Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - ride-on blade bolts stuck

well, last year I couldn't get the blades off the ride on, so I just filed them a bit, but they really need to be taken off and sharpened this spring. However, im not sure how to get them off. Its a 38'' mtd, and has 2 blades. I tried penetrating oil, but that didnt work, and the deck is too flimsey to brace the blade against. I don't have an impact wrench, which would be my preferred method of breaking it loose. However, a socket wrench with a pipe on it is quite useless when you cant stop the blade. Does anyone know how to hold the blade, I know theres got to be some way to slip a board of some type over it or something.

You must have a newer style with the 15/16" nut holding the blade on. Got a friend with an impact? That's the way I usually get them off. If not, I have clamped a pair of vise-grip pliers onto the blade in such a way that the vise grips hit the deck and hold the blade while I get the nut loose with a pull-handle. If your deck is in too bad of shape to do this, I don't know what else to suggest. Maybe someone else will have another suggestion.

Hard rubber door stop. The ones you see under heavy, glass doors to prop it open.

jamb a peice of lumber between the blade tip and the deck.

The lumber is the same as the doorstop but the doorstop is already tapered.

I got this thing from my local Farm and Fleet call the "Blade Buster". It clamps of the side of your deck and holds the blade in place to keep it from turning. Gosh, I could have made a million if I'd thought of that!!! I'm in central Illinois and we have, Farm and Fleets and Tractor Supply stores in my area. You might check the Menard, Lowes, and Home Depot type stores. It cost about $10 and saved a lot of skin off my knuckles. Also try a internet search, I'm sure you'll find one.

I forgot, (and I'm not try to sound like a smart a$$) Is it possible they might be left hand threads?

Which ever direction the blade turns is the direction the bolt should tighten. Otherwise the bolts would loosen up while its running. One thing I have done before is take a pipe or boared and some chain or rope, or a rechet strap. Take the pipe, the longer the better lay it next to the blade and wrap the chain or rope around it so you have lots of leverage. Make sure the wrench is on there good too, dont need to round it over. I would put some never seize on the bolts to once there out. Also there is a something called kroil, it penetrates like 10"of steel and drips out the bottom. This stuff is amazing but hard to get. You usually need to order it.

No, the bolts/nuts are standard right hand threads.

Here is a link to the Blade Buster I was telling you about.

http://www.lawnmowerman.com/Blade-Buster.asp

GOOD LUCK........