Mowing Leveling rear mower

[Trev]

Roy,

<font color=blue>1) do you have an anti-scalp front roller on your mower?</font color=blue> Yep. There is a wide roller in the middle front, and two small wheels (which I presume are just to help you move the thing around when it's detached.) They aren't the big, adjustable casters like I have on the rear.

<font color=blue>2) What kind of pattern are you missing? One side only? Patches at dips or the crest of a rise?</font color=blue> I get a lot of patches at the bottom of dips, and sometimes some scalping when the front of the tractor goes over a hump. Maybe this is just the nature of the beast. As someone else suggested, the mower may be too big given how uneven my land is?

<font color=blue>3) How tight do you adjust the upper link?</font color=blue> I tried to follow the directions, and have it set so that in mowing position the top link extention piece is very loose.. pointing down at about a 45 degree angle.

Tks,
Bob

 

[EdKing]

<font color=blue>Why would one want this?</font color=blue>

On a lot of the older tractors with non-live, the PTO was coupled right through the transmission. If you pushed the clutch to stop the tractor, the momentum of the implement would actually move the tractor. As this could have undesireable effects (running in to things, going into ditches, etc.), a PTO over run clutch is used to prevent this.

I don't actually need one on my tractor but it makes hooking up implements a lot easier, and it lets the momentum of the PTO bleed of on its own, rather than the tractor absorbing it. I figure this might save a little wear and tear on the PTO, giving me more life to my tractor. Of course this is just speculation on my part, it may not make a bit of difference on wear. The easier hookup makes it well worth it to me.

 

[Trev]

<font color=blue>My book says adjust the mowing height, then adjust the top link so the hitch pins (bottom links) and top link connection on the mower are vertical. My mower has four casters plus the front roller, but this may help. </font color=blue>

I think I need the four casters.. this sounds like the answer as far as keeping things at the desired height.

I did try lifting the mower, shutting down, and rotating the blades by hand, but I had a funny thing happen.. I would move the blade, let go, and it would rotate right back to where it had been when I began. I'm not sure why this happened. Maybe the mower wasn't completely level. I'll experiment some more, but something is clearly not right.. either with my PTO shaft or with my technique.

<font color=blue>As far as connecting the PTO shaft, I raise the deck about half way, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND PUT THE KEY IN YOUR POCKET, then I can rotate the blades by hand to line up the PTO splines.</font color=blue>

Ahah! I wondered why your keys kept ending up in my pocket! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Tks,
Bob

 

[beenthere]

Trev
When hooking up the PTO and to rotate the mower shaft to match the splines on the tractor PTO shaft, I sometimes use a screw driver through the universal joint (the part that slides onto the tractor splined shaft) to give leverage when I rotate it. This helps line up the splines and solves the "roll back" problem, which is likely due to the tension on the belts. If the plastic shield is in the way, I would cut a notch out of the plastic (or remove it altogether as it is not necessary and in the way) so the screw driver or similar leverage "rof" can be used to rotate the mower PTO shaft.
Then when you get the front guage wheels you are apparently missing, you should be set to go and can begin havin' fun mowing.
If it ain't fun, I don't do it.

 

[Trev]

<font color=blue>I sometimes use a screw driver through the universal joint (the part that slides onto the tractor splined shaft) to give leverage when I rotate it.</font color=blue>

I did try that once, but didn't have much luck. By the time I had put enough energy into it to get it to rotate the mower shaft, I didn't have anything left to use to align and push on the shaft. I can experiment with this more.. maybe a different tool with more leverage.

I do think though that my initial questions seem to be solved. One, there is something wrong with my tractor PTO shaft, which I can solve by either putting a clutch on it or having the dealer see if maybe it's bent or twisted in some weird way (there are no rough spots I can feel or see that might be preventing the insertion), and two, I need some front gauge wheels for the mower.

Thanks for all the great help! I really appreciate you folks taking the time!

Best,
Bob

 

[beenthere]

You are welcome. I rather doubt your PTO tractor shaft is bent or twisted in some wierd way. If its not clean or has been buggered up, that could be your problem. If the PTO slides off easily when you remove it, I suspect it is just a matter of developing the technique needed to align it and push it on.

 

[Trev]

<font color=blue>
Regarding your PTO hook up... I wonder if there isn't a burr, or an improperly machined part in there somewhere. It just shouldn't take that much work to hook up. Any chance of getting your dealer out, or take it to the dealer and have them give it a try. Either they'll have the same problem or they'll show you what you're doing wrong. Either way, it's an opportunity to improve the situation.
</font color=blue>

Rob, the dealer is coming out to see what he can see. If all else fails, I'll get the overrunning clutch. I have a hunch that he'll find something, either in the hardware or the wetware (me /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif).

Thanks again to everyone for your help and ideas.

Bob