False alarm. Turns out there is a metal shield (2nd picture, around the shaft) to protect the bottom seal that got loose for some reason and was making noise on certain occasions. Since I have the gearbox out, I'll still take the cover off and inspect it and also try to figure out why the shield got loose in the first place. Probably brush got behind it somehow.Did some mowing yesterday. It was mowed about a month and half ago, so it was only about 2 ft tall weeds and what not. Not too bad. I typically deal with stuff as tall as the ROPS and up to 3" thick.
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Oh and somewhere in that brush cutter, there is a bearing going bad. It only makes a noise every once in a while but it's there. Probably just a bad cage on one of the bearings. May treat it with a new pair of chains as well.
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