Blown PTO/mower strike

   / Blown PTO/mower strike #1  

Anonymous Poster

New member
Joined
Sep 27, 2005
Messages
0
I'm not exactly proud to admit this, but while using a rental tractor-- an older L30 Kubota, I ran into a tire in tall weeds that ended up blowing the PTO. I'm still waiting for the rental agency to contact me.

I realize I made a rookie move by not clearing the field before the grass got so thick, but after the old 5-foot brush hog flung a shear bolt (before the incident), a grade-8 annodized "shear-bolt", I called the company out to replace it. The guy showed up with the truck and put a grade 2 or 3 in the hole-- it had three marks on the head. He said it was not the proper one, but was alot better than the one that was flung. So anyways, I figure I have a good arguement that that shearbolt should have save the PTO. The rumor is $2000 dollars damage!? I might pay $500, but no more. Any opinions?
 
   / Blown PTO/mower strike #2  
Yes, next time you rent pay the few dollars extra for the damage waiver......
 
   / Blown PTO/mower strike
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Believe it or not, I wanted to sign one of them, but the only waiver they had was a theft and vandalism waiver. No damage waiver.
 
   / Blown PTO/mower strike #4  
I could be wrong but a grade 2 bolt does not have any marks on it and is the softest and the one that usually is installed as a shear bolt, or at least that what was in mine until I put a slip clutch on it. If the bolt that was replaced had three marks on it , it was a hardened bolt and was probably the cause of the failure. did it shear when the bush hog hit the tire?
 
   / Blown PTO/mower strike
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Bolt grades: No marks on head, grade one or two
Three hash marks let you know it is a grade five
Six marks is grade eight. Both five and eight are hardened, eight is stronger

If the PTO still worked after shearing a grade Eight bolt, it should have been fine with a grade Two.
 
   / Blown PTO/mower strike
  • Thread Starter
#6  
The unit flung the grade-8 after mowing for several hours. I figure it must have been in place for quite some time before I took delivery. When the repair man came out, he left the grade-8 with me and I put it away in case some problem came up. He then replaced it with the annodized bolt with three hash marks. The bolt did not shear as I could turn the PTO shaft and rotate the blade. I feel the PTO was pre-stressed and primed for failure, as I demonstrated to the mechanic that it was difficult to engage when he came over to replace the bolt.

If I ever rent equipment again, I will rent only from outifts that carry damage insurance theat i can purchase. My sister- in-law works for the outift, which makes the whole situation rather unpleasant and she advised me before hand that waht they call the "insurance declaration" only covers theft and vandalism. I checked the fine print and sure enough... nothing covering accidental damage. They don't tell you this when you give them the money though, so if my foolishness can be a lesson to any rookies out there, make sure you are covered for damage, both in transit (by having your insurance agent add a binder for the day you trasnport the thing), and at your property, when operating the thing.
 
   / Blown PTO/mower strike #7  
Is there anything in your homeowners policy that may help?
 
   / Blown PTO/mower strike
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Zippo! Maybe i should check again?!
 
   / Blown PTO/mower strike
  • Thread Starter
#9  
If the rental place supplied the tractor with the wrong grade shear bolt, and damage occured because the shear bolt was to strong, you should not be expected to pay anything. A shear bolt is a mechanical fuse to prevent damage.

If the rental place took out all the correctly rated electrical fuses and replaced them fuses with really high amp ratings and the electrical system got cooked while you were renting. Do you think you should pay?

If the rental place put the wrong type of oil or fuel in the engine and it died while you were renting, should you have pay to rebuild the engine?

As a renter, you have the right to expect the equipment will be set up properly. A failure because of operator abuse is different than a failure because of improper equipment setup. Keep the grade 8 bolt for proof.

Andy
 
   / Blown PTO/mower strike
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Excellent parallel. Just what I wanted to hear. They may not even send me a bill, but in case they do, I'll be ready. You can really set yourself up when you're a rookie.

Look the whole rig over and make sure it's got the right fasteners, shear bolts, gages work, etc. Protect yourself.
 
 
Top