BX-24 Rear Drive Shaft Fan Questions

[jbush]

Last week while clearing some land a small stick pop up and it broke all the fan blades off that little white plastic fan attached to the rear of the drive shaft. Local Kubota dealer quoted me $800.00 for the labor and only $5.00 to $10.00 in parts for the PLASTIC!!! fan. Kubota dealer also said the fan is crucial to cooling of the transmission and should not be ran without. My questions are can I fix this myself ? Anybody else have this problem yet and how did you fix it ? Will my BX-24 be fine without this fan or does the $15,000.00 tractor re-lie on this $5.00 dollar fan, witch any stick can take out because there is no protection around that fan.

 

[milkman]

Several of us BX owners have suffered the same delima. Do a search, using "bro-tech", "soft underbelly", "skidplate" and you'll find lots of reading. I made a plate to protect the fan and filter anytime the mower is off, slips on and off in seconds and keeps sticks and twigs from ruining my day. I replaced my fan, $4 and change, got to it from the bottom side, although others have changed it by removing the floorboard. There's not much room to get the old part out and the new one in, but the motor can be shifted forward as the mounts are rubber and it will move forward enough to let you get the fan in, took me about an hour to replace mine, wouldn't take me as long next time, hope it doesn't happen again. If you're close by, I'll save you some bucks and do it for 1/8 the dealers fee, of course I don't have his overhead.

Here's one link. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/40142-soft-underbelly.html?highlight=soft+underbelly

 

[jbush]

Can you give me some instruction on how to install fan from underside. What needs removing. I heard the shaft is spring loaded?? I live in Olympia WA. so kind of hard for you to do the work but thanks for the offer.
Thanks
Jeff

 

[milkman]

It's been about five years ago, but I put the tractor up on 6" blocks and took the bolts, I think there are four, out of each end of the drive shaft. I took a pry bar and shifted the motor forward enough to get the shaft end out to the side and get the broken plastic part off. It's been a long time, but I think I put the new fan back over the end of the hydro and then had to shift the motor forward again to get the shaft back in I don't think I took the shaft all the way out from under the tractor, just shifted it to the side to get the fan piece out and the new one back in. If you can work with tools, it's not that bad, it's just a tight place to work in, just get the tractor up high enough to get around under it and make sure you block it up good so it doesn't fall. If the shaft is spring loaded, it is different than the BX2200, maybe they changed them, but mine is a solid steel shaft, and the only thing that has any give to it is the motor mounts, and they will give enough to let the dirve shaft come out.

 

[bx23barry]

I think I read on here somewhere the bx24 is different than the bx21/22/23 and the shaft/fan cannot be removed/changed without loosening the transmission/ engine making it a much more time consuming job. Some searching is in order.

 

[frankbx24]

I think I read on here somewhere the bx24 is different than the bx21/22/23 and the shaft/fan cannot be removed/changed without loosening the transmission/ engine making it a much more time consuming job. Some searching is in order.

ok, well the same exact thing happened to me. pushing some brush with the f.e.l. and a loud racket, next thing you know little white plastic fan blades all over the ground. my bx 24 was down for the count. i talked to my dealer about it and well, parts $2.78, labor around $100/hr, should take about 6 to 7 hours. so, i bought the fan came home and performed open heart surgery, literaly. to change this little fan on a kubota bx 24 (bought in 2007) you have to pull the motor to release the drive shaft that it is mounted on. this is not for the normal shade tree mechanic. if i can help let me know.

 

[Renob]

I have heard some that cut the fan in half and then install it. Don't know if it would work in this case, but worth a try for a few $.

 

[tommu56]

I would cut shaft in half with a sawzaw (mark shaft for phazing first
have a machine shop cut a key on both sides ans put it back together with a rigid split two piece coupling


from mcmaster supply catalog
*
Rigid Shaft Couplings
For information about couplings and ANSI keyway dimensions, see page 1112.

Two-Piece Clamp-On Shaft Couplings
With Keyway

Made to come apart in two halves, you can install and remove these couplings anywhere on your shaft without disassembling your machinery. They clamp on for superior holding power without damaging your shaft. Tighten the eight socket-head cap screws to secure.
Couplings with ANSI keyway give you a more secure hold and are especially good for alternating-motion applications. They have standard ANSI keyway dimensions.
Steel— Couplings are Grade 1215 steel. Cap screws are alloy steel. Type 303 Stainless Steel— Couplings are Type 303 stainless steel for excellent corrosion resistance. Cap screws are 18-8 stainless steel.


STEEL



TYPE 303 STAINLESS STEEL

Max.
With

Without
Max.
With

Without
Bore Bore Screw Max. Torque,
ANSI Keyway

Keyway
Torque,
ANSI Keyway

Keyway
(A) (B) Lg. OD Size rpm in.-lbs. Each Each in.-lbs. Each Each
1/4" 1/4" 1" 5/8" 4-40 4,000 200
_______ ___

60845K31 $29.70
106
_______ ___

60845K41 $44.21
3/8" 1/4" 1 3/8" 7/8" 6-32 4,000 450
60845K52* $66.28

60845K51 35.22
240
60845K71* $86.18

60845K81 46.98
3/8" 3/8" 1 3/8" 7/8" 6-32 4,000 450
60845K11 42.60

60845K32 34.60
240
60845K21 56.30

60845K42 47.00
1/2" 3/8" 1 3/4" 1 1/8" 8-32 4,000 950
60845K53 55.96

60845K54 39.14
540
60845K72 73.78

60845K82 56.40
1/2" 1/2" 1 3/4" 1 1/8" 8-32 4,000 950
60845K12 48.40

60845K33 38.74
540
60845K22 66.95

60845K43 56.88
5/8" 1/2" 2" 1 5/16" 10-32 4,000 1,600
60845K55 72.34

60845K56 44.72
950
60845K73 99.28

60845K83 74.06
5/8" 5/8" 2" 1 5/16" 10-32 4,000 1,600
60845K13 54.51

60845K34 44.56
950
60845K23 90.07

60845K44 75.40
3/4" 5/8" 2 1/4" 1 1/2" 1/4"-28 4,000 3,200
60845K57 75.92

60845K58 46.52
2,000
60845K74 116.42

60845K84 87.38
3/4" 3/4" 2 1/4" 1 1/2" 1/4"-28 4,000 3,200
60845K14 57.09

60845K35 46.51
2,000
60845K24 106.28

60845K45 89.37
7/8" 7/8" 2 1/2" 1 5/8" 1/4"-28 4,000 3,600
60845K15 72.33

60845K36 57.09
2,300
60845K25 123.12

60845K46 103.44
1" 1/2" 3" 1 3/4" 1/4"-28 4,000 4,000
60845K59 82.90

60845K61 53.94
2,500
60845K75 148.42

60845K85 110.88
1" 3/4" 3" 1 3/4" 1/4"-28 4,000 4,000
60845K62 82.90

60845K63 53.94
2,500
60845K76 148.42

60845K86 110.88
1" 1" 3" 1 3/4" 1/4"-28 4,000 4,000
60845K16 71.00



tommu56

 

[DickS]

Perhaps the shaft is metric. Sounds like a good solution, though.

 

[art]

Can't say that we sell but about one fan a year per store but with having about 500 of the bx's out I think your going way overboard as you can get them in with out to much trouble and the first time is always the worst.