Any Downside to This?

[meyerld]

I have a nice Deere MX-8 (rotary mower) and love it but it is an absolute bear to grease the U-joint fitting on cutter side due to the PTO safety shield. JD has provided an access hole through the PTO shaft shield to use for this, but even with a flashlight and a lot of patience it takes me a while to do and even then its a blind greasing in that I can't see the grease fitting after the grease gun is inserted. So, I was thinking about enlarging the hole in the safety shield some - probably doubling its size - with a hole saw. Anyone see a downside to this? I guess I could remove the end bell from the safety shield each time but this seems unnecessary if I enlarge the hole. For some reason the fitting on the tractor side, using the same size hole in the shield, is much easier to grease.

 

[beenthere]

I'd cut the hole larger or even remove the shield.

No one is going to be riding on the mower deck when the mower is running, so no way to get clothing tangled up in the PTO shaft.
These safety shields were important when we had PTO driven attachments or equipment that we had to work next to while they were running and in operation.

Maybe a vine could get wrapped around, but doubt it.

 

[4570Man]

I'd remove the whole shield. What are you going to be doing down there with the pto running away? Enlarging the hole certainly won't hurt anyone.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

I have a shear bolt inside the safety cone on my snow blower. Used a hole saw to enlarge for better access. Given the location I don't see any way someone could get caught up with this modification.