Kubota 60" MMM to RFM

[davev701]

I originally posted this in the attachment forum - but I think this forum is more appropriate. I have just purchased a Kubota RC60-25 60" mower deck (very reasonable - $250). It is new and has never been used. The paint is still on the inside of the pulleys!! Could I get some information on this deck as I want to set it up as a 3pt hitch rear mower. I believe the gearbox is set for 540 rpm ( I hope, but maybe not). There is a decal on one side that says it can hook up to a mid or rear pto (the gearbox can be pointed front or back by taking out four bolts). I think this deck would fit a L2550 tractor - which would put it from the 80's or 90's. Also the oil seal is missing on the front of the gearbox - so I need to get a new one. I don't know why the seal is missing on a new, never used deck - but the gearbox seems tight and fine as far as rotation (on the side of the gearbox the number "1117" is stamped). It is a very heavy well built deck, so except for the pto speed and getting a new oil seal, it should be easy to set it up as a RFM. The tractor I will be using it on is a 2007 Cub Cadet 6284 (28 hp Cat (Perkins) diesel 4X4. The tractor has a mid pto, but with out the correct mount points I think it would be much easier to set it up in the rear. The rear pto turns at the standard 540 rpm - the mid has two speeds - 540 or 2000 rpm.It looks like all the brackets and hangers are present on the deck and I can take some pictures if it will help. I have a welder and have done some fabricating, so the iron work should be within my capabilities. So the biggest problems are: correct gearbox speed and finding a driveshaft to connect from the standard 6 spline pto output to the splined shaft input of the gearbox.
Any thoughts, info, specs, or ideas would be truly appreciated as I am retired and this seemed like a very reasonable way to set a mower on my Cub...............thanks - davev701

 

[Rusty]

The rear pto turns at the standard 540 rpm - the mid has two speeds - 540 or 2000 rpm....So the biggest problems are: correct gearbox speed and finding a driveshaft to connect from the standard 6 spline pto output to the splined shaft input of the gearbox.

davev701 - I don't have info on your specific MMM, but can provide some info on the RCK60-24b deck on my Kubota B7500. The Mid-PTO runs 2500 rpm @ engine rpm of 2578, and has a USA No. 5 (Kubota 10-tooth) involute spline. My rear PTO runs 540 rpm @ 2600 engine rpm or 960 rpm @ 2554 engine rpm. I hope this helps some. Best wishes on the project.

 

[radioman]

I'll have to check my manual, but the mid pto for 60 inch deck runs much higher then rear pto. The engine needs to run at 2500 or engine rated speed. So that being said, you may need to up the speed for the rear deck if this is what you really want to do. I guess the only way to do this is with pulleys.

 

[davev701]

Thanks Rusty and Radioman for your info. I had figured that the deck would need 2000 rpm, but I did not know if the L2350 or L25550 tractors that the RC60-25 deck would fit had mid pto's. I stopped at the Kubota place the next town over and the mechanic said the mid pto was an option for those tractors and the rpm was definitely 2000. I did get the illustrated parts manual for the deck and it does show how it is suspended under the tractor - so i might still attempt it, although he recommended that I sell this new deck and try to get the correct deck for my Cub. I just couldn't resist this brand new deck for $250!!! He said that my deck setup would be around $1600 if bought new. It seems if I wanted to increase the rear pto speed, the only way to do it would be to mount a "dog house set up" on the deck with a 4:1 ratio of pulleys with the high speed side going into the mower deck gear box. I think I saw an old RFM with a sheet metal cover over the pulley setup mounted over the gearbox. I could go with a standard 6 spline pto driveshaft to a pulley 4 times bigger than the pulley mounted to the input shaft on the gear box. At 540 rpm at the tractor it would increase to 2160 rpm at the small pulley on the gear box input. Oh well thanks for your help.................Dave

 

[Steveshow]

My dad and I are looking into a imilar project to turn a 5 ft john Deere MMM with a 90 degree gear box and driveshsaft into a 3 pt mount finish mower for his B7500. I forget the model # of the JD mower, but the tag on the JD MMM says it is 900 something rpm. We noticed that his B7500 has a spedd selector for the rear PTO, 540 and 900 something. Dad is a retired welder and I found him some casters for the mower. He has a 3 pt mount from another tractor that we plan to adapt to the JD MMM with some angle iron or square tubing.

 

[Steveshow]

For the price difference, if you have some fab skills, I say see if the dack you have can't be adapted.