I Broke the PTO on my 2305

[johnnydel29]

I walked in the house tonight looking pale as a ghost.

I was mowing w/ my 4' bush mower. I hit a large stone, made a loud bang ad notice PTO sounded funny. Turned the machine off, noticed that $1.25 shear pine did not break off. Then I saw the hydralic fluid spewing from the sides of the PTO, I felt pretty terrible (still do).

Question. How bad is the damage? Has this happened to anyone?? What will it cost to repair?

A few months ago I lost a close friend that was in a car accident. I figure, yes, the broken pto is bad, but it can be fixed. Some things can't.

 

[RoyJackson]

I am sorry about your friend...

As far as the PTO failure...the bolt should have gone first, so the obvious questions are what grade is the bolt, what does the manufacturer call out for the grade and who installed it. I see on your profile that the cutter is a King Kutter. I expect you bought this at a Tractor Supply Co. store.
If installed by a dealer, you may have some compensation for the tractor's reair costs. I'd be quite surprised if this is handled through warranty, by the way.

 

[wippster]

Sorry to here about the loss of your friend

Was the sheer pin area all rusted together? How old is the mower? Has the sheer pin ever broke before.

I just wonder as I have killed my tractor (3520) hatefull to admit to with the mower at least 20 times. I would think the PTO should be able to handle the power of the tractor under any circumstances!

I have heard of this before but thought is was due to improper pto shaft length on the implement

 

[Soundguy]

Yikes... sorry to hear about the friend AND the tractor.

Post a pic so we can see the extent of the damage.

Is the pto housing broke?

Also interested in hearing about the grade of shear pin.

I've only rebuilt the pto section on one jd.. a 2240.. and it was just clutch plates, a few misc fittings.. lots of orings, and gaskets, and a few split rings. and a bearing carrier.. parts were easilly 600$

If you have a bad rear housing and bad shaft... I hate to think of the cost.. I'd expect parts to be inthe 1000$ range unless you could find a salvage unit with a blown engine at some place like wengers.. and then luck up and buy the rear section minus trumpets for like 500$ or so.. etc.

post back with more detailed info..

Soundguy

I walked in the house tonight looking pale as a ghost.

I was mowing w/ my 4' bush mower. I hit a large stone, made a loud bang ad notice PTO sounded funny. Turned the machine off, noticed that $1.25 shear pine did not break off. Then I saw the hydralic fluid spewing from the sides of the PTO, I felt pretty terrible (still do).

Question. How bad is the damage? Has this happened to anyone?? What will it cost to repair?

A few months ago I lost a close friend that was in a car accident. I figure, yes, the broken pto is bad, but it can be fixed. Some things can't.

 

[VABlue]

Ugly... If the shear pin is the correct grade, you might have some claim for warrenty work. The PTO should be able to handle more pressure than a shear pin. But you'll have to work awfully hard to get the dealer to go along with it...

Good luck, I hope its not too bad.

 

[johndeere_2210]

I walked in the house tonight looking pale as a ghost.

I was mowing w/ my 4' bush mower. I hit a large stone, made a loud bang ad notice PTO sounded funny. Turned the machine off, noticed that $1.25 shear pine did not break off. Then I saw the hydralic fluid spewing from the sides of the PTO, I felt pretty terrible (still do).

Question. How bad is the damage? Has this happened to anyone?? What will it cost to repair?

A few months ago I lost a close friend that was in a car accident. I figure, yes, the broken pto is bad, but it can be fixed. Some things can't.

Hate to hear that about a good friend, sorry.

Someone on this forum or elsewhere had to make that repair and did it himself. I suspect you are looking at 3K, assuming you do the work.

 

[KennedyDiesel]

Yikes! All of my direct drive implements have a slip clutch. I would suggest looking into one to avoid the sharp loading of an obstacle. My Chipper is belt drive so not an issue. I've ridden the tractor down to snubbing it, but never sharply.


Hey, shouldn't the cutter blades just swing away when you hit the rock?

 

[jbrumberg]

It depends on the design of the rotary cutter. My old Woods M40-1 did not have a "stump jumper". The cutting blades "swung/rotated" from a crossbar. I was happy that my PTO slip clutch was operating during an encounter with an "immovable object" with that RC. The clutch slipped before the shear pin sheared as I used the shear pin to connect the slip clutch to the PTO driveshaft. Many of the newer rotary cutters have "free swinging" cutting blades attached to the stump jumpers/blade pans to help "bounce" over things that do not like to move. Jay

 

[JDFANATIC]

johnnydel29,

Ouch! Are you sure it was the slip clutch failing? Could it have been the driveshaft being slightly long and over a bump or even the rock getting pushed into the pto housing?

 

[joecdeere]

Johnny, hate to hear that! I'm sure you realize this isn't going to be cheap, but be very careful moving your tractor any until you or your dealer, can be sure just how much is broken in there, we had one in this spring that pretty well ruined all the housings, but he drove it back to the barn which finished off the ring & pinion and one axle. Not trying to scare you, but there are lots of things supported by that main housing. This will be a good time to try to work with your dealer, if your lucky and only broke the end housing cover at the shaft, it's right at $350 and a few seals and gaskets, the center housing is another story, at $1510, might read your homeowners insurance or call your agent, sometimes they can become involved.Be sure to get a good estimate on this, the labor on a rear housing swap is something you're gonna need to be ready for, or at my house save for! Good luck, maybe it isn't as bad as you think