RCK 54BX Deck will not rotate

[snpower]

My wife... 'nuff said.

No, really - my wife let my buddy next door use my 2360 whilst I was away, to do some digging and raking. Now the mower deck will not rotate at all either by hand turning the spindle or the center blade. I have loosened the belt and cleaned all of the junk he covered the deck with, to no avail. There is gear oil in the box - maybe a tad low.

What can I, and should I do/check? I'm on the road for ten days starting tomorrow, so my lack of a thanks or reply does not mean I am not interested in what you might have to say!

 

[lostcreekranch]

We have 72" version of this deck so assume that 54" is still 3 blades? First thing I would do is remove belt so you can check individual blade spindles. Then you might try unhooking the mid PTO. That would isolate your problem to one of the spindles or issue with mid PTO.

Good luck.

 

[snpower]

Should have mentioned - the deck is OFF the tractor. Yes, it is 3-blades.

We have 72" version of this deck so assume that 54" is still 3 blades? First thing I would do is remove belt so you can check individual blade spindles. Then you might try unhooking the mid PTO. That would isolate your problem to one of the spindles or issue with mid PTO.

Good luck.

 

[lostcreekranch]

If you take the belt completely off, do the outer two spindles turn free? What about center one under gear box?

 

[snpower]

I can rotate each outer spindle, but not the center one.

If you take the belt completely off, do the outer two spindles turn free? What about center one under gear box?

 

[profnohair]

You've probably already checked this, but there may be a thin wire or rag caught up in the spindle above the blade. I've had it happen to me.

 

[lostcreekranch]

That's not good. With belt still off what happens when you try to turn the PTO shaft? You you get any rotation at all or is it completely locked up?

Think you might need to get the gear box off of the center spindle to isolate if problem is center spindle or in gear box.

Assume that, with deck off of tractor, the mid PTO now will turn?

 

[Scooby074]

Pull the centre blade.
Make sure the dust cap (the fez looking thing under the blade) isnt rusted or otherwise jambing things up. Try and rotate with the cap off.

If that fails your likely looking at a siezed bearing somewhere in the centre gearbox/spindle.

 

[94BULLITT]

If the gear box has oil in it I can't imagine it locking up all at once.

Make sure nothing is wrapped around the spindle or under the pulley.

 

[aczlan]

As others have said, I would pull the center blade, then see what moves after that.

Aaron Z