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

[radios1]

Well at least now I know why it was so cheap ($500). They go for $1200-$1300 on CL today, almost 6 years later.

Again, my fault for not educating myself as a new tractor owner prior to handing my money over.

did you still make out ahead considering the parts required?. I'll bet a dealership repair would not be worth it!.. they'd probably replace the deck!. rather than weld it!.

 

[FTG-05]

did you still make out ahead considering the parts required?. I'll bet a dealership repair would not be worth it!.. they'd probably replace the deck!. rather than weld it!.

So far.

The steel we used to repair it was all in my shop; the two parts I bought (replacement hub and castle nut) ended up not being used, $25 or so for both.


I guess there's no way around it: Basically, when my buddy came over, he took one look at the output shaft and said: "That's toast". He then looked at the hub/stumpjumper and said he had never worked on one those before. He said typically the hub is pressed in and welded on one end only. The Bushhog OEM hub was welded on both sides of the blade bar, then machined before being welded to the stumpjumper pan. This would have required cutting it out of the pan or cutting the blade bar in half, hoping we would have enough meat to hold the replacement hub. Bottom line: After a lot of work, we could replace the hub (maybe) but then we would be installing it on a compromised output shaft.

So while we were sitting with me dithering over what to do, a neighbor came by to talk about him bushhogging my hill. He took a look at the parts and came to the same conclusion: Weld it up.

So, for good better or bad, that's what we did.

We slammed a bushing on the output shaft (a piece of 2" tubing), got the original hub/blade holder/stumpjumper on it and started. Then we used the existing 1" castle nut and my Milwaukee 1/2 2767 impact wrench to drive it the rest of the way. Once it was driven to the correct location, we welded the shaft to the hub end, then installed the washer and nut again and welded it all up.

Pic of the tubing being slammed over the output shaft. You can see it being formed as it's being driven:

Welded shaft/hub end.

 

[Timm250]

H&R Agripower started near me in Hopkinsville Ky. My Dad traded there & I have traded with the for over 30 years.

Good dealer & good people. Have always treated me fairly & went to bat with the manufacturer for me when I bought a used disc mower that the arm over the cutter bar broke after it was out of warranty.

They got the manufacturer to supply the parts at no cost to me.

 

[ben L]

i have the same 286 cutter with the same problem.
which option did you decide on, how did it turn out?

 

[FTG-05]

i have the same 286 cutter with the same problem.
which option did you decide on, how did it turn out?

I welded it up as shown in post #62. Since then, I've probably put 15-20 hours on it.

And it's been a massive PITA ever since. I constantly have to look behind me to see if it's still running, it's so quiet vs. before the repair.

I love it.

 

[sandman2234]

Ok, I found you picture of your gearbox, and it looks more like my 3008 than the gearboxes I have out back in the woods. a 3008 has 3 gearboxes, twin spindle, and I hauled the tractor 150 miles up into Ga after work, to mow the roadways in a hunting camp the day before opening season. I mowed 20 feet and sheared an output shaft. Loaded tractor up, drove home unloaded it, changed bushhogs, loaded back up, drove 150 miles again and mowed with a six footer. I ordered another one from Messick's to the tune of about $750 to get it here. I have two gearboxes that I bought from a friend who auctioned off a Tractor Supply House. He bought them because nobody wanted to spend any money on them, so he bought them for a song. I figured I might need one some day, lol, and bought them when he was moving from Florida to Seattle. One is a rather large gearbox for a single blade and the other is a splitter for multiple driveshafts, like goes on a batwing.
If you want to revamp the cutter for a different gearbox, let me know.
David from jax