BX2200 Chewed itself up, scared to death

[botalvr]

After doing all the maintenance on my deck, sharpened blades, etc.
There was a vibration. I just thought my blade sharpener made one unbalanced during the lateest sharpening.

While mowing (a total of about 20 minutes), all of a sudden there was a very bad noise, so I immediately shut down the deck, and headed the BX for the house. All my fresh diesel was pouring out from underneath after the noise.
Then when trying to dash back to the house, the trans started making a grinding noise, I stopped trying to drive it under it's own power at this point.
I left it running on the street, with the flashers and headlights, so no one would hit it, and get the truck for a tow. Was running fine.
Upon inspection, the drive shaft to the mower deck had detached itself from the BX, (I thought for sure that it was fully seated, as I hear the click and could not pulll back on the shaft).

So, I would assume that the fuel tank was damaged, and the worst one is I saw that the trans filter was torn, so I assume I lost all my fluid. (nice place for the filter there Bota engineers)

Am I going to be alright? Did I toast my trans? Is it even worth replacing the filter and filling the trans back up with fluid for a try? Filings check? How long is the warranty on the drive train? I looked and could find any mention of the warranty period on my contract.

This is such a bummer, I love my BX, and now I hurt it.

Anyone, something, anything? I'm ready to vomit.

Thanks

 

[Volfandt]

Sorry to hear it. If it's any consolation your not the 1st one to experience this. You may not have gotten the tank. The fuel line, a fuel filter and fuel pump are all in that general area, it may be just those that are damaged but I'd say it's probably the fuel line.

Theres a good chance that you didn't do any major damage to the HST either. Replace the filter then fill it back up with SUDT or UDT then try it out once you get the fuel situation straightened out.

The warranty period is two yrs from sate of purchase. I'd say your machine is over that.
Good luck
Volfandt

 

[Av8r3400]

(I thought) My 2230 had a 3 year warranty, I can't comment on the 2200's.

MY OPINION: I would pull (what's left of) the filter and drain the hydro fluid and check the screen. Leaving the drain plug out, pour some fresh fluid through the case and see what comes out. If it's clean, fill and replace the screen and filter.

Fire it up and gently drive it around a bit to see the noise level and operation. If it's good, it's good. (which I think it will be) Maybe do another fluid change in a short while (10 hours?) and check the screen again for any big chunks.

You probably broke the fuel line or filter(s) which are close to the MMM shaft too. Now you know to double (triple) check the MMM shaft for security. (Most all BX owners have been there...)

 

[proudestmonkey]

My warranty on the BX 2230 is 2 years bumper to bumper, but 3 years for drive train.

I am sorry that this happened to you, but am glad you posted it. I haven't used my 2230 for mowing yet, having removed the mmm for early spring yard cleaning. Now I will know to really be careful when I attach the PTO shaft to the deck. So, if its any consolation, your bummer may have saved others, including me, from suffering the same fate.

Let us know what you find out in terms of damage done or not done.

Oh, and smart move on turning things off when you did. I am always worried that sounds I hear are not normal and I just don't know it.

 

[RonR]

I did a search, but couldn't find what I was looking for. One member posted a pic of a filter guard. As I recall, it was a piece of tubing just larger than the diamber of the filter. Welded to it was a flat strap that had a hole, which allowed you to bolt it to ???? on the frame. The end of the tube was open, but the sides were protected.

Wish I could find it; I'd like to put one on mine.

Sounds like maybe some protection for the fuel lines would be in order to--to protect from the MMM shaft!

ron

 

[newcountry]

I'm sorry for your troubles, and can relate to the drive shaft issue. I just put mine on for the first time this spring a couple weeks ago. I did exactly the same thing you did -
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I thought for sure that it was fully seated, as I hear the click and could not pulll back on the shaft)</font>

But when I looked the shaft connection was not fully seated. It took me a couple tries to get it all the way back on the drive spindle. Why would the drive shaft connector be engineered in such a way that it will click and you can't pull back on it, but it's not fully seated? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[AceDeuce]

Ouch. Sorry to hear about your misfortune. My dealer sternly warned me about this when I bought my machine. He said he's had to replace the entire front cover of the HST along with all of the mid-PTO geartrain in more than one BX. Hearing that made me supremely paranoid about the PTO shaft being 110% securely attached. Just thinking about the driveshaft coming loose at 2200 rpm makes me cringe.

I think the other comments are sound advice. Start with a thorough visual inspection for obvious external damage. You should be able to find and fix the fuel leak this way. That's the easy part. Obviously the HST filter is toast, but check the mounting flange on the HST for damage. Pay close attention to the threaded protrusion and make sure it isn't bent. Look at the PTO stub shaft. Make sure it isn't bent and that it runs true. Also check the HST housing and cover for punctures or dents. If it all checks out, pour in some fluid and start checking for signs of internal damage from there.

You absolutely did the right thing by shutting it down right away. You might have gotten lucky and only killed the filter. But, what's done is done and it is what it is. No sense in letting it keep you up at night. The only thing you can do now is diagnose the problem and hope the repair bill isn't too bad. The good news is that the damage, however severe, CAN be repaired. Your Kub may have taken one on the chin but it'll be back in the ring again soon!

 

[JWE]

The shaft flying off BX tractors is not an uncommon problem. It happened to me a couple of years ago. Here is a thread that tells the sad story.

John

Yoke problem

 

[Ob1kubota]

bota put her back with new parts. Your HST will live, whats scary is the fact you checked your coupling and it had snapped into place over the output shaft detent. You even tested it with hand pressure. SCARY /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif You mentioned blade balance so I'll offer a suggestion above your current
problem. I purchased the attached sharpner/balancer http://www.magna-matic.com/sharpeners/mag9000/index.html. It works and is worth the investment. Let me know if I can help, what a shame this had to happen to you /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[DaveInColorado]

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has done this! I was shocked at the price of a replacement shaft. If you've ever been around hot rodders you may notice once in a while someone will put a thin metal strap attached securely to the car but very loosely around the driveshaft. If the front U-joint fails and the shaft drops it may hang up on something in the road then rip out the entire rear axle and cause lots of damage. I'm going to put a similar strap on my Kubota's center shaft. It may give me a little time to stop the next time this happens.

Mine wasn't because of a failed coupling. Some stupid guy took off the mower deck "just for a minute", left 1/2 the shaft on the HST and forgot about it until he hooked up the tiller and started the PTO in the wrong position. Oh well, I learn more quickly when I make lots of mistakes. I will know everything about the time I'm too decrepit to do anything.

The flailing shaft ripped off the HST filter, sprayed oil everywhere, damaged threads on the HST filter connection but a filter does go on and has 1/2" of good threads near the bottom where it matters so I'm not going to do anything about the damaged threads. No real harm done. This little tractor is a darn expensive piece of lawn equipment but it is way too handy to give up! Now I'm hinting around to all that I know that a Woods backhoe attachment sure would be a nice birthday present! It exceeds the usual birthday budget by 1000 times so fat chance of that happening.

David Haile
Fort Collins, CO

 

[RonR]

Found the link I was looking for--I was searching for my operator's manual (which is still lost) and found the pic I'd printed from N3QIK in 03.

His attached pic shows how to protect a BX1500 filter.

Link to BX filter cover

 

[botalvr]

Thanks to everyone for the responses, links and help.
When going to the dealer to get filters and UDT, he mentioned that they have seen this before. They even stock the parts to correct it.

He said if this was going to happen, the most amount of damage is going to be caused at the mower end of the shaft if it lets go. So I was lucky.

Upon inspection, the HST fins were OK, (thankfully), and only the brake rod was bent. What I thought was fuel was UDT fluid spewing so I was lucky on that one.
The internal fluid screen had no more filings that usual. I drained what fluid was left in the HST, flushed each opening (filter, drain, and screen hole), one at a time with ALOT of
fluid.
I did find some small amout of metal in the drain pan (about the size of coarse ground pepper, about half of one quarter teaspoon total after all the flushing.

I am going to run gently for 10 hours, and change filter and UDT again to see what I get. Could have been much worse, although the extra filings I could do without.
After reading some of the other posts, misery likes company unfortunately.
I agree it is a bad design. I had to get the dents/damage out of the yoke collar since I didn't have more $$$ ($157) for parts. I took it all apart to fix some dents, and found that two of the three ball bearings that click into the PTO shaft were very hard to get to retrack, even though they protrude properly after retraction. While it was off the tractor, I had to use a screwdriver to loosen them up.
Then there was the reassembly of the yoke and collar, which was no problem after the dents were corrected. Then came the reattachment.
I spent a tool throwing amount of time getting the thing back on there. (no tools were thrown) Made sure all slots in both shafts were not damaged.
Finally had to coax the thing onto the pto shaft (gently with a hammer) and it finally locked. I pulled on that thing with all I had to make sure it was on right and locked.
If I had the $$, I just would have bought a new collar. $$$ is very tight now - work put me on disability and I am in conservation mode.
If I had not seen the bearings come back to proper position/protusion I would have not even considered using the old collar/yoke. The problem seems to be their retraction to allow the shaft to seat properly. Every time I tested while off the BX they extended back properly. Still going to buy a new one after my cash crunch.

Lord knows how it is going to act when I try to take it off. Maybe a dealer task, as I don't want to tear up that HST shaft.
That first click I heard before all this was most likely the collar snapping back, but not seated all the way onto the shaft.
Some mowing last night and I am back to normal, no vibration at all like before.

I know it's not good to use the old parts, but I had to.

Everything looks OK other than the small dents on the collar I mentioned before which were easy to fix when taken apart.

Hope this never happens to anyone else.

Thanks again.

 

[RonR]

I'm not sure you need to do the reflush/new filter for the second time. If it gives you piece of mind, ok.

Maybe ask the dealer what he thinks..................

ron

 

[ballroger]

don't know if you have been answered. i am new here. but i did the very same thing with my mower pto as well. they are very hard to put in place and to make sure they stay in place. but your tractor will not move without fluid where the filter was knocked out of wack. i lost a good patch of grass where the fluid all spilled but have not had that happen again in over two years. the older one gets the harder it is to put that MM mower on under the 2200. another problem i have is with the blades getting loose and making a heck of a noise. i never sharpen my blades because of the holidays the shorter blades will leave between the cut paths are not acceptable to me. always buy new blades when the cutting swathe is not smooth. it is worth it.

 

[ballroger]

don't know if you have been answered. i am new here. but i did the very same thing with my mower pto as well. they are very hard to put in place and to make sure they stay in place. but your tractor will not move without fluid where the filter was knocked out of wack. i lost a good patch of grass where the fluid all spilled but have not had that happen again in over two years. the older one gets the harder it is to put that MM mower on under the 2200. another problem i have is with the blades getting loose and making a heck of a noise. i never sharpen my blades because of the holidays the shorter blades will leave between the cut paths are not acceptable to me. always buy new blades when the cutting swathe is not smooth. it is worth it.