that I could find. The slip clutch was used on a combine, possibly a model 60??. Pins in the overrunning clutch can be made in a machine shop and springs can be improvised. The cast housing is extinct, I was told. A great rugged mower!!. |
Posted By: Travis(NE)
Date Posted: 05 Aug 2018 at 1:29am
 My 172 seems to be older. Mine has a shear bolt and no clutches. |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 05 Aug 2018 at 5:13am
| That's a Danuser pull type, first one I've ever seen, that's not a snap coupler... |