Mowing Mmm quick disconnect not so quick

[ChuckinNH]

PTO shafts can be a pain, and that's for sure. Most of my problems are my fault since I don't think to lubricate the shaft well before I'm struggling to get it on, but some things just could be better. I guess JD now tapers some of it's shafts, and has a locking sleeve that locks back until you need it to snap shut, and lock on the mating shaft. That is a big deal for me since it is often just too awkward to hold the collar back, and push the shaft on at the same time as you need to do. What works best for me is not to try to get the shaft all the way on at all. I don't worry about the locking collar, and just rotate one, or both the shafts until the one with the locking collar sarts on by a quarter inch, or so. When it does that, then I worry about pulling the locking collar back so it will slip on the rest of the way. It's kind of like marriage, you sometimes don't want to know how it happened until it is too late to worry about it.

 

[locknut]

Having a GR2000 with a shaft driven deck I can sympathize with the frustrating process of attaching the shaft collar to the hydro.Lay on your back,reach in and jam your left shoulder as hard as you can between the tire and the deck and try to reach that magical sweet spot in the blind.I finally got totally fed up with that routine and here is how I do it now.

Set the cutting height to 1"
Lower the deck all the way down.
Release rear latches on both sides.
Raise lift arms up.
Remove bolt on front collar and slide shaft back from input shaft of deck.
Hold shaft up with left hand and slide strip of wood across lift arms to hold shaft up.
Release front of deck and slide it out.

Reinstall,slide deck under and reattach shaft by turning input shaft using left hand on mower belt and holding driveshaft with right hand till it lines up.
Reinstall bolt and tighten.
Lower lift arms down and pin deck.
Reattach front.
Done.

Huge Disclaimer-Do not start tractor and kick the PTO in!

No more throwing things,cussing and covered with grease.

Now,having said all this,I have not scoped out a BX deck setup,but I think it's very similar.Couple pics;

I do remove the shaft from the hydro periodically while the deck is out and grease it up good,but it's easy with the deck removed.

 

[Hotrocks]

I have no issues putting mine on. The shaft will start with the collar in the locked position, then pull it back and slide it home. this is a one hand operation.

It also helps to attach the shaft while the mower is slid off to the right side.

I have a question. What do you all mean when you say "collar in the locked position?". Can you lock it "open" so you can slide it over the PTO with out having to continually squeeze it? Thanks

 

[SrChf]

Armed with ideas from you all on how to better attack the Mid Mount Misery and taking comfort knowing that I am not alone in my frustration (misery truly does love company) I dug in for another attempt this evening. To my utter amazement, just as many of you described, the damned thing slipped on like butter after only the second try. Key things I did differently this time:

1) I dropped the deck all the way down and used the FEL to raise the tractor up some to add more room to play with. I also lowered the front lever/latch so essentially, the mower was free floating.
2) I disengaged the PTO so that it would turn freely.
3) I completely baptized the shaft and PTO collar in white lithium grease. WD40 just doesnt cut it here I think.This may have been the #1 contributing factor.
4) Instead of dropping to a knee and just reaching in trying to cop a half blind feel for the right angle, I mumbled 'f-it' and became one with the dirt, prostrating flat out and jamming my shoulder in between the rear wheel and the mower (as suggested by one of you's). This gave me a full commanding view of the task at hand. Probably the #2 most important change.
5) I slid the beast on 1/4 of the way first THEN pulled back on the locking snap collar. Unbelievably, the collar seems to stay in place better this way. from there I just jiggled and pushed straight back and CLICK!, it locked into place. I shed only a few ounces of sweat, kept my religion AND had time to actually mow the yard before the sun set. Beautiful!

Thank you all for your help with this. I must say though, I still think it may have been better to use this money for a separate stand alone mower. For $2700, they should have engineered this thing to install itself!

 

[aczlan]

I normally install the PTO FIRST when putting the deck under the BX2660. There is more room to work that way.
Otherwise, I use 2 hand (one to hold the shaft and one to wiggle the PTO stub on the tractor to align it)

It is easier on the B7500, that has a loader which I use to lift the nose up in the air and get more working room.

Aaron Z

 

[snpower]

Don't give up! It will get better. This is my first SCUT and I used to cuss the MMM up and down, then take a break before going at it again. Now I take the MMM off/reinstall it every week and it usually takes 5 mins. I put the PTO selector to the rear and get the shaft on and locked with one arm. I would say to take it on and put it off several times in a row to help your muscles "learn" the motion and forces required for an easier install.

 

[JoeL4330]

don't have a mid-mount, but used to struggle with PTO shaft hookups ...till I found the secret (for me anyway) ...yes, the PTO shaft has to turn freely and lube helps, but the biggest variable (IMHO) is getting the implement shaft "coaxial" with the tractor PTO ...the horizontal linearity was always easy, but it took me a while to realize that the vertical, up-down dimension was equally critical ...sometimes means raising/lowering the implement (or the tractor as someone mentioned, which tilts the tractor PTO shaft in the vertical dimension). When it is absolutely co-axial (all lined up straight, vertical and horizontal) it now never fails to slip on for me ..."slick as snot" as we used to say.

Maybe this hard-won lesson will help someone, someday

 

[My Hoe]

SrChf:

I don't even own a Kubota yet, and my only experience with "belly mowers" is on garden and lawn tractors.

However, unless someone here with REAL knowledge can correct me, one part of your post concerns me, from a safety-standpoint:

1) I dropped the deck all the way down and used the FEL to raise the tractor

Couldn't a hydraulic line burst, or valve fail, and allow the tractor to come back down and crush you? (Knock on wood three times).

If I were doing this, I would throw a couple of jack stands under the tractor, to prevent it from crushing me, in the event that such a RARE, but potentially DISASTROUS, failure, did occur.

I should add I am not a self-appointed member of the "safety police" and in NO way was this intended to be offensive, or critical. As I say, perhaps more knowledgeable members will tell me I'm all wet, and such a failure is impossible.

I just felt the need to speak, for your potential safety.

Sincerely,

My Hoe

 

[kevinj]

I have a question. What do you all mean when you say "collar in the locked position?". Can you lock it "open" so you can slide it over the PTO with out having to continually squeeze it? Thanks

Locked as in locked, operating position. The shaft will slide on about a 1/4" then pull back the collar and slide it in till it locks on.

 

[paul314159]

I am currently installing and removing my MMM every week for mowing. I'm clearing a little bit of my property and the MMM would be an impediment, so off it comes.

I like adding to the challenge of installing by MMM by also having a BroTek skid plate. What has worked best for me is the same method kevinj uses. Slide onto the stub slightly, then pull the collar back and finish sliding it on.

I've been playing with putting the PTO in rear only so the mid stub will rotate vs leaving the PTO in mid and rotating the deck's PTO shaft to align the splines. I have not decided which I like better yet.

My MMM is on casters so it's easy to slide under and shift forward for a little more room. Be careful if you do this though. Last time I had the deck too far forward. Just my luck the PTO went on first try, as in a whole 15 seconds of effort, and as I slid it the rest of the way on the PTO shaft came apart. Putting that back together for some reason was a pain. Even after pulling the deck back out and making sure the keys on the two shaft parts were lined up, it still did not want to go together.

There is a video on YouTube that shows a guy putting his MMM on in no time at all. If nobody has posted a link to it I'll do so when I get home. Don't have the link here at work.

Good luck.
Paul