PTO came apart while bushhogging

[suttles]

While I was bushhogging this afternoon I noticed that things were kind of quite behind me.

I looked around and the bushhog was not mowing and then when I raised it and lowered it I noticed that the lower part of the PTO was not there.

The tractor has 22 hrs on it and the bushhog has even less.
Did I do something wrong?
It was down near the clutch on the mower deck that the part was missing from.
It was attached to the tractor and lower part was just not there. It was off where it goes on to the deck of the bushhog. It looked like a pin was out of the clutch part but the part attached to the tractor didn't have a place to attach anything it looked like. The shaft cover was all there.
I had been mowing for about 3 hours and I never hit anything hard.
It was all grass that had gotten tall.
I was on mostly level ground and when I noticed it was not mowing I just thought it seemed a little quiter back there and I don't know what caused this.
Please help. This is almost brand new.
What could I have done wrong?
IT was oiled at 11 hrs like the owners manuel instructed.
I was mostly in 3 or 4 gear low and once for a while I was in 1st high.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
sandy

 

[RoyJackson]

It sounds like the PTO shaft wasn't connected properly to the bush hog. When the U-joint slipped off the cutter (I'm assuming the U-joint isn't still attached to the cutter's gearbox), the two part shaft slipped apart. I'm surprised you didn't hear this when it happened. It had to make a racket back there.

IF the PTO shaft U-joint is still attached to the cutter gear box, it hadn't been pinned to the shaft stub properly. This would be a Warranty claim.

It's also possible the shaft was cut too short and came apart when the shaft extended (going on the top of a hill, for example). However, even if the shafts separated, if connected to the Tractor and cutter properly, you should not have lost one part.

 

[PineRidge]

The PTO shaft on my rotary cutter is fastened to the gearbox with a shear bolt. If the bolt isn't super tight the vibration from using the mower will shear the bolt. At that point the PTO shaft can separate from the gearbox and pull apart. It doesn't make a lot of noise when it happens. If you look closely at the gearbox shaft I think you will see where the shear bolt is broken flush with the surface of the shaft. Use a punch to knock out the old piece of shear bolt before putting things back together.

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah, you either sheared the pin and it came apart or the shaft in the gear box broke off. That would be easy to tell by whether the shaft piece is stuck in the Ujoint of the PTO shaft or not. Either way, I would have thought you would have noticed a big difference in the noise, vibration and pull on the tractor engine. You aren't one of those tractor operators that has an IPOD stuck in each ear when operating are you???

 

[BobG_in_VA]

While I was bushhogging this afternoon I noticed that things were kind of quite behind me.

I looked around and the bushhog was not mowing and then when I raised it and lowered it I noticed that the lower part of the PTO was not there.

It was down near the clutch on the mower deck that the part was missing from.
It was attached to the tractor and lower part was just not there. It was off where it goes on to the deck of the bushhog. It looked like a pin was out of the clutch part but the part attached to the tractor didn't have a place to attach anything it looked like. The shaft cover was all there.

I was on mostly level ground and when I noticed it was not mowing I just thought it seemed a little quiter back there and I don't know what caused this.
Please help. This is almost brand new.
What could I have done wrong?
IT was oiled at 11 hrs like the owners manuel instructed.
sandy

You need to let us know a tad more info. What is "IT"? Brand/model of tractor and mower for starters. I was having difficultly discerning a "visual" from your discription. Question: Was the PTO shaft turning but your mower wasn't? If that's the case the shear pin broke---easiy fix. If your Pto shaft was not turning, check your PTO shift lever to make sure its in the ON position. Pictures would help a bunch...BobG in VA

 

[ovrszd]

You need to let us know a tad more info. What is "IT"? Brand/model of tractor and mower for starters. I was having difficultly discerning a "visual" from your discription. Question: Was the PTO shaft turning but your mower wasn't? If that's the case the shear pin broke---easiy fix. If your Pto shaft was not turning, check your PTO shift lever to make sure its in the ON position. Pictures would help a bunch...BobG in VA

I had to read it a couple times, but he lost the cutter half of the PTO shaft!!!!

 

[Soundguy]

Hmm... cutter half of the pto shaft is gone.. presumably the yoke is with it.. leaving either a smooth input shaft to the mower gearbox.. or the smooth shaft of a slip clutch.

If the gearbox.. then the shear pin broke.. if the slip clutch.. then the connecting bolt broke... What puzzles me thought.. is that there was no method to retain the lower yoke to the shaft after the coupler pin or shear pin broke.

On my KK mower and on my stepfathers Howse mower, there is a 'circlip' in a machined groove at the very end of the gearbox input shaft. if the shear pin pops, the yoke can not come of fthe shaft due to the circlip...

I'm amazed to hear that many of you do not have items like this.. seems like that would be a huge safety hazard to have a loose pto shaft that could wildly flail along benid you at 540 rpm because it can slip of fthe shaft when the shear bolt or coupling bolt breaks.. I can just imagine what could be beat up if that did happen.

To the original poster.. drive around till you see where the grass goes from being cut, to not cut.. and look around in a 10' radious.. likely you will find the missing lower shaf thalf and yoke.

Please post back and let us know what you find.. i.e. what broke exactly, etc. And if you fint the sheared slud to drive out of the input shaft so you can re-attach the pto shaft to the mower.

Pics would be great!

Soundguy

 

[suttles]

Sorry I didn't make it clear on what fell off.

My husband fixed it. It was the bolt that holds the slip clutch.

Nothing was damaged. He thinks it just came loose from use.

Thank goodness. I am new to using a tractor so I don't know all the parts.
I keep reading the manual and asking questions here.
I have about 22 hrs under my belt.
But I do really like using this tractor and bush hogging is almost therapy.
I was mowing after dark but on flat ground.
Is that safe to do?
We have a Kubota L3130 and Kodiak Grizzley bushhog.
I want to take care of this great machine.
Thanks,
sandy

 

[riptides]

I want to take care of this great machine.

I wish my SO had the time and energy to devote to tractoring.

Your doing fine.... but how dark is dark? I usually mow when I can see obstacles, holes, animals or danger items. No see, no mow.

-Mike Z.

 

[suttles]

Soundguy,
Do you have any pictures of what you were describing when you said:'"circlip' in a machined groove at the very end of the gearbox input shaft. if the shear pin pops, the yoke can not come of fthe shaft due to the circlip..."?

I posted what happened to the pto shaft and it was the clip that came off.
My husband thought it was just using it and it worked loose.
Anything I can learn about tractoring I would like to know.
I am afraid that I have not learned the names of the parts.
I do read the manuel and try my best to follow the instructions.
Even after reading and re reading I don't know what to call things. At first I didn't know what a pto was. Even after reading and seeing it. It just takes a while before I can become familar with the components.

I had to keep reading and asking what a shuddle shift was.
So hopefully I will have a better knowledge of the mechanical parts.

My husband knows the mechanical parts but this is the first time I have used a tractor.
I do feel like I am getting better at operating it.
I want to be sure that I can learn how to do some of the maintaince on it.

It feels so good to have something work and do what we ask of this machine to do.

There is a reward in seeing a pasture mowed after the grass has gotten to tall.

Any suggestions you have area greatly appreciated.
I would like to know that this piece you mentioned is.

Thanks,
sandy