Mowing Cutter death trap

[Kodiak45]

I looked at the shaft last night and it appears that there is a threaded hole going down into it as if it was held in by a bolt and it just came loose. This seems odd, but no pins on the sides of the shaft. I’ll see if I can get some pictures later today

 

[CliffordK]

That is kind of what I was thinking.

It reminded me a bit of the swivel on my Dad's vise that had been a problem for years. I finally took it apart and found a bolt in the middle that had simply come loose. I put it back together, and it works great.

Perhaps you can work with your shop and see if you can find new seals for it at the same time, and then get it back to an oil bath.