Blade Positioning struggle

I have a 71D and I have got it to change pitch by loosening the nuts on the blade pitch and then rocking the machine back and forth with the blade lowered. A little penetrating oil might help. You also might be able to put a hydraulic jack between the top of the blade and the circle.

I used to run an old Galion blade that adjusted manually. I'd loosen the bolts and the blade would drop to the drag position by itself. .usually. If it didn't, I'd drop the blade on the ground and rock the machine back and forth and stop when I had it where I wanted it the same as D4 Doug mentioned.

I read in the 71 operators manuel that rocking the blade all the way forward was "drag" Umm I was taught that straight up and down is the normal way for a molboard to work in and rocked forward is to cut with. Whats up with this.

I have a 71D and I have got it to change pitch by loosening the nuts on the blade pitch and then rocking the machine back and forth with the blade lowered. A little penetrating oil might help. You also might be able to put a hydraulic jack between the top of the blade and the circle.

D4, You have a blade similiar to mine, does the 'cross-member' I mentioned above rotate as the blade is pitched forward? In other words, is it one long bolt with threads at each end that is encased and required to ratate, or are the ends stationary with only the blade mechanism required to rotate? If it is the first, then I'm probably out of luck as I could not straighted the cross-member straight enough to get it to rotate smoothly. Thanks, Ol George.

The cross brace is fixed, the tilt arms pivot around the ends....a little bent won't matter. I'd post a picture but I'm having "technical difficulties" getting my HP scanner software running after microsoft hit me with their upgrades.

Hi George,
the blade mount brackets rotate on the shafts (as OM stated) and are retained by the big castleated nuts. These are notorious for seizing up when the blade tilt ability is not used. Have had to heat up the brackets at the pivot points to get them to free up. Loosen the castleated nuts and heat away with a big heating tip and plenty of diesel as the cheapest readily available penetrant. Often some persuasion with a big sledge hammer on the outside of the pivot area of the brackets will help also.
Will try and scan the info from a 98E No 12 Grader Serv. Man.
Hope this helps,
Cheers Eddie B.

PS a white dust coat and a new machine make it look and sound easy!!!!!

Hi George,
the blade mount brackets rotate on the shafts (as OM stated) and are retained by the big castleated nuts. These are notorious for seizing up when the blade tilt ability is not used. Have had to heat up the brackets at the pivot points to get them to free up. Loosen the castleated nuts and heat away with a big heating tip and plenty of diesel as the cheapest readily available penetrant. Often some persuasion with a big sledge hammer on the outside of the pivot area of the brackets will help also.
Will try and scan the info from a 98E No 12 Grader Serv. Man.
Hope this helps,
Cheers Eddie B.

PS a white dust coat and a new machine make it look and sound easy!!!!!