Berta flail mower

[jjsmith3s]

I have a related question to the topic. If there is a better forum, kindly guide me there.

Several years ago I used the Berta flail mower I inherited without problem on my Grillo G85d (I now have a Grillo 107d and the issue I will describe occurs on both tractors). A few years went by and I didn't use the mower. Since then, I've gotten it out, inspected it and everything seems fine, belts are good, etc. I also know that it runs. That problem is, the mower only engages when the mower is positioned behind the tractor IE: where the tiller goes/at your feet. When the mower is in its proper position, the PTO will not engage. Like I said, I used to run the mower on the tractor, and I have a new, larger tractor as well that I run a plow and tiller on without problem. I've had a mechanic inspect it, and also the guy I inherited the tractor and mower from played with it for a couple of hours and couldn't get it running correctly. Any ideas? Could it be something with a weight imbalance? Any help is appreciated.

 

[Code54]

Have you tried running the PTO with the mower NOT connected but the tractor in the proper position. This way you can check if it is the mower or the "tractor". I have a BCS so it is a bit different but all that should be changing is the handle bars so I am thinking the PTO cable or linkage maybe the issue and not letting it engage perhaps?

 

[travisbb]

all that should be changing is the handle bars so I am thinking the PTO cable or linkage maybe the issue and not letting it engage perhaps?

I second the suggestion of running them separately to debug it. I'd test the following things:

1. Just the flail mower, does the PTO turn when you manually rotate the drum? If so, the mower isn't likely the problem.

2. On the tractor in engine-forward mode (aka soil working or cart) does the PTO spin when the tractor is in both forward and reverse?

3. Do the same as (2) in PTO-forward mode (aka mowing or snowblowing)

I think the g107 is the same as my g110 in that when you turn the handlebars around there's a mechanism which reverses the forward-reverse lever so "forward" is always forwards and "backwards" is always backwards. It sounds to me like that mechanism isn't working correctly for some reason.

 

[jjsmith3s]

I second the suggestion of running them separately to debug it. I'd test the following things:

1. Just the flail mower, does the PTO turn when you manually rotate the drum? If so, the mower isn't likely the problem.

2. On the tractor in engine-forward mode (aka soil working or cart) does the PTO spin when the tractor is in both forward and reverse?

3. Do the same as (2) in PTO-forward mode (aka mowing or snowblowing)

I think the g107 is the same as my g110 in that when you turn the handlebars around there's a mechanism which reverses the forward-reverse lever so "forward" is always forwards and "backwards" is always backwards. It sounds to me like that mechanism isn't working correctly for some reason.

Thank you Travisbb and Code54. I hope to have time later this week to run through these procedures. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[Code54]

Good luck! Look forward to hearing your results.

 

[joecoin]

...

I think the g107 is the same as my g110 in that when you turn the handlebars around there's a mechanism which reverses the forward-reverse lever so "forward" is always forwards and "backwards" is always backwards. It sounds to me like that mechanism isn't working correctly for some reason.

I have a 107d. When I reverse the handle bars, the f/r lever does not change operation. So what was "forward" is now "reverse".

 

[travisbb]

I have a 107d. When I reverse the handle bars, the f/r lever does not change operation. So what was "forward" is now "reverse".

OK. Then I don't know how it could work in one mode but not the other. Nothing about the PTO should change when the handlebars are reversed.

Maybe what "the PTO will not engage" means isn't at all clear to me. Does it mean the PTO lever gets stuck? It should be possible to engage the PTO lever before switching the handlebars and see what's binding up. Maybe the handlebars are getting turned the wrong way, pulling a cable too tightly? Maybe a cable is getting in the way?

 

[Code54]

Did you happen to try turning the PTO on by moving the lever on the case and not the cable-controlled lever? May help you to determine if it is cable-related?

 

[jjsmith3s]

I second the suggestion of running them separately to debug it. I'd test the following things:

1. Just the flail mower, does the PTO turn when you manually rotate the drum? If so, the mower isn't likely the problem.

2. On the tractor in engine-forward mode (aka soil working or cart) does the PTO spin when the tractor is in both forward and reverse?

3. Do the same as (2) in PTO-forward mode (aka mowing or snowblowing)

I think the g107 is the same as my g110 in that when you turn the handlebars around there's a mechanism which reverses the forward-reverse lever so "forward" is always forwards and "backwards" is always backwards. It sounds to me like that mechanism isn't working correctly for some reason.

Thanks again for the responses. I got sidetracked for a few weeks and finally got the mower back out yesterday.

I second the suggestion of running them separately to debug it. I'd test the following things:

1. Just the flail mower, does the PTO turn when you manually rotate the drum? If so, the mower isn't likely the problem.

2. On the tractor in engine-forward mode (aka soil working or cart) does the PTO spin when the tractor is in both forward and reverse?

3. Do the same as (2) in PTO-forward mode (aka mowing or snowblowing)

I think the g107 is the same as my g110 in that when you turn the handlebars around there's a mechanism which reverses the forward-reverse lever so "forward" is always forwards and "backwards" is always backwards. It sounds to me like that mechanism isn't working correctly for some reason.

Got sidetracked! Finally got the mower out yesterday and played with it for a few minutes. I did not try this, but I will. I've felt that the mechanism you describe in the last paragraph was the issue, but I have the same issue on my old G85d as well as my new 107, and it was like that from day one, so I wouldn't think the mechanism would have been messed up on the new tractor. But the issue persists. I took some pictures. In the first picture, with the mower behind the engine, the mower engages and runs fine just like my tiller would. But, when the handlebars are reversed and the mower is on the front, nothing happens when I engage the PTO lever. Pic 3 is the PTO lever. To answer travisbb, about "engaging the PTO", I simply meant that I pull the lever until it stops. It seems like it goes all the way, I don't feel any friction and it doesn't seem to be stopping short of where its supposed to. But the mower doesn't run. I don't have any other front end implements to test it out on.

Since the issue persists on both tractors, old and new, seems like it would be a problem with the mower? But it runs just fine on the wrong end of the tractor. Could it be something to do with the angle of the implement on the tractor? I don't know! Thanks for all the help!

 

[jjsmith3s]

Thanks again for the responses. I got sidetracked for a few weeks and finally got the mower back out yesterday.


Got sidetracked! Finally got the mower out yesterday and played with it for a few minutes. I did not try this, but I will. I've felt that the mechanism you describe in the last paragraph was the issue, but I have the same issue on my old G85d as well as my new 107, and it was like that from day one, so I wouldn't think the mechanism would have been messed up on the new tractor. But the issue persists. I took some pictures. In the first picture, with the mower behind the engine, the mower engages and runs fine just like my tiller would. But, when the handlebars are reversed and the mower is on the front, nothing happens when I engage the PTO lever. Pic 3 is the PTO lever. To answer travisbb, about "engaging the PTO", I simply meant that I pull the lever until it stops. It seems like it goes all the way, I don't feel any friction and it doesn't seem to be stopping short of where its supposed to. But the mower doesn't run. I don't have any other front end implements to test it out on.

Since the issue persists on both tractors, old and new, seems like it would be a problem with the mower? But it runs just fine on the wrong end of the tractor. Could it be something to do with the angle of the implement on the tractor? I don't know! Thanks for all the help!

I was able to manually turn the mower PTO drum.