Well, I blew out a shear-bolt for the first time.

Easy Peasy.

It won’t be my last…………..I’m quite sure…

They appear to be very easy to dispatch.

 

Shear-bolts are handy things.

Apparently so are slip-clutches……………but that’s not what we are talking about right now…

This is specifically a sheared shear-bolt conversation.

I was succinct in my attempts.  I popped the tractor’s clutch/engaged the PTO abruptly……………..

……………….and Bob’s your Uncle!

Bob needs to learn more about the delicacies of shear-bolts and the need for tip-toeing around clutches.

Apparently, those nuts & bolts are sacrificial hardware to the insensitive tractor-driving-brutes of the world…………………(me and Uncle Bob).

………………all I wanted to do was mow………………..

Who doesn’t want to invest hours in the hot sun, mowing weeds and grass and small limbs and smaller rocks?

 

I know I do…………….I wait with abated breath for my next opportunity to swing up onto the tractor……………..sit on the black, vinyl, scorching seat and mow away for hours on end in the full Florida sun………..

 

Today I discovered the existence of a thing called a shear-bolt.

I’ve learned what it’s there for.

I’ve learned how it protects the sensitive underbelly of my tractor and bush hog.

I also learned how easy it is to pulverize one…

It’s really easy…

I think I know what I did wrong……………I think.

To be totally transparent here…………………I’m not impressed with the sturdiness of shear bolts…………………….but, I learned on YouTube today that the shear bolt is supposed to “shear off” rather than strip more important cogs and gears and thingies of more importance ($$$$$$$$$$) in the tractor’s engine.

Apparently I should have “eased” the clutch out to “gently engage” the mower’s blades more evenly and smoothly.

HA!!!

Come on…………………………I’m mowin’ weeds here………………….I’m not pinning on a corsage and asking the mower out on a date!!!!!

 

 

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Okay……………Okay…

 

In the future, I’ll try to be more respectful of the inner-workings of my delicate tractor and the fragile/spun-glass delicacy of our bush hog………………………….

………..yeah, right………..

 

Note to self:     Buy replacement shear bolts by the gross………..