Rotary Cutter JD 506 rotary cutter's slip clutch missing

[sweetgrassman]

I just purchased a used 3 point, John Deere 506 rotary mower. After getting it home and reviewing the operators manual I noticed that it did not have the slip clutch assembly. The pto drive shaft attaches directly to the gear box and then down to the cutter blades. There is a shear pin assembly between the driveshaft and the gear box. I assume it was used in the past without the slip clutch. I plan to use the mower to cut grass on level ground used for hay and horse pasture. Is it OK to use the mower without the slip clutch? Sounds like a dumb question but thought I would ask.

Thank you

 

[kco]

Yes it should be fine. I think most smaller mowers just use shear pins. Hopefully someone can give you the recommended size and grade in this thread. My 4' Chinese rotary mower uses a grade 2. Don't use stronger than necessary.

ADDED: This is a link to one site that sells parts. It looks like a 5/16 x 2" but does not specify the grade.

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