Another MX6 Brush Hog Failure

[Ken]

I wasn't trying mow the stump and it is cut pretty close to the ground. I believe the slip clutch is ok, adjusted properly. Looking at the shaft, I feel like what ever I hit then would have been the demise. I had a 4300 with an MX5 previously, and that thing was pretty much bullet proof. I have no idea where that gearbox was made.

JD told me the new gearbox would be $2600, and I'd have to change the stump pan as well @ $200-250...

A $2600.00 repair + $200.00 for the stump jumper for a $3600.00 new price. Did the parts man telling you smile or have a Poker face .
Still have not decided what to do with mine. First thought would turn over and put rail on to make a rock boat to carry rocks off the field.
Then thought to put on posts for a weather shield for the Bush Hog I purchased at cheaper price and has worked well with out worry
of shaft breaking.
But so far it is laying in junk pile and as stack keeps piling up soon will be able to drag onto trailer and haul to junkyard. bright shiny rotary cutter. useless for other than decoration in yard.
Such is life. Pay more to get less.
ken

 

[eagleron]

How much did you pay for the clipper (MX6) to begin with? The price of the gearbox and stump pan is $2800 to $2850 dollars. You can buy a new MX for that.

 

[brown40]

Well, it finally happened to me. Thought I got a lucky one. :thumbdown: I was hoping someone had found a simple solution. Spanish box; about a 2005, and saw far worse prior to today & slipped well all summer. Too long a shaft? Bad steel? Sharp groove? Let's take it apart...

 

[bumperm]

Has anyone tried to go up the ladder in JD management, above dealer level, to see if they won't make good on this. Seems there have been enough failures that JD should be concerned about bad press. Start a petition, get the contact info and organize a write-in campaign, that sort of thing?

bumper

(who doesn't have a JD anything, just hate to see other's getting $crewed)

 

[beenthere]

I think other brands have the same results from their brush hogs, just that people expect the JD to be above and beyond any parts breaking.

We all (or most) know what kind of bone crushing, gear breaking, part busting work a rotary cutter (brush hog) can get into and most of the time they come out of the "fight" ready for more.
But not always.

 

[mkreitler]

All newer bush hogs regardless of the MFG. USE THESE SPAIN OR CHINA BOXES this came from the mouths of babes at KODIAK.

 

[brown40]

Well it was a carbon copy of every other mx5/mx6/7/8 broken shaft story. Broke right at the lower retaining ring, and it appears no one else configures that lower output like JD. Sad thing flipping it over--looks like its hardly been used underneath.
Has there been any successful crossing with another gearbox manufacturer people have found? Running into dead ends...
Is there any actual data for how many have failed?

 

[bumperm]

I think other brands have the same results from their brush hogs, just that people expect the JD to be above and beyond any parts breaking.

We all (or most) know what kind of bone crushing, gear breaking, part busting work a rotary cutter (brush hog) can get into and most of the time they come out of the "fight" ready for more.
But not always.

Seriously??

Some of the aforementioned failures occurred while doing nothing more onerous than whacking the daisies (well, maybe a bit more). I had an old Bush Hog Squealer for many years, hit rocks that put major dings in the blades, and all manner of other hidden hazards. Never a problem, though I did have to replace a shear bolt now and then (that, or a slip clutch, are *supposed* to be the weak link to fail or slip and protect the rest of the machine.

From what I've read, these JD gearbox failures aren't isolated and may be due to a sharp cornered, non-radiused step on the output shaft setting up a stress riser and precipitating failure at that point.

Here's an additional thread on TBN http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/176791-rotary-cutter-drive-shaft-sheared.html

And more on a different forum Viewing a thread - John Deere MX8 cutter problem.

Sounds like more going on than, "they're just being treated rough".

Nor have I heard of other brands experiencing this sort of failure (not that that proves much), however, if you know of another brand suffering similar failure, please consider posting here.

bumper

 

[LUDSDUDS]

My friend owns a MX-6 bush hog that has lost the stump jumper 4 times that I know of due to pin
breaking that holds the swivel bracket to arm. Anyone else have a chronic problem with this?

 

[milkie62]

Sorry about bringing up an old thread,but was looking for a used MX6 or 609 mower.Just a short story on OLD quality.I have a 5 foot Ford brush mower model 112-xxx mad in probably late 50's or early 60's.It was in sorry looking shape when my father told me to buy it for property I just purchased back in 1983.I was going to mow about 15 acres.He said to buy it,use it till it broke so I could find the rocks in the field and then buy a better one.Guess what ? Best $225 I ever spent on a piece of equipment.I just replaced the clutch discs (2) for $14 each a couple of years ago.The bottom seal leaks pretty bad but with the gearbox filled with grease and a bit of 90 wt oil added,she still runs like a charm.I have picked up a Land Pride 7 foot cutter 2 yrs ago to speed things up a bit.

 

[lungdoc]

So our MX6 had this happen today while working on a forest trail. No unusual impact at the time. Had good use but always carefully maintained and checked slip clutch.

 

[joecdeere]

My boss had his let go at deer camp last weekend, got one of the rear tires on the way out, not a happy man!

Sad part is there is no cheap fix through Deere, it's a nice mower on the outside, but this shouldn't be happening to a 3 grand mower! My $800 King Kutter is 15 years old and I treat it fought, never had a issue yet.

 

[brown40]

There is a rather involved fix if you have the tools and time. The issue is the length of that lower output shaft and orientation of the bolt pattern is of 30 degrees.http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/323581-mx-5-6-7-john.html?highlight=
Comer's still making the casting and configuration on the LF227J gearbox. Original ratio was 1.69 to 1--hard gearbox to track down, and the only one that will reach through the deck.
My repair has been great this year. Better cut, and the black looks good above the green deck--like a cat on a roller skate. Using the heavier driveline and box, I've had a hard time getting the clutch to slip as easy as I like--it just keeps going.

 

[Magicman710]

What years are affected again?

We have one from 2002/2003 thats taken nothing but abuse and has always ran like a champ.

 

[milkie62]

Anybody with any other shaft issues ? I know this thread is a few months old now but spring is coming and I am shopping for a new 6 foot brush hog.Been looking at Woods,Land Pride and Deere.Would like a 609 Deere but do not know if I need to go that heavy since the cheapo 50 plus year old Ford one is not that heavy duty but is just getting old.

 

[ArlyA]

We are looking at the MX6 or 609 Deere mowers because we can get it at 20% from our dealer. We are going to hit rocks, dirt and stumps since that is the nature of our trails. Of course, if the gear box is going to crap out, we'll look at other machines in the 1st place..... Has JD upgraded this poor gear box design on the MX? Looked for 609 reviews and found none.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Deere now offers a warranty on the MX6 and I believe they changed suppliers. I can't recall if it's a 3 yr or 6 yr.

Matt

 

[brown40]

The vintage of the cutters is what matters. There were a number of box and stumper changes. The spanish gearboxes are all bad, the early chinese ones had a high fail rate. You can probably track the progression of serial numbers on the redesign(s) on line.

 

[MF283]

The vintage of the cutters is what matters.

Yep, you can usually get an older one that looks beat all to pieces & still get a great unit:thumbsup:

Ronnie

 

[ArlyA]

Thanks guys. Whatever we get, it will be new. I'm now under the impression that we may need to revert to Woods or some brand that's heavier than the JD MX6. A warranty is good and all, but I'd prefer to use an implement that's built well enough to not break in the 1st place. Having it repaired is time away from ones work, just to haul it to some shop and have it repaired.. Been there, done that.