John Deere 260 disk mower clogs anytime traveling more than 3 mph

[TripleEFarm]

I purchase an old John Deere 260 disk mower a few years ago. The first year we used it, it occasionally left strips of grass uncut and the cut was ragged, but you could cut at speeds of 6-8 mph. We changed out the blades and that seemed to help, but it still cut fairly rough no matter what we did; the stripping seemd to be mostly between the second to the outermost disk and the outermost crop divider disk, or the second to the innermost disk and the innermost crop divider disk. Over the past year we noticed it beginning to clog more and more often. Now it regularly clogs even when you are traveling at ground speeds less than 3-4 mph. The clogs happen both on the inboard and and outboard crop divider disks, but most often on the outboard disk. What could be causing this? At first I thought it could be that the mower's belts were too worn or loose, but as it clogs the entire tractor starts to bog down. If the belts were slipping I'd think the tractor rpm wouldn't be affected much by a clog. Could it be that the parts of the crop divider housings (the piece of angle iron and little wings at their bases) that are suppose to help move the crop through these discs are so worn the grass and clover just wraps around these disks rather than getting kicked out the back of the mower? Could it be a combination of the worn crop divider discs and old belts? The crop divider housings are $253 each, so I hate to dump another $500 into the mower if I don't know this is the problem. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[Bigfoot62]

First of all, :welcome: to the forum.

I have a JD 265, which is just a newer model of the same mower. I've never experienced what you're having.

Here are some guesses:
Mower turning too slow? Worn belts, or PTO speed too slow.
Blades on backwards?

 

[PMA]

First of all, :welcome: to the forum. I have a JD 265, which is just a newer model of the same mower. I've never experienced what you're having. Here are some guesses: Mower turning too slow. Worn belts, or PTO speed too slow. Blades on backwards.

I have a JD 275 and never had any problems. When streaking occurs, time for new blades or flip them. I normally cut around 6.5 mph.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[Tx Jim]

Are drive belts tight? Are the backs of drive belts even with the outer diameter of the sheaves?

 

[TripleEFarm]

Thank you for the ideas. What speed do you guys run your PTO at when using your mowers? I've been running it at 540, which I believe is sufficient for this mower. I know it's not the blades because they are new and they are on the right way (not backwards). It possibly could be the belts. I'm going to look more closely at the tension on the belts tomorrow.

 

[TripleEFarm]

I'm going to check the drive belts this afternoon. One of the questions I was going to ask was how to know when the belts needed to be replaced. Based on your question, I'm assuming the answer is whenever the belts are so worn the drive belts are no longer even with the outer diameter of the sheaves. Is this correct? So, even if the belts are loose, if they are not even with the outer diameter of the sheaves, I should replace?

The manual says tighten the belts so that 20 lbs of force is needed to displace belts 3/4" at center. What is a good way to measure 20 lbs of force (place 20 lbs of something in bag and hook the bag to belt at the center?)?

I notice that the outermost cutting disk is very worn (what the parts manual calls the "drive disk"). For example, there are two metal wings at the base of this disk that are fairly bent and smoothed over. Could this be part of the problem? This drive disk is $342.96, so I don't won't to replace if this is not part of the issue.

Is there any maintenance I can do under the cutter disks to help reduce friction? They seem to turn fairly easy with the PTO is not hooked to the tractor, so I don't think any of them are binding and causing excess friction, but I've not been doing any yearly maintenance under the disks and was wondering if I should.

Here is a pretty stupid question, (not that my others haven't been as well). When mowing, the outer end of the mower drags along the ground on the shoe, correct? I ask because if I'm able to keep the mower off the outside shoe with a little hydraulic pressure the mower doesn't clog nearly as bad, but of course the mower bounces along the ground and the quality of the cut is terrible.

The manual has a section called "rotating disks." It says if the ribbed faces on the disks become excessively warn you can fit it to the opposite rotating pinion shaft. What is the purpose of these ribs? My disks don't have ribs on any side (probably had been rotated and worn off on both sides before I bought it). Could this be part of the issue? It seems the ribs are only on the 4 center disks and the mower clogs on the ends, so I don't think so, but wanted to ask.

 

[TripleEFarm]

First of all, :welcome: to the forum.

I have a JD 265, which is just a newer model of the same mower. I've never experienced what you're having.

Here are some guesses:
Mower turning too slow? Worn belts, or PTO speed too slow.
Blades on backwards?

I'm mowing at 540 rpm and the forward travel speed is only 2-3 mph, so I don't think it is too low an rpm or too fast a tractor speed. I've re-checked the blades and they are on correctly. I need to re-check the belts. I've looked at them and they look "fine," but I don't know how to tell if they are too worn to function. And I still need to check how tight they are. I pushed on them when this problem started and they seemed very tight, but I didn't do the 20 lbs of displacement test as suggested in the manual.

 

[boggen]

fish weighing scale should have plenty of hook to snag a belt, and then simply pull on the scale handle to get your 20lbs. and see if you have 3/4" deflection.

 

[5030]

Not to throw stones but it sounds to me like you bought a used (well used and not maintained piece of equipment) that you aren't maintaining either. Disc machines must have the crop dividers replaced ocassionally and the delfectors on the turtles are a consumable item as well.

While I have a NH not a JD, the principles are the same (color is different). Notwithstanding, lack of regular maitenance pays you back with inefficient operation or poor to no operation at all. Get your wallet out and replace the consumable parts and while you are at it, change the fluids, belts and skid shoes.

Never had the turtles off you say? I wonder what your seals look like and how much gear oil is in the cutterbar? I look at mine every fall, remove any wrapped twine (and change the cutterbar gear oil) while I'm in there. You drop a section because of lack of oil seizure, you'll really need a big wallet.

Finally, you mighjt swith to serrated knives. I switched 2 years ago and my cut imnproved quite a bit.