mmm install with bro trek plates

[RaydaKub]

Sorry you are still having issues. I use my FEL to lift the front wheels off the ground. That allows me to keep the front fork on the mower as I push it under the tractor. Next I slide the collar back, then feed it through the plate opening with my left hand from the left side. I put my right hand in under the brake rod above the plate to align the splines on the shaft. I can turn my mower with my left hand on the shaft if I need it. I do this by feel more than by look. Once it starts on the shaft, I can usually wiggle it on with my left hand. Once the shaft is on, I drop the front wheels down, hook the lift arms, then hook the fork to the front latch. Having the front wheels up does give you the small issue that you may need to yank the mower backwards after lowering it to line up the lift arms.

Don't give up yet. It does get easier. It did for me.

 

[PeterK]

The BXpanded UnderAmor installs instead of the MMM, so you can't (don't need) both at the same time.

The UnderAmor attaches with two ears at the front that ride over two bolts installed (into existing holes) into the frame. Then at the rear are two slots which are captured by the MMM lift arms with the spring pins, same as the MMM. Install is literally under a minute and removes even faster. I can imagine how difficult it would be to attach the mid-PTO through a hole in a plate.

This was my choice and I am very happy with it on my BX. ymmv

 

[Danner]

The BXpanded UnderAmor installs instead of the MMM, so you can't (don't need) both at the same time.

The UnderAmor attaches with two ears at the front that ride over two bolts installed (into existing holes) into the frame. Then at the rear are two slots which are captured by the MMM lift arms with the spring pins, same as the MMM. Install is literally under a minute and removes even faster. I can imagine how difficult it would be to attach the mid-PTO through a hole in a plate.

This was my choice and I am very happy with it on my BX. ymmv

I came here to post this.

 

[GolfAddict]

I attach the rear half of the shaft first by itself, and that makes it pretty easy. Then once the deck is under, you can push the deck forward on it's wheels to where you can put the two halves against each other and then pull the mower on backward, sliding the halves together.

If the PTO selector is set to rear only, the mid will spin freely. So I look at the two halves once the deck is under. Spin the rear half to see that I'm pretty close to aligned at that right spot, then pull the halves together and rotate the back half a little back and forth to get right on that right spot, then just slide the rest of the way together by pulling the deck back.

 

[RaydaKub]

I attach the rear half of the shaft first by itself, and that makes it pretty easy. Then once the deck is under, you can push the deck forward on it's wheels to where you can put the two halves against each other and then pull the mower on backward, sliding the halves together.

If the PTO selector is set to rear only, the mid will spin freely. So I look at the two halves once the deck is under. Spin the rear half to see that I'm pretty close to aligned at that right spot, then pull the halves together and rotate the back half a little back and forth to get right on that right spot, then just slide the rest of the way together by pulling the deck back.

Well, that's one I haven't tried before. The reason I haven't is because I spin my wheels sideways and use the lift when I do it. I accidently tried that when my mower was too far forward and the shaft fell apart. Attempting to put it together w/o the wheels spun forward was a real bear.

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[CHDinCT]

Some other possible help for you. I drive my BX up on 2x6 boards which gives me another 1.5" of clearance, then use these casters (which I bought at a discount store for about half the price shown) under each mower wheel - no need to rotate the wheels 90*, then back after you've mounted the deck. The deck rolls around like nothing in any direction with these casters.

Shop Waxman 6-in Plastic Swivel Caster at Lowes.com

I like GolfAddict's idea of mounting the back half of the PTO shaft by itself first - might try that next time, though one time the two halves came apart, it took some fiddling to get them lined back up.

 

[Maestro71]

Yes it's getting easier but I tried splitting the shaft and that seemed more difficult . The anti scalp wheels are a pain in th but too. The under armor is nice but I bought the brotek so my fan would still be protected when the mower is on. I would be nervous if I had to rely on just the mower to protect it. Then again before I found this forum I was driving around in crazy brush without a clue. The first day I drove through brush with the plates on I got a stick in the engine fan. Murphy's law.
It's just frustrating that we even need to use the skid plates in the first place, you would think kubota would address the issue. The factory plate is a joke.

 

[TripleR]

The BXpanded UnderAmor installs instead of the MMM, so you can't (don't need) both at the same time.

The UnderAmor attaches with two ears at the front that ride over two bolts installed (into existing holes) into the frame. Then at the rear are two slots which are captured by the MMM lift arms with the spring pins, same as the MMM. Install is literally under a minute and removes even faster. I can imagine how difficult it would be to attach the mid-PTO through a hole in a plate.

This was my choice and I am very happy with it on my BX. ymmv

My HST fan got broken with the MMM on, so I still prefer the Bro Tek, this has happened to several BX owners. It is less likely, but still can happen.

 

[RaydaKub]

Things may have changed, but when I was looking for my BX2230, Bro-Tek was the only choice. The lift arms have changed between the 30 and 50 series and UnderArmor did not fit the older ones.

 

[GolfAddict]

It works quite well for me to put the back half of the shaft on the mid-PTO spline first, as it is so much easier to install it through the skid plate without the deck under there. I always scootch the deck underneath without turning the wheels, so I don't have the problem rolling the deck forward and back that Ray had. (I'm sure it would be a LOT easier to pull the deck out and push it back under with the casters Chris has - I'll look into ordering a set of those.)

The first time the shaft came apart accidentally for me too, and I ended up dragging the whole thing back out from under because I couldn't seem to get them back together. That's when I found that they are "keyed" or whatever you call it, and can only go together in that single orientation relative to each other. Once I realized that I tried mounting the back shaft first, then put the deck under.

I have to be sure to have the PTO set to rear only so that I can freely rotate the back shaft half. That way I don't have to rotate the front half by spinning the blades. The other thing to do is, once the deck is under there, swing the two shafts out toward you so that you can see where the key is on the one and the slot on the other. Then you put the shafts back straight, and spin the back one to where you know it's real close to it's mating orientation. Pull the deck back so the shaft halves are touching, spin the rear shaft a bit back and forth to where it mates up, then pull the deck back the rest of the way.

The other thing is that you'll want to do is have the deck aligned pretty close side-to-side under there so that the shafts can slide into each other easily. You need to get the deck aligned anyway to get it to mount, so I just nudge it into position where I can see the lift arms are going to drop down pretty much correct. Then there isn't a problem with any binding or anything as you pull the deck back and slide the shaft halves together.

Works for me, so might be worth a try...