Blown PTO/mower strike

Anonymous Poster · Jul 2, 2002

I'm not exactly proud to admit this, but while using a rental tractor-- an older L30 Kubota, I ran into a tire in tall weeds that ended up blowing the PTO. I'm still waiting for the rental agency to contact me.

I realize I made a rookie move by not clearing the field before the grass got so thick, but after the old 5-foot brush hog flung a shear bolt (before the incident), a grade-8 annodized "shear-bolt", I called the company out to replace it. The guy showed up with the truck and put a grade 2 or 3 in the hole-- it had three marks on the head. He said it was not the proper one, but was alot better than the one that was flung. So anyways, I figure I have a good arguement that that shearbolt should have save the PTO. The rumor is $2000 dollars damage!? I might pay $500, but no more. Any opinions?

DarrenP · Jul 2, 2002

Yes, next time you rent pay the few dollars extra for the damage waiver......

Anonymous Poster · Jul 2, 2002

Believe it or not, I wanted to sign one of them, but the only waiver they had was a theft and vandalism waiver. No damage waiver.

GaryK · Jul 2, 2002

I could be wrong but a grade 2 bolt does not have any marks on it and is the softest and the one that usually is installed as a shear bolt, or at least that what was in mine until I put a slip clutch on it. If the bolt that was replaced had three marks on it , it was a hardened bolt and was probably the cause of the failure. did it shear when the bush hog hit the tire?

Anonymous Poster · Jul 2, 2002

Bolt grades: No marks on head, grade one or two
Three hash marks let you know it is a grade five
Six marks is grade eight. Both five and eight are hardened, eight is stronger

If the PTO still worked after shearing a grade Eight bolt, it should have been fine with a grade Two.

Anonymous Poster · Jul 3, 2002

The unit flung the grade-8 after mowing for several hours. I figure it must have been in place for quite some time before I took delivery. When the repair man came out, he left the grade-8 with me and I put it away in case some problem came up. He then replaced it with the annodized bolt with three hash marks. The bolt did not shear as I could turn the PTO shaft and rotate the blade. I feel the PTO was pre-stressed and primed for failure, as I demonstrated to the mechanic that it was difficult to engage when he came over to replace the bolt.

If I ever rent equipment again, I will rent only from outifts that carry damage insurance theat i can purchase. My sister- in-law works for the outift, which makes the whole situation rather unpleasant and she advised me before hand that waht they call the "insurance declaration" only covers theft and vandalism. I checked the fine print and sure enough... nothing covering accidental damage. They don't tell you this when you give them the money though, so if my foolishness can be a lesson to any rookies out there, make sure you are covered for damage, both in transit (by having your insurance agent add a binder for the day you trasnport the thing), and at your property, when operating the thing.

kubmech · Jul 3, 2002

Is there anything in your homeowners policy that may help?

Anonymous Poster · Jul 3, 2002

Zippo! Maybe i should check again?!

Anonymous Poster · Jul 3, 2002

If the rental place supplied the tractor with the wrong grade shear bolt, and damage occured because the shear bolt was to strong, you should not be expected to pay anything. A shear bolt is a mechanical fuse to prevent damage.

If the rental place took out all the correctly rated electrical fuses and replaced them fuses with really high amp ratings and the electrical system got cooked while you were renting. Do you think you should pay?

If the rental place put the wrong type of oil or fuel in the engine and it died while you were renting, should you have pay to rebuild the engine?

As a renter, you have the right to expect the equipment will be set up properly. A failure because of operator abuse is different than a failure because of improper equipment setup. Keep the grade 8 bolt for proof.

Andy

Anonymous Poster · Jul 3, 2002

Excellent parallel. Just what I wanted to hear. They may not even send me a bill, but in case they do, I'll be ready. You can really set yourself up when you're a rookie.

Look the whole rig over and make sure it's got the right fasteners, shear bolts, gages work, etc. Protect yourself.

jasonf · Jul 5, 2002

Johnny:
Am I missing something? Did they come out and replace the shear bolt and then you could continue hogging? If so then then the shear bolt did it's job and there should be no charge whatsoever. I beleve that it is to be expected that the shear bolt will do it's job from time to time as people hit all types of stuff. I always add 2 to the number of hash marks to get the grade. None makes it a 2, 3 make it a 5, 6 marks make it an 8. Most people use a 2 or a 5. They might have used an 8 so they didn't have to come running out as much. If the hog worked after the shear bolt replacement, you owe then nothing !!!!! Jason

Anonymous Poster · Jul 6, 2002

I guess I kind of complicated the explanation. First, I called the mechanic out to find out where the lose grade-8 bolt laying on top of the deck mower was supposed to go. He found the missing hole-- it was being used as a shear-bolt on the deck mower. He replaced it with a grade-5 bolt, remarking that it was not the right one, but that it would be better than the Grade-8. He left and I got on the mower and promptly ran over a tire (without rim in deep grass). The grade-5 shear bolt DID NOT DO IT'S JOB! IT DID NOT SHEAR!-- and the PTO was damaged. By the way, I like the way you add "two" to the hash marks to come up with the grade.

Tracy

Jeff396 · Jul 7, 2002

I gotta think that I would only feel responsible for any damage that occurred downstream of the shear bolt. If the bolt did not shear either it was a defective bolt, it was installed incorrectly or the pto was ready to let go at any moment anyway.

Jeff

Kodiak · Jul 7, 2002

Not trying to stir up any more foreboding. But if that shear bolt failed to releive the shock. It could have traveled both ways and possibly damaged the pto at the tractor end also. So if it was the rental ccompanies responsibility for not properly replaceing the shear bolt, they may have placed themselves in a position of responsibe liabilty for any repairs to your tractor. Even if your tractor is not damaged just this type of explanation might help you convince them that the cost of repair is not your responsibility.

jasonf · Jul 7, 2002

I have to agree with Jeff, that shear bolt should have protected the driveline, perhaps as others have stated, the driveline was ready to go anyway. Have they come after you for the money ?

Anonymous Poster · Jul 7, 2002

No the big guys with the dirty hands and bent noses have not showed up on my porch step. I hear this sometimes takes a few months though. The rental bill had a footnote that said I would be billed for the damage to the PTO when the work was done.

normde2001 · Jul 12, 2002

Johnny, if the repairman represented the rental company, and you can prove he installed a grade 5 or stronger shear bolt, I would tell them to sue me. You have a great court case.

Jeff396 · Jul 12, 2002

Having a relative working at the rental place may complicate things. In the interest of family bliss, it might be better to pay the bill and chalk it up to experience......unless you don't like that relative anyway./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jeff