Mowing Grass removing seal in transmission

[fschukar]

A year ago I bought a new 3300SU Kubota. Recently I've noticed a drip or two of oil on the shop floor when I parked it. I took it to the dealer and he said that mowing in tall grass will allow grass to wind around the 4-wheel drive shaft out of the transmission and will eat the seal. Who knew?
Does anyone know of an aftermarket maker of a skid plate or cover for the underside of this model Kubota? I tried Bo-Tek, they don't have anything for my model (big surprise). I think I can fashion a makeshift cover and somehow bolt it in place but I feel like I got the slippery reaming with no kiss.
Anyone else had this situation? Any advice? I find it hard to mow tall grass in reverse and do a decent job, so don't go there.
f.

 

[HEC]

I have never heard that one either . Did you keep it in 4wd while mowing all the time ?

 

[fschukar]

Not all the time. Just when the terrain required it.
f.

 

[AStanton]

I'm no big time wrench; I'm wondering if you could coat the area of the shaft being effected with some kind of lacquer or spray undercoating for rust.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Yes, known problem in Oregon with our tall skin grass especially on brush hogs. Have brush hog I need to replace seals on, once cut not much you can do except replace seals.

David Kb7uns

 

[BeezFun]

Yeah, that's a problem in this area too, I've ruined a few seals on different things with long grass. I'm not familiar with the setup on your 3030, but could you put on a split boot around the shaft that would come right up to the face of the transmission? The grass might wind around the boot and not be able to get started on the shaft itself. I've made boots like that out of everything from garden hose to aftermarket boots that I split lengthwise and then put on with a hose clamp.

 

[gghb]

my JD 2320 will wrap grass around the driveline. My solution was to stretch a piece of 12" belting under the tractor. Has solved the problem for the last 2 seasons.

Greg

 

[GREEN FROG]

David... I am also in OR and use brush hog to cut tall grass.. Often over 5 ft tall and so thick I can only take 2 ft cuts with my 2520.

Where are you getting the grass wrapped? Under the stump jumper? First I have heard of this.

Regarding the original poster... What about a large rubber hose like radiator hose cut and held on with a hose clamp by the end of the seal??

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[David_Kb7uns]

I have had a little problem under the stump jumper but more common having grass getting snagged by shear bolt and wrapping up into a ball. This year will be bad, field next to me is heading out and starting to go from green to light green and with all the rain late in season it is gotten tall the last week. Have already done some once and will need more cuttings.

David Kb7uns

 

[herringchoker]

This has come up before in this forum...the issue then was the roll pin in the front driveshaft on B-series protrudes on either side of the shaft and hooks grass, wrapping around the shaft. One solution proposed was to cut off the protruding ends of the roll pin. I planned to do that, but I found it to be too confined to get at the pin to cut it. I like gghb's solution - stretch a piece of belting under the tractor.