BX2360 attaching mid mount mower

[snpower]

Ok can any one tell me if there are any "tricks" to getting this thing on the tractor? I'm having a terrible time getting the shaft onto the PTO, specifically getting the collar to lock in place. It's taking me... 15 mins or so to get the deck on and I'm using far too much profanity. Just following the user manual instructions right now.

 

[ENTS]

Yep, it's a PITA. Can't give you any tricks other than patience. It's the nature of the beast (MMM) and little space to work in. Make sure the spleen is nice and clean and oiled and the locking collar is oiled. I spray mine with WD40 prior to attaching. Gotta do mine this afternoon. On mine (RCK54 22BX), the two piece drive shaft on the mower only goes together one way (but your's may be different).

Good luck,

 

[oldnslo]

I wouldsuspect your 2360 is very similar to my 1850 so the three tricks I use are:
1) before putting the deck under the tractor make sure the PTO shaft telescopes smoothly. If it doesn't pull it apart and clean/ lube it until it does.

2) Make sure the male splines on the tractor are clean and free from mud, crud, etc.

3) Put the deck under the tractor approximately in position. Connect the PTO shaft and then attach the deck to the lift linkage.

By doing these three steps I found it is much easier and significantly less profanity required during the install.


As a side note: Can you rotate the gauge wheels on your 54" deck 90 degrees to help roll it out from under the tractor? If yes do they clear the lift linkage. Reason I ask is that on my 1850 I had to drill new holes to get the deck to clear the lift linkage. This also made the task much easier since it lowered the deck a couple of inches which equates to more arm room for attaching the PTO shaft.

Good luck

Roy

 

[snpower]

I wouldsuspect your 2360 is very similar to my 1850 so the three tricks I use are:
1) before putting the deck under the tractor make sure the PTO shaft telescopes smoothly. If it doesn't pull it apart and clean/ lube it until it does.

2) Make sure the male splines on the tractor are clean and free from mud, crud, etc.

3) Put the deck under the tractor approximately in position. Connect the PTO shaft and then attach the deck to the lift linkage.

By doing these three steps I found it is much easier and significantly less profanity required during the install.


As a side note: Can you rotate the gauge wheels on your 54" deck 90 degrees to help roll it out from under the tractor? If yes do they clear the lift linkage. Reason I ask is that on my 1850 I had to drill new holes to get the deck to clear the lift linkage. This also made the task much easier since it lowered the deck a couple of inches which equates to more arm room for attaching the PTO shaft.

Good luck

Roy

Roy,

Yes, I can rotate the gauge wheels. I like the earlier tip about using WD-40 - I will definitely try that.

 

[Leejohn]

Why let the lift arms down before you hook up the pto shaft? Try letting them down after, that should give you more room to hook up pto shaft.

 

[dodge man]

Oldnslo pretty much hit it on the head. I've taken my deck off and on several times, and if I timed my self, it wouldn't suprise me if it took 15 minutes total. I tell people it isn't really hard, just akward getting the PTO hooked up.

 

[CHDinCT]

I keep two 4' long 2x6 boards in my garage and drive the front and rear wheels of my BX up on them to gain 1.5" additional clearance. Makes manuvering the deck under and into position a little easier. I also hook up the PTO shaft first, then the lift linkages. Finally, if you put the PTO selector in the rear PTO position, you can free-wheel the mid PTO to aid in lining up the splines. Still the hardest part is getting them aligned.

 

[dennisgw]

I have BX2200. I always have FEL on when I change mower in and out. SO much more easy. Lift the front end of the tractor up and you have a lot more room for slide the deck in and out and connect the PTO. The FEL just takes a couple of minutes to put on and off so is not an issue.

 

[radioman]

My tips is gonna be different then others.

I find that if the locking collar is greased up, NOT wd40'd it the easiest way.

After spending 5 mins hooking up the MMM to mount points and turning wheels back to travel position, I hook up the mid PTO shaft last.MAKE SURE the pto is selected for rear pto before getting under tractor!!! This allows for finger spin of Mid pto. With mower deck at the lowest position, approach from the left side move shaft a little more then halfway then slide collar back to it "bumped lock".. Then holding the upper shaft and not the collar with left hand (the collar might be crooked but when mating up the coupling you just move down in swift motion just before sliding on. When hand is on shaft and it is used to rotate the shaft, it will "find" the splines to mate. If the splines wont mate after rotating one way and other from flicking wrist, I put down and spin mid pto with freed hand and try again. check locking collar cocked back and try again.

Sorry about long post, but after nearly 4 summers of on/off its best way I can describe it. Time will teach you how to do it easily. good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[CHDinCT]

Just an observation, but when you start to see threads on hooking up the MMM, Spring must not be too far off, at least in some southern parts of the country. :thumbsup:

 

[DelSc]

For me, I notice that the harder I struggle to get the coupler on the spline, the less likely it is to line up and slip on. If I use a gentle touch it seems to slide right on.

 

[bellweather]

best suggestion I read is to remove a rear wheel... sill a PINTA but less so with more room to maneuver and being able to see what you are doing.

I can't even see my lawn at the moment...

 

[kevinj]

Oldnslo pretty much hit it on the head. I've taken my deck off and on several times, and if I timed my self, it wouldn't suprise me if it took 15 minutes total. I tell people it isn't really hard, just akward getting the PTO hooked up.

Yep, do it much oldnslo, 10 minutes tops.

Always connect the shaft before the deck is all the way in.

 

[Evil the Weasel]

When you pull the collar back it should stay there unless you push on it. If it doesn't slide onto the PTO easily, I pull the mower deck belt with my free hand to rotate it into place. Maybe it's more difficult on your model for some reason but this is what I do.

 

[Tom_H]

I have my MMM on a dolly and canter it at maximum angle so I can get my shoulder, head, and arm under the tractor. The dolly has a lip on the front edge and holes beneath the spindle bolts such that the blades and receiver can turn freely. Mine usually goes in in two to five seconds. The secret is finesse, not force. Start with plenty of lube. Cock the collar back, rock the connector back and forth, around in circular motions slowly and gently in every direction, and at the same time alternate rotating the receiver between clockwise and counterclockwise one to two degrees, until the orifice yields and willingly accepts the shaft. If you fight it, it won't go. If you are a gentle man, she will yield to your gentle touch. One may infer double entendre, but the technique really works (on the MMM-no joke).

There is absolutely no reason to remove wheels or even rotate deck anti-scalp wheels when using a dolly on pavement and this technique. I get the whole thing off in two minutes and on in less than four, frequently three.

You are free to search the archives for posts where I describe this technique in greater detail.

 

[daveseibel]

I wouldsuspect your 2360 is very similar to my 1850 so the three tricks I use are:
1) before putting the deck under the tractor make sure the PTO shaft telescopes smoothly. If it doesn't pull it apart and clean/ lube it until it does.

2) Make sure the male splines on the tractor are clean and free from mud, crud, etc.

3) Put the deck under the tractor approximately in position. Connect the PTO shaft and then attach the deck to the lift linkage.

By doing these three steps I found it is much easier and significantly less profanity required during the install.


As a side note: Can you rotate the gauge wheels on your 54" deck 90 degrees to help roll it out from under the tractor? If yes do they clear the lift linkage. Reason I ask is that on my 1850 I had to drill new holes to get the deck to clear the lift linkage. This also made the task much easier since it lowered the deck a couple of inches which equates to more arm room for attaching the PTO shaft.

Good luck

Roy

lower the deck as far as possible after doing the 3 steps. it goes on easy
dave

 

[WWW61]

Some times it's a piece of cake, and then sometimes it's awful. It depends on how bad my arthrites is that day. But my biggest problem is my locking collar won't stay back. A lot of times it'll lock back, and as soon as I try to straighten it out to slide it on it pops back closed. Is there any secert I'm missing. I have a BX2350D, and 60" mower. Thanks Wayne.

 

[radioman]

Some times it's a piece of cake, and then sometimes it's awful. It depends on how bad my arthrites is that day. But my biggest problem is my locking collar won't stay back. A lot of times it'll lock back, and as soon as I try to straighten it out to slide it on it pops back closed. Is there any secert I'm missing. I have a BX2350D, and 60" mower. Thanks Wayne.

Its does that to me too. I find it doesnt happen to me as much popping back when the pto selector is set for rear only. This allows for the mid pto to spin freely and I can spin mid pto shaft to line up spline before slipping on and it doesnt pop back. Its usually the twisting action of mid shaft when slipping onto the mid pto that causes the collar to pop to locked position.

A little practice doing it a few times will make you an expert. :thumbsup:

 

[oldballs]

Thanks for the tip on the free wheeling, radioman. I can hardly wait to get to the expert level. The collar that won't stay back is one that I recall. As to the the excessive cussing, I'm expert at that. Fortunately I live by myself in a remote area..

 

[raprice]

I just got a bx25 a couple of months ago and got a mid mount mower. I am a total novice and had a really hard time getting the universal joint mounted on the pto. Maybe it is obvious to most, but I didn't know that the end universal joint itself needs to be pulled back so that the bearings can move freely. Then the joint goes fairly easily onto the pto. Knowing what I know now, it is a 10-15 minute job. A quick trip to a Kubota dealer solved my mystery for me, and left me feeling a bit foolish.