OH POO! What did I do?

[Willl]

It seems odd to me that a brush hog would break the drive shaft to the blades and total itself before the slip clutch kicked out. Slip clutch adjusted or not.

How 'bout rusted together ?

 

[whistlepig]

How 'bout rusted together ?

How 'bout me being a total disbeliever on PTO slip clutches?

 

[AGGIE00]

It's obvious that the shaft was fatigued and the final ipact did not cause all the damage. Is this a warranty issue, depends on time of ownership. Based on what I have read of the MX6, it should be a recall.

Over the years we have dropped the stumpjumper a few times and never has it flown outside of the mower, but sat laying in the grass right where it fell/broke off.

I wouldn't spend a lot of money repairing it considering I bought a like new 3pt MX8 for $2500 from the dealer.

 

[Ken]

I have a MX-6 rotory mower.attached to a 4520 power reverser tractor was using it for the main brush cutter until started to read the broken shaft posts. and checked with my J.D. dealer his comment of Spain gear boxes were no longer used due to lack of spare parts.
Now use a gear box made in China. asked if this is a better gear box he told me only time will tell.
Now this type of thinking is a black spot on my idea of John Deere for the next purchase.
This is a expensive rotory cutter and if the parts are not supported by dealer neither will I be purchasing my next equipment and tractors.
Hard to believe a company will sell something that uses the customer to use to find out the relalabilty of the machine. what happened to the testing prior the selling.

 

[wirenut]

I had the exact same thing happen to me this summer (not JD though). I have a 60 HP Omni gearbox with 2" output shaft. Set it down hard on a stump, sheared the same as yours. I have a slip clutch, it may not be adjusted right, but I don't think a properly adjusted clutch could have helped with the instant shock load with tractor running at 2000 RPM's. I was able to find a replacement shaft online for $102.00 + $25.00 shipping. The repair was not too tough. Now changing out the blades is another matter.

 

[whistlepig]

It's obvious that the shaft was fatigued and the final ipact did not cause all the damage. Is this a warranty issue, depends on time of ownership. Based on what I have read of the MX6, it should be a recall.

Over the years we have dropped the stumpjumper a few times and never has it flown outside of the mower, but sat laying in the grass right where it fell/broke off.

I wouldn't spend a lot of money repairing it considering I bought a like new 3pt MX8 for $2500 from the dealer.

I spent a lot of time looking at this shaft. The pictures are excellent. There are no signs of metal fatigue that I could see.

 

[jenkinsph]

I agree that Deere needs to recall this cutter, I have read too many posts with the same problems and what appears to be a break in the same place on all of these output shafts. Regretably I have one of these myself.

 

[Redbug]

Just how do you test/check your slip clutch before you use the cutter? Loosen up the pressure bolts around the plates? I never considered the plates rusting together before.

 

[Degolyerent]

I think I would try to find a gearbox that would work with the stump jumper assembly that I have, if indeed it could be had at a reasonable cost or I would find a cutter on craigslist that is in bad shape that has a gearbox that would work and fit it to what I have or just buy a good used cutter at a reasonable cost off of craigslist and be done with it. Sorry about your bad luck on your cutter, no one needs that extra expense or hassle!

 

[IslandTractor]

Just how do you test/check your slip clutch before you use the cutter? Loosen up the pressure bolts around the plates? I never considered the plates rusting together before.

I adjust mine each spring and if I haven't brush hogged for a month or two. Loosen all the bolts on the pressure plate. Make a few magic marker slashes on the outside edge across the plates so you can tell if it has moved/slipped. Then at low idle start the PTO. Stop PTO let everything stop in the mower and then check your alignment marks. If they have moved then the clutch is slipping. If they haven't moved then repeat a couple of times with higher idle speed. If that doesn't do it go back to low idle and engage PTO while a 2x4 is jammed against the solid part of the blade. I've had to use the 2x4 trick once but if it requires more than that the tractor will stall or chew up the wood. If that happens then probably best to remove the slip clutch for bench inspection as it is likely quite rusted/fused. If the clutch does slip then just retighten to specs.

 

[Redbug]

Thank you Island. That's what I will do next year when cutting season begins again.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Hitting stuff that breaks stuff....I think this has been going on for some time.

You need more than a 40hp gear box for a 6' cutter. I'd be looking in the 100hp range, if you want it to hold up.

Look at these if you want to hit stumps.

http://www.brownmanufacturing.us/catalog/7

 

[jinman]

I would sure suggest a King Kutter as previously suggested. The KK brand has many more dealers than the JD product and most KKs I have seen have shear pins on the driveshaft. I like a slip clutch on my rotary tiller, but I think a shear pin style PTO shaft is preferred for those who don't want to worry about repeated slip clutch adjustments. When it comes to slip clutches, I always err on the side of too loose. I'd rather smell smoke from a hot slip clutch than the smell of money leaving my wallet.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Buy this: 75 HP GEARBOX FOR ROTARY MOWERS - Agri Supply
Take it to a good welding shop and have them weld the included hub to the stump jumper.

 

[clemsonfor]

Yea i did not look at the size of the cutter, but like Brad shows Agri supply sells a larger size gear box as well.

There is no way id spen $1500-3000 to fix this cutter. Esp if JD dosnet know if their HIgh dollar chinese gear box is any better than the $200 agri supply box!! You can bout buy 2 KK's for that price or you prolly can buy a new bush hog brand cutter for that. Or look at a good used bushhog brand i know can be had for $1500!

Do not pay $1500 + to fix that cutter. It amazes me why some folks think JD stuff is worth the money?

 

[Dead Horse]

I have had an MX10 for about 10 years. In that time, I have broken both the right and left side gear box output shafts. You can purchase them from JD, but they come as a matched gear set with the gear that rides on splines on the input shaft.

If you can get the set, the R&R is not that difficult. The hardest part is removing the bearing that is pressed on to the output shaft.

Remove the gear box, remove the top cover and side oil seal plug and remove the C clip holding the bearing in the box. The input shaft pushes out with the bearing and the gear sliding off the splines as it goes.

Once the input shaft and gear are clear of the box, the output shaft can be removed through the top of the box, though depending on where it broke, you may have an oil seal and C clip that needs to come off the shaft end. Take care to keep the bearings clean.

The bearing which butts up to the gear flange on the output shaft can be removed by several methods. If you do this job and get this far and cannot figure our how to get the bearing off, drop me a PM and I will coach you through it. Once off it is easily installed on the new shaft with a 18" length piece of 2" PVC and a mallot.

Reassemble the same way you pulled it apart. I was able to even reuse the oil seals by tapping them back to round shape and using some gasket in a tube sealer.

 

[scrappy isb67]

what about finding out who manufactured the gearbox for Deere and order the shaft directly from them? I am sure Deere didn't build the gearbox and is the middle man(that can be cut out) in this

 

[jinman]

Buy this: 75 HP GEARBOX FOR ROTARY MOWERS - Agri Supply
Take it to a good welding shop and have them weld the included hub to the stump jumper.

+1, great suggestion:thumbsup:

Don't go back to JD. They are the ones who caused the problem in the first place. However, with a 75 HP gearbox, you'll need to protect your tractor even more with the correct shear pin or clutch adjustment.

 

[clemsonfor]

I have had an MX10 for about 10 years. In that time, I have broken both the right and left side gear box output shafts. You can purchase them from JD, but they come as a matched gear set with the gear that rides on splines on the input shaft.

If you can get the set, the R&R is not that difficult. The hardest part is removing the bearing that is pressed on to the output shaft.

Remove the gear box, remove the top cover and side oil seal plug and remove the C clip holding the bearing in the box. The input shaft pushes out with the bearing and the gear sliding off the splines as it goes.

Once the input shaft and gear are clear of the box, the output shaft can be removed through the top of the box, though depending on where it broke, you may have an oil seal and C clip that needs to come off the shaft end. Take care to keep the bearings clean.

The bearing which butts up to the gear flange on the output shaft can be removed by several methods. If you do this job and get this far and cannot figure our how to get the bearing off, drop me a PM and I will coach you through it. Once off it is easily installed on the new shaft with a 18" length piece of 2" PVC and a mallot.

Reassemble the same way you pulled it apart. I was able to even reuse the oil seals by tapping them back to round shape and using some gasket in a tube sealer.

+1, great suggestion:thumbsup:

Don't go back to JD. They are the ones who caused the problem in the first place. However, with a 75 HP gearbox, you'll need to protect your tractor even more with the correct shear pin or clutch adjustment.

Im with Jinman! Why on earth would you use these parts that keep busting! I have never heard of one cutter brand with all this trouble, im amazed that its JD and folks have not just trashed them or sold them as parts units to some other poor sole. I have never heard of commercial guys busting their bushhog brand cutters or even the homeowner grade BH brand, other than the occasional one? Man you guys with these things are coming out of the wood work with these busted JD boxes!

 

[Ken]

Never hear of equiptment that seldom fails. It is brand name that should build good farm equip. then will not support a failure. So they bought a cheap Spain gear box is it your responcibilty to research to see if history of failures or accept John Deere name is good material and tools.
And now use a gear box made by ? out of China then still say it your fault for buying.

My MX6 has been retired to grass and weeds in smoth field while old beat up broken metal sided bush hog but still good gear box after 20 + years of abuse is still working.

ken