And it gets even worse: Update on my Bushhog 286 repairs

[FTG-05]

Since the repairs on my 286 bushhog are so much more involved than I originally thought, I decided to start a new thread. It really isn't necessary to start with the other thread, but if you want to refresh your memory, here it is: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/410436-oh-joy-time-replace-bushing.html

So I finally received the 46mm socket to take off the M30x2 nut so I could remove the Pan Weldment and Blade Bar. My Milwaukee 1/2 M18 Fuel Impact had no problem taking off the nut (no surprise there since the blade bar was loose); everything came right off.

What I found was not encouraging.

Pics tell the story better than I could. But basically, there's a keyed shaft with a corresponding keyed blade bar, fastened together with the above noted M30x2 castle nut. Both had at some point in the past slipped/sheared and both were just spinning against each other.

Pics:

Output Shaft end:

Output Shaft closeup:

Blade Bar, downside (further from gearbox):

Blade Bar, near side to gearbox:

Blade Bar closeup:

Bottom line: There is nothing between the Gearbox Output Shaft and the Blade Bar to keep them from spinning against each other.

Discussion of Options to repair to follow.

Thanks for looking!

 

[FTG-05]

So to correct this problem the "correct/right" way would include the following:

Output Shaft: $160
Bearings: $80
Seals $20
Castle Nut: $27
Blade Bar: $TBD

Total: $287 + $TBD for the Blade Bar. All prices came from Messicks.com site. I haven't heard from Messicks as yet on the price for just the Blade Bar alone. They show the Pan Weldment, which includes the Blade Bar, for $587. :shocked::shocked::shocked:

The way I see it, here are my options, from higher $$$$ to lower $:

#1 Replace the Bushhog with a 7' rotary cutter (6' is too narrow since I widened my rear tires)
#2 Replace the whole gearbox with used (assuming I can find one) plus Blade bar
#3 Fix by replacing parts as discussed above (don't know if I could do a rebuild on the gearbox)
#4 Redneck engineering fix (bushing insert, weld everything together, call it good).

I'm leaning on either #1 or #4. I really don't want to sink +$500 into this bushhog. I paid $500 for it in late 2013 or early 2014 and while it's been a good bushhog, it's pretty old and beat up.

Any other options I'm missing? Comments, suggestions and/or snide comments all welcomed!

Thanks,

 

[RickB]

Option 4 is a waste of time and money.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Buy a new blade bar. That's assuming you can get it for a reasonable price. Buy a new nut at a farm store. It won't be $27. Carefully grind the beat up metal away inside each spline on the shaft till the new blade bar fits properly. Don't remove any more metal than you have to. If the bearings and seals are good, don't bother replacing them. Change the oil.

Thoroughly clean the shaft and the spline area of the blade bar. Mix up a suitable batch of JB Weld and fill the splines on the blade bar and the shaft. Reassemble everything, tighten the nut (use a thread locker) and leave the JB set for 24 hours.

Go mowing or sell it or do whatever. You'll probably never have problems with the assembly again.

 

[FTG-05]

Option 4 is a waste of time and money.

Since it won't cost anything, it certainly won't be a waste of money.

Why will it be a waste of time?

 

[FTG-05]

Buy a new blade bar. That's assuming you can get it for a reasonable price. Buy a new nut at a farm store. It won't be $27. Carefully grind the beat up metal away inside each spline on the shaft till the new blade bar fits properly. Don't remove any more metal than you have to. If the bearings and seals are good, don't bother replacing them. Change the oil.

Thoroughly clean the shaft and the spline area of the blade bar. Mix up a suitable batch of JB Weld and fill the splines on the blade bar and the shaft. Reassemble everything, tighten the nut (use a thread locker) and leave the JB set for 24 hours.

Go mowing or sell it or do whatever. You'll probably never have problems with the assembly again.

That's certainly an option, there appears to be nothing wrong with the gearbox and it's seals and bearings.

But why grind the splines from the Output shaft? Or are you referring to just the beat up ones on the every end?

Where's a decent place for a blade bar? Our local farm store closed up; they used to be great source for this kind of thing. .

 

[TractorGuy]

Not sure tire width plays much of a roll on brush cutter width unless you need to mow close to a fence with it. In that case option 1 is your answer.

If you can get the blade bar fairly square and center the weld option might work out for you but do you want to risk having all that mass in the event of kinetic release.

The best and easiest fix for the existing mower is a new gearbox and stump jumper.

 

[pmsmechanic]

That's certainly an option, there appears to be nothing wrong with the gearbox and it's seals and bearings.

But why grind the splines from the Output shaft? Or are you referring to just the beat up ones on the every end?

Where's a decent place for a blade bar? Our local farm store closed up; they used to be great source for this kind of thing. .

Ho man!!! I said grind metal off between the splines. That's so the new blade bar fits into the existing splines properly. Otherwise the new blade bar won't seat into the splines properly and the same thing will happen all over again.

Can you find the part number for the blade bar? Once you have it Google it. It helps to search something along the lines of "xxxxxxxxx Bush Hog "

 

[pmsmechanic]

So I had a bit of time and searched for you. The part number is 98739. Messicks is $578.47 and German-Bliss is $572.74. Wish I had better news as these were the only two web sites that showed a specific part.

Edited to add... For that kind of money I would start getting creative. Count the splines on the shaft and measure the diameter. If it's a standard spline you should be able to find a hub that fits over the splines on the shaft. Have a machine shop machine the old splines off and weld the new hub on. A good fabrication shop should be able to help you out on this.

 

[Zebrafive]

I would go with option 1 buy another cutter.

$500 for a Bush Hog 286 was cheap and you got several years of use out it. The cost to repair out weighs the result.

Plus you might sell it as a pile of parts and recoup a little.