Finish mower chains

[Ginormous]

Well, I did some mowing with my rotary mower, and I think I should modify my chains. While I'm mowing, the chains get flipped up occasionally and tend to get stuck on the offset metal stock holding them. I think I'll just use short bolts and let the chains sit right against the mower deck. Hopefully I can get away without having to shorten each of those lengths of chain; my hands are still a little sore from doing all of those cuts before.

 

[clemsonfor]

Well, I did some mowing with my rotary mower, and I think I should modify my chains. While I'm mowing, the chains get flipped up occasionally and tend to get stuck on the offset metal stock holding them. I think I'll just use short bolts and let the chains sit right against the mower deck. Hopefully I can get away without having to short each of those lengths of chain; my hands are still a little sore from doing all of those cuts before.

Man use an angle grinder. Maytake a second or 3 longer each cut but no force is involved!

 

[Ginormous]

Clemsonfor -- that would take all the fun out of it.

Here are pics of my modified chain guard. They are not off-set from the deck now, and I had to shorten most of the links so that none of them can reach the blade tips. I haven't tried mowing yet, but I don't think they will get caught on top now, and this modification may also solve the issue Clemsonfor raised earlier regarding backing into things.

 

[clemsonfor]

Clemsonfor -- that would take all the fun out of it.

Here are pics of my modified chain guard. They are not off-set from the deck now, and I had to shorten most of the links so that none of them can reach the blade tips. I haven't tried mowing yet, but I don't think they will get caught on top now, and this modification may also solve the issue Clemsonfor raised earlier regarding backing into things.

I like it! It looks better too, dosent look as flimsy either. Slap some red pain on it and call it good. I know if you paint the chains it will come off in no time but it will help your flat stock blend better.

 

[Ginormous]

I ordered a quart of the Yanmar red paint from Hoye, and I'm going to do the whole mower including the flat metal stock. BTW, I started painting the mower with a can of the Yanmar red and ran out after 1 and a half coats...

 

[Ginormous]

Updated pictures after painting... :thumbsup:

 

[clemsonfor]

Updated pictures after painting... :thumbsup:

Oh no! You got paint on the tire and on some of the chains. Better get some paint thinner and get that off fast its making your work look sloppy!

Gr8 job seriously and thanks for the pics.

Oh by the way my seal finally came in. The jbar shop didnt put the right postage on it so it went back to their shop and they had to resend it. I spent about 30 mins cleaning the old flange and pulling the old and reinstalling the new seal. Then putting the power bar and blades back on. Also had to tighten up the gearbox on the deck as well.

 

[Ginormous]

Think of it as a little extra protective layer in some critical spots. :thumbsup:

 

[Ginormous]

Oh by the way my seal finally came in. The jbar shop didnt put the right postage on it so it went back to their shop and they had to resend it. I spent about 30 mins cleaning the old flange and pulling the old and reinstalling the new seal. Then putting the power bar and blades back on. Also had to tighten up the gearbox on the deck as well.

Just came across this again... too bad you didn't take a video of the operation. Not sure it would be the same as mine, but sometimes a video is worth a million words.

 

[clemsonfor]

Just came across this again... too bad you didn't take a video of the operation. Not sure it would be the same as mine, but sometimes a video is worth a million words.

You know i totally forgot. I had got into the habit of taking pics of many things i did incase i felt like posting to a forum whatever the task was, say outboard fix, tractor fix, car fix whatever. I totally forgot and did not even take a single picture.

My cutter has no stump jumper. So if i were to do it again i would just undo the caastle nut pry the powerbar off with blades still attached, and then just simple take off the 4 bolts that hold the flage on the bottom of the gearbox. This is the flange that the seal rests on the inside of. Pop it out tap new in place, i coated the metal on metal flange with RTV as it had some white silicone in it from factory (prolly china RTV) and then bolted it all back togeather. It really is that simple. I coated the shaft in grease casuse i did not have antiseize to hopefully keep it freed up, but i though i know sometimes greese hardens over time so i hope this dont happen, it was highquality wheel bearing greese and i have always seen this stuff wet like so i hope im good.

That is not the process i did if you read my post as i know you did.

As yours is a us manufacturer made one maybe with a us gearbox may not be the same but id venture to guess mine is a copy of some brand and i know its not a bushhog copy?

 

[Car Doc]

Maybe a dumb question you guys and maybe its been asked sorry but do those chains ever hit the blades?

I see they would be **** on rocks and sticks keeping them under the deck thats a great idea!

 

[clemsonfor]

Maybe a dumb question you guys and maybe its been asked sorry but do those chains ever hit the blades?

I see they would be **** on rocks and sticks keeping them under the deck thats a great idea!

Thats why you make them short enough and that they stick out far enough so that there is no way they can hit the blades.

 

[Ginormous]

After I had them mounted on the mower deck, I went around chain by chain and made certain they could not reach the tip of the blades. I had to trim a few, which made me glad I double checked.

 

[Car Doc]

Well thats what I would have guessed but on my rough cut the blades come pretty close to the end of the deck so I was just curious thanks!

I wouldn't mind having something like those chains on mine to slow down the projectiles good job guys I may use that idea someday!

 

[clemsonfor]

Well thats what I would have guessed but on my rough cut the blades come pretty close to the end of the deck so I was just curious thanks!

I wouldn't mind having something like those chains on mine to slow down the projectiles good job guys I may use that idea someday!

What you need to do is get like a 4" wide (or whatever it needs to be to work) piece of 1/4 metal or some flat stock and weld it to the top of the deck, then drill it out and hang your chains off of it, that way you space them farenough from the blades but still can be long enough to stop the peices that would be air born.

 

[Car Doc]

Can do thanks clemson!

 

[Ginormous]

So, after all of that work, I decided to take off the chain guard I made for my rotary mower. Here's why:

1) Although I checked each chain to make sure it couldn't reach the blade... it turned out that several of them could and did. As you can imagine, it was hard on the tip of the blades. I think the issue was that the blades droop when it's stationary (like when I was measuring) and lift up when it's running. That extra lift was enough... whack!:thumbdown:

2) When things ejected from the mower (and/or when the blades hit the chains) it was throwing the chain around and hitting the deck so hard that it was knocking the paint off. Yes, my nice new paint job...:shocked:

3) After taking off the chains, I ran the mower some more. I could tell that the chains were making the tractor work harder because of keeping things underneath the deck longer. It was a big enough difference that I was able to run the mower in the next higher gear with the chains off. :thumbsup:

4) Even with the chain guard, I didn't want my son out watching me mow the field. Given that no one will be anywhere near, the chains are not a necessity and I don't feel too bad about mowing my field without them. I do feel a little bad about all of the work I put into them.