BX MMM question

Camo · Oct 5, 2011

I was finishing up some grading and grass planting the other day, and as I usually do, I chop my straw bales by breaking up bales in the smallest "flats" I can and tossing them out on the ground, then drive over them with the MMM to shred them for a nice coverage....Never a problem for my 60" deck...Until now, I hit a wet clump and it broke something....My blade nearest the chute spins free without turning the pulley on top of the deck...The collar above the blade also spins freely. I assume there is a shear key in there? If so how do I fix it the easiest way possible?

chucko · Oct 5, 2011

You sure the blade is not just loose? Take it off and see if the shaft turns

zoltanthegypsy · Oct 5, 2011

Took a quick look at the drawings in my BX24 book. I don't see a key. Just a shaft w/sheave on one end and blade on the other.

Hope I'm wrong about that.

When this happened to my Deere 425 deck it was the actual shaft that broke. The bearings on each end were holding it in place, but the two ends weren't connected.

Z.

Camo · Oct 6, 2011

Tried to reply earlier on my phone , but the app does not support replies apparently....
Anyway, I pulled the tensioner spring loose, and removed the top center nut and pully, then tapped the shaft down through the deck. The shaft is in tact, and it seems as though the blade did loosen, but even when tight the blade spins on the shaft. Was there something other than a round hole in the blade to prevent this? I hate to pull the deck to pull another blade to find out. There is a hex shaped washer under the bolt and two convex flat washers, but it slips easily.

Danner · Oct 6, 2011

Camo said:
Tried to reply earlier on my phone , but the app does not support replies apparently....
Anyway, I pulled the tensioner spring loose, and removed the top center nut and pully, then tapped the shaft down through the deck. The shaft is in tact, and it seems as though the blade did loosen, but even when tight the blade spins on the shaft. Was there something other than a round hole in the blade to prevent this? I hate to pull the deck to pull another blade to find out. There is a hex shaped washer under the bolt and two convex flat washers, but it slips easily.

There's a cup washer between the head of the bolt and the blade. It compresses against the blade to make it spin with the shaft. It sound like you spun the blade and either flattened the washer or gouged the blade surface. A new cup washer and/or a new blade should fix it.

Also, there's a mowers or for mowing lesson in here somewhere

Camo · Oct 6, 2011

Danner said:
There's a cup washer between the head of the bolt and the blade. It compresses against the blade to make it spin with the shaft. It sound like you spun the blade and either flattened the washer or gouged the blade surface. A new cup washer and/or a new blade should fix it.

Also, there's a mowers or for mowing lesson in here somewhere

I see a nice circular gouge in the blade so that must be the culprit. I got a mig welder, so maybe I could at least hold onto the blade for a spare and weld over that gouge and grind it back down close to even again for re use. Any thoughts on that?

And yes I agree mowers are for mowing.....Dumb mistake in hindsight.