Rotary Cutter Brand new Frontier RC2072 damaged - Question

[tillboy2001]

I got a new Frontier RC2072 rotary cutter from a JD dealer. Apparently at some point in it's life at the dealer or elsewhere before I bought it, someone used a fork lift to lift it from under the deck. The fork went between the deck and the blade pan (stump jumper) and bent the blade pan down far enough to stop one of the blades from moving out into it's normal mowing position. It was stuck swung to the inside of the deck. I couldn't pull it back in position by hand so I used a hammer to whack the blade pan a few times and now it moves with almost no resistance as it should. Anyway, the blade pan is still out of shape. I decided to give it a run and see if it was ok or if I was going to have to have the dealer replace the blade pan anyway. (they're coming out today to take it back and replace the pan, just so you know) So, here's the thing. When we had the old Bush Hog brand Squealer rotary cutter, the only sound that one made (and it's pretty old) was the sound of the blades spinning and the blades flopping against the tall grass as I cut. But this new Frontier, when I used it to see if it was ok, it makes a fairly loud medium to high pitched droning/whining sound and has the same type of vibration (sort of a medium to high pitched oscillating/vibrating). Doesn't matter if the RPMs are low or high, you hear the whine and feel the fast vibration. This is attached to a JD newer diesel 43HP tractor and even with the engine at the proper speed to get the PTO to 540 RPM, you can hear this noise from the cutter fairly loudly. Enough so that it's extremely annoying. It's enough that you start thinking almost immediately, "something's not right...that doesn't sound right at all." Oh and before I forget, I did check the gear box to be sure there was the right amount of gear oil...and there is.

My question to you is; do you think the bent blade pan would be the sole cause of the vibration and whining sound or would it be something more than that? I can't believe that's just how it's supposed to sound. It doesn't make any sense. The dealer is going to listen to it at their shop too and see if they can find out what's up, but I wanted to get your opinion on this as well. Especially anyone that owns a newer 20 series Frontier rotary cutter. I'm just worried that if it is more than just the blade pan, I don't want to get this thing back and put up with all that noise and eventually have something else fail prematurely....put more stress on the PTO with the vibration...stress on the deck maybe causing it to crack later on, etc. The annoying droning whine is enough to drive me up the wall as it is.

Thanks!

 

[Johndeere3720]

It sounds like tha bent blade is causing the vibration because I've never had that experience on any of the brush hogs I've used.

 

[sweettractors]

I would insist on another cutter, who knows what else could have been damaged. If you keep it, I would ask for a deep discount to cover your gamble. Ken Sweet

 

[tillboy2001]

Hey Ken...have you heard these units in operation? Should they be relatively quiet except for the usual noise you'd hear from the blades spinning? That sound I heard is the biggest thing that concerns me. If they bring it back and it still has that sound/vibration I will have to talk to them about it again. It just doesn't sound normal in my opinion. Like I said, that old Bush Hog we had was very quiet when it was just sitting there running and not cutting grass. This Frontier has a sort of whine and vibration to it. I wish I took a video of it for the record so you could hear it.

 

[aczlan]

If they bent the pan lifting it with a forklift (or having it fall off of something) I would be worried about the lower bearings in the gearbox, they could be letting the gears go a little out of alignment and howl.

Aaron Z

 

[sweettractors]

Hey Ken...have you heard these units in operation? Should they be relatively quiet except for the usual noise you'd hear from the blades spinning? That sound I heard is the biggest thing that concerns me. If they bring it back and it still has that sound/vibration I will have to talk to them about it again. It just doesn't sound normal in my opinion. Like I said, that old Bush Hog we had was very quiet when it was just sitting there running and not cutting grass. This Frontier has a sort of whine and vibration to it. I wish I took a video of it for the record so you could hear it.

We have a 1 year old MX7 that had a whine when we first got it. When we isolated the problem, it was the Clutch shield over the clutch rubbing against the rotating clutch. We shimmed the shield up with a couple washers and problem solved. Nothing but the sound of the blades rotating now. We do have new finish mowers and disc mowers that make a slight whine until the gears mesh in over a 3-4 hour running time period. Ken Sweet

 

[MarkV]

If they bent the pan lifting it with a forklift (or having it fall off of something) I would be worried about the lower bearings in the gearbox, they could be letting the gears go a little out of alignment and howl.

Aaron Z

+1 I would also be concerned, if enough torque was applied to bend the stump jumper then the spindle and lower bearings took a lot of pressure also.

MarkV

 

[Sabretooth]

I would insist on another cutter, who knows what else could have been damaged. If you keep it, I would ask for a deep discount to cover your gamble. Ken Sweet

If they bent the pan lifting it with a forklift (or having it fall off of something) I would be worried about the lower bearings in the gearbox, they could be letting the gears go a little out of alignment and howl.

Aaron Z

I second these 2 replys if after talking with them they will take it or even maybe if you kick in a couple of buck(reason being is U hooked it up used it and saw it doesnt work right not before any use) I would do it you are looking at life of pain with this one I think. My feeling is it the lower bearing whining or shaft

 

[tillboy2001]

Dealer got it back to their place today and the guy called me. He said they hooked it up to one of their tractors and ran it. To him he said it sounded normal based on what he's seen with similar units. They've been honest and good to deal with in the past so I don't necessarily have any reason to doubt them. He offered to have me come over and listen to it with them and see if it sounds any different than when it's on our tractor. I don't know. On one hand I could just be mistaken and used to dealing with our old cutter and so it's an apples to oranges comparison and I'm just being paranoid because this is just how it normally sounds. Or, maybe there really is something going on. I'll see how it sounds/looks when I get it back and go from there. I'll take a close look and see if anything related to the gearbox looks misaligned or out of whack. Not sure what to think at this point. I may see if they have another unit like this one and ask for a side by side comparison at their shop to prove the sound is normal. That would be a sure way to know. I'll check on that

 

[aczlan]

I may see if they have another unit like this one and ask for a side by side comparison at their shop to prove the sound is normal. That would be a sure way to know. I'll check on that

That sounds like a good idea to me. Do I understand correctly that you have the cutter at your place (but without the pan/blades)? If so, hook it up and see how it sounds when the PTO is on, it should be just about silent with the blades and pan off. If it is making noise and or vibrating, I would take them up on their offer to hook up a similar one at the shop and if theirs is quiet, ask them to take a look at yours.

Noise with no pan/blades installed could be a misaligned guard as sweettractors mentioned (depending on the type of noise) but there should not be any noticeable vibration when you turn it on.

Aaron Z