Need help in removing 60" mower - NEWBIE

[Hellspawn]

I got a B2620 last summer with the LA364 loader and added the 60" standard cut belly mower. I spent 2 hours this afternoon trying to get it off and got nowhere and now I am so frustrated I don't care if I ever see it again.

I need to take the blades off to be sharpened and to grease everything on the deck that needs it.

I got as far as taking the rear link 'L' pins out, but this is what else I don't understand.

1. It says turn the PTO to LOCK (there is only open and close)

2. slip the U-joint coupling to release (it doesn't move - it has a grease fitting but that's all).

I'm thinking I had no business getting this if I can't even figure out something which the dealer says is so simple.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Evil the Weasel]

Do you have the manual for reference? The MMM on this model has a drive-over feature but I always do it manually. I raise the deck all the way up and rotate all the anti-scalp wheels so that it will roll out sideways. Once I have all of them rotated, I lower the deck until they make contact with the ground surface. The next thing I do is disengage the rear L pins. You'll notice there is a small cotter pin near the springs, which keeps the pins from falling out but also keeps you from backing them out if you don't remove them first. There is a slot in the bracket to hold the retracted L-pins once you remove the cotter pins. Next I lower the front linkage and remove the support brace that connects the front linkage to the hooks on the front of the deck. Lastly, you need to remove the PTO shaft. There is a collar right where it connects to the PTO. Slide this back and it should stay locked back. You can then slide it right off the PTO shaft. Lastly raise up the 3PT control to lift the rear linkage out of your way. Now you can roll it out sideways. Once you master that, you'll want a set of mower axles to make maintenance and storage a snap. Good luck!

 

[thavil]

Evil's instructions are spot on, even for the BX series. I think what they mean by "turn the PTO to LOCK" is to ensure the PTO selector lever is set to the mid mount position. The PTO shaft shouldn't be able to turn on you while pulling the collar (slip the U-joint coupling to release) back towards the front of the tractor.

The mower axles that Evil referred to can be purchased at Mower Deck Axles,Carrera,Cayman,John Deere,Kubota. Highly recommend a set of these, my mower is stored on a set of these all winter long.

 

[Hellspawn]

Do you have the manual for reference? The MMM on this model has a drive-over feature but I always do it manually. I raise the deck all the way up and rotate all the anti-scalp wheels so that it will roll out sideways. Once I have all of them rotated, I lower the deck until they make contact with the ground surface. The next thing I do is disengage the rear L pins. You'll notice there is a small cotter pin near the springs, which keeps the pins from falling out but also keeps you from backing them out if you don't remove them first. There is a slot in the bracket to hold the retracted L-pins once you remove the cotter pins. Next I lower the front linkage and remove the support brace that connects the front linkage to the hooks on the front of the deck. Lastly, you need to remove the PTO shaft. There is a collar right where it connects to the PTO. Slide this back and it should stay locked back. You can then slide it right off the PTO shaft. Lastly raise up the 3PT control to lift the rear linkage out of your way. Now you can roll it out sideways. Once you master that, you'll want a set of mower axles to make maintenance and storage a snap. Good luck!

Yes I have the manual for it but your description makes a little more sense to me.

I get everything you say except the collar part I think; I see a U-joint at the back and right behind the mower gearbox. In the middle of the shaft there is a great fitting. Is this the collar? I tried quite a few times and it does not want to slide or move.

I know this is a bit ahead, but is there a suggested or recommended way to get to the blades to remove them? That deck seems a lot heavier than my prior JD 54c deck that I could lift and prop up.

Thanks!

 

[Hellspawn]

Evil's instructions are spot on, even for the BX series. I think what they mean by "turn the PTO to LOCK" is to ensure the PTO selector lever is set to the mid mount position. The PTO shaft shouldn't be able to turn on you while pulling the collar (slip the U-joint coupling to release) back towards the front of the tractor.

The mower axles that Evil referred to can be purchased at Mower Deck Axles,Carrera,Cayman,John Deere,Kubota. Highly recommend a set of these, my mower is stored on a set of these all winter long.

I was thinking that it simply meant turn the OPEN-CLOSE knob to CLOSE to lock.

 

[thavil]

I was thinking that it simply meant turn the OPEN-CLOSE knob to CLOSE to lock.

If you are speaking about the knob between your legs on the right, that knob controls the speed of drop on the 3PH (3 point hitch).

 

[Evil the Weasel]

This is not your exact deck, but this is a representative collar you need to pull back to remove the PTO shaft.

 

[Hellspawn]

This is not your exact deck, but this is a representative collar you need to pull back to remove the PTO shaft.

oh ok, I was somehow thinking that the part in the middle was what would slide. That piece is going to be on the tractor end of the shaft, not the deck gearbox, correct?

That picture helps immensely as the manual doesn't seem to illustrate where it is!

 

[Hellspawn]

If you are speaking about the knob between your legs on the right, that knob controls the speed of drop on the 3PH (3 point hitch).

I know what that one is, it was set to just barely open by the dealer and they said to leave it there.

 

[My Hoe]

subcribed

 

[George the Beagle]

That piece is going to be on the tractor end of the shaft, not the deck gearbox, correct?

Correct. The collar slides pretty easily. Sliding the shaft back onto the pto spline is the toughest part of re-installation, however.

 

[Bigkrank]

I never take the deck off to remove the blades to sharpen. Lift the front up with a floor jack and take them off. I can do it in no time, sharpen them twice a year.

 

[TripleR]

I never take the deck off to remove the blades to sharpen. Lift the front up with a floor jack and take them off. I can do it in no time, sharpen them twice a year.

Same here, we keep a spare set ready to swap out. My wife does all of our mowing and she greases the deck every time she mows.

 

[radioman]

I think since its the newbie first time with any sort of pto collars.

I suggest that you first change your pto selector to rear only and not mid pto. This will allow you to rotate the mid pto freely and get a better look at your collar. Now I suggest that you grab the upper portion of pto shaft and slide it back onto the pto shaft and hold a little bit. this will release a little "locking tension" of the collar. next grab the collar with your free hand and pull it towards the deck. (with pto shaft now free to spin you can wiggle things around to make collar slide back) .


I bet once you get it off you will see how easy it really is. I suspect that the pto collar is dry of grease making it difficult for the locking ball bearing to move down to unlock it. Once its off - look inside the pto shaft and you will see a bearing there.

 

[Hellspawn]

I think since its the newbie first time with any sort of pto collars.

I suggest that you first change your pto selector to rear only and not mid pto. This will allow you to rotate the mid pto freely and get a better look at your collar. Now I suggest that you grab the upper portion of pto shaft and slide it back onto the pto shaft and hold a little bit. this will release a little "locking tension" of the collar. next grab the collar with your free hand and pull it towards the deck. (with pto shaft now free to spin you can wiggle things around to make collar slide back) .


I bet once you get it off you will see how easy it really is. I suspect that the pto collar is dry of grease making it difficult for the locking ball bearing to move down to unlock it. Once its off - look inside the pto shaft and you will see a bearing there.

If it doesn't rain today I plan on trying to get to this. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Stargazer]

Think of the shaft like a quick connect on air hose might have to spray with wd-40/sim and pull collar coming forward out of rear trans case. clean/oil collar b4 re install. ps lift deck with front end loader and put 4 3 wheel dollies under deck wheels (north tool hyd) make for easier re install on concrete/black

ymmv Pat R