Deere LX6 tailwheel fractured!

[Z-Michigan]

I own a John Deere LX6 rotary cutter, which I bought new with my JD 5105 tractor a little over a year ago. I use it to mow tall grass and weeds on my property. Nothing too extreme, in fact I think fairly easy usage.

Since buying it, I have always had a problem with the tailwheel digging in on any soft or loose soils. I think this is an issue with the skinny tailwheel it came with. I posted a year ago and got comments that it wasn't set up right. I have tried fiddling with every setting I'm aware of. The issue moderated somewhat this year as the soil was less disturbed than last year.

So, a week ago I was mowing a 5-acre grass field that is intended to be a new hayfield when it is thick enough and low enough on weeds. I got through about 3 acres of the field before noticing that the tailwheel was digging in again (it had only been digging in two spots in the field, and only lightly, before that time). I thought this was the same old problem, but got off the tractor to inspect the tailwheel - and found that it had completely fractured between the rim and hub. See the attached photos. The tailwheel had not been fractured when I started mowing that day. The field is very flat, with two slight ridges. Again, I don't think I was doing anything abusive. I was mowing at between 3 and 5mph.

I have spoken with a neighbor who's a farmer, and with a TSC parts guy, and both said it is very rare to have a tailwheel break. Both said it sounded like a manufacturing defect. I would like your opinions on that, and what might have caused it to break. I did notice in looking at my LX6 tailwheel vs. what is on the cheaper Farm Force cutters that TSC sells, that the Farm Force seem to have a more robust hub and wheel assembly.

Comments appreciated.

[Z-Michigan]

Had to resize some photos to be under the 1000kb limit...

[zzvyb6]

If your are using the 3pt top link as a hard link, then it broke because the wheel is not designed to hold up the weight of the tractor when you go thru a ditch or into a gulley. The mower is designed with a swing top link. Is it working (run out of travel) ? There is an optional tailwheel with more guts shown in JD Parts. From the looks of the pix, its taking a lot of side-load. When you turn around, is it limited in rotary travel? If so, chances are the next part will also fail...

[Z-Michigan]

This particular time I was using the mower as a semi-mount, with the top link not even attached. Most times I have used it as a conventional 3pt, but I do watch to see that it has play in the swinging part on the mower.

I agree that it looks like it is taking side load, but why is it? It is on a rotating wheel housing like any other tailwheel, and that housing has been greased and checked for proper rotation. It most commonly digs in when turning, but again, why is it doing that?

This is my second issue with this LX6 (it was originally delivered with a bent blade pan, before I ever attached it) and I was surprised that the cheapo brand stuff looks more heavily built.

[RollingsFarms]

I have a John Deere 205 brush cutter that is the same as the LX6 that you own, except mine is only 5'. it's a light duty cutter, and I have cut things with it that I should have been using a medium duty cutter for. never had any problems. also, my cutter has the "puncture proof" wider wheel and "sturdier" wheel housing that you see on the MX series cutters. just from looking at this one difference on these two cutters, have swayed me to purchase a MX or something similar the next time i buy. my friend has a Condor brand cutter and his tail wheel has had to be welded on twice. i can't immagine what is making your wheel dig into the ground like that other then it doesnt seem as "flat" as the wheel assembly you can get for the medium duty cutters. i don't see why one of those wouldnt fit on your LX with little or no problem since mine has it. i personally would go talk to your nearest JD dealer and ask him about switching wheel types.

[N80]

The wider laminated tail wheel is an option on the LX 6. That's what I have on mine and it looks a lot beefier than the one in the pictures above.

Also, the LX-6 has a flexible mast so it has a pretty wide range of movement even with the top link attached. However, it still has to be set up correctly so that it can flex up and down. If the top link is set too long it won't be able to flex up which would put undue pressure on that tail wheel. When set up properly it can handle pretty extreme angle without binding.

[Z-Michigan]

N80 - thanks. Good pic too. I am aware of that flexible mast and when using it with the toplink I adjust it so the sliding part is approximately centered in the elongated hole.

My BIL, an engineer, was looking at the broken wheel and commented that it was made of ridiculously thin metal - I would guess something in the range of 24 gauge sheet metal. Yes, that thin. I also notice that the axle on that wheel is only about 1/2" compared to a 1" axle on what TSC sells as Farm Force.

The real question: since I think the top link was always properly adjusted (when used), is it likely that operator error caused this? Or does it look more like a defect? I'm trying to decide whether to try and get the dealer to treat this as a warranty item.

[N80]

I'd ask him if he'd meet you halfway on the beefier laminated tail wheel. You might have to lay out a little cash but it might be worth it in the long run. But before you do, make sure that the wheel part on the laminated version is beefier than what you already have.

[Z-Michigan]

Bump.

Appreciate the comments so far, but also appreciate any more comments on whether I should view this as a defect or just wear, and whether some other part might be tweaked causing the tailwheel not to work right, or to be under excessive stress.

[IslandTractor]

Originally Posted by Z-Michigan

Bump.

Appreciate the comments so far, but also appreciate any more comments on whether I should view this as a defect or just wear, and whether some other part might be tweaked causing the tailwheel not to work right, or to be under excessive stress.

It didn't wear out it flat out broke doing something it should have been able to do for 20 years. I'd take it back and request that JD replace it with a better wheel. That is the cheapest wheel I've seen on any cutter.