Spreader Baltimatic (B-80) spreader won't turn

[North Country]

Hi all,

I'm looking at a used Baltimatic spreader to buy. While turn the spreading plate (the flat plate outside of the hopper) by hand to make sure it was free, I felt a bump or hitch in the rotation. I kept turning it to try and discover the problem and suddenly it stopped turning. It feels like a safety or lock pin has engaged the shaft. The shaft isn't totally locked - it still moves about 1/2 degree in either direction and then hits a hard stop. We opened the gearbox cover to look for a broken tooth but didn't see one (we didn't disassemble the gears, just opened the back plate w/ the bearing race.)

Any suggestions? It really feels like a lock has engaged - none of the shafts are bound (we verified this with the gearbox open) and we looked all over for a catch. Each shaft will wiggle but reaches a hard stop. The stop feels like it's in the vertical shaft, not the horizontal coming from the PTO.

Any suggestions?

 

[beenthere]

Don't know the answer, but a search on TBN found this.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/201051-baltimatic-spreader-frozen-agitator-pin.html

 

[North Country]

Already saw that; it's a different problem. The agitator on this one seems to be well greased and swiveling properly.