Mowing Cutter death trap

[Kodiak45]

Well I finally got the pto shafts all setup, fixed a flat tire, sharpened blades, and was ready to go. I get 3 acres done and this happened…. I swear I never learn my lesson on buying cheap used equipment. Granted I know this isn’t the end of the world, but the whole reason I went to 10ft cutter is because I don’t have time it takes for the 5ft.
What would cause this spindle to fall out while cutting? And any idea on the chances that I don’t have catastrophic damage to the gearbox? This mower is too heavy for my loader to lift and tilt up. I might could put one wheel on my Deckover trailer and get up underneath there.
I suppose I should just pull the gearbox and see what it looks like.
Thoughts?

View attachment IMG_2747.jpg

 

[RayIN]

My experience is, every time I bought used, I was buying someone else's problem.
I don't like propping something up to work underneath. I always use wood blocking. I keep thinking, what's the chance of survival if it falls.

 

[workinonit]

Buying used equipment is perfectly fine as long as you know what you are looking at when you buy it and you know how to inspect it. I bought my Frontier 21' finish mower used from an individual. It had a bent deck wheel and one bad spindle. I knew the blades on it were the original blades but they were worn out so I had to put blades on it as well. That's an awful lot of cutter for your tractor size.

 

[nyone]

My experience is, every time I bought used, I was buying someone else's problem.
I don't like propping something up to work underneath. I always use wood blocking. I keep thinking, what's the chance of survival if it falls.

I mean when you buy so used that it looks like it's got rust holes in it yes it's a problem. I'm also hoping that the huge hole in the deck is from the blade flying off.

 

[Kodiak45]

Hole in deck is to access blade hardware. Someone did cut a line with a torch, no idea why.
I had no expectations that this mower would last years. I was just hoping to use it for at least 2 years.

 

[kneedeep]

Well I finally got the pto shafts all setup, fixed a flat tire, sharpened blades, and was ready to go. I get 3 acres done and this happened…. I swear I never learn my lesson on buying cheap used equipment. Granted I know this isn’t the end of the world, but the whole reason I went to 10ft cutter is because I don’t have time it takes for the 5ft.
What would cause this spindle to fall out while cutting? And any idea on the chances that I don’t have catastrophic damage to the gearbox? This mower is too heavy for my loader to lift and tilt up. I might could put one wheel on my Deckover trailer and get up underneath there.
I suppose I should just pull the gearbox and see what it looks like.
Thoughts?
View attachment 4434034
View attachment 4434035

Spindle broke

 

[CliffordK]

Ok, it took me a bit to get oriented. So that is the shaft and blade that should be below the mower. It doesn't really look sheared to me, but cleaning up the shaft stub will tell you a lot.

Can you open the top or side of your gearbox before removing it? What holds everything together? Is there a missing bolt? Pin?

I realize there is dirt, muck, dust, etc, but was your shaft in oil or in grease?

I found the output shaft for the JD HX10 mower. You don't want to see the price, but it looks different from what you have.

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[RayIN]

I mean when you buy so used that it looks like it's got rust holes in it yes it's a problem. I'm also hoping that the huge hole in the deck is from the blade flying off.

Speaking of a blade flying off, this it the LF side-corner of my 40 yr old King Kutter, 1/8"steel:

 

[nyone]

Speaking of a blade flying off, this it the LF side-corner of my 40 yr old King Kutter, 1/8"steel:
View attachment 4434204

I the blade dosnt even have to fly off on these things, there dangerous. I worked maintence for a municipality where a mower shot a sign post through a car door and landed in the back seat.