Disc Mower Question

[jwcinpk]

Well the shaft on the disc mower went boom today, ate up the yoke, scattered the bearing. Drove 3 hours, finally got the parts, put the shaft back together and dang if I can't remember which end is which. One end has an overrunning clutch, the other is just a regular u joint. Which end goes toward the mower? Seems like the clutch end went toward the mower but dang I can't be sure. It's a Fort First Choice. Don't have an owners manual.
Somebody help me out, I believe the sun has burned my brain!

 

[jwcinpk]

Well the shaft on the disc mower went boom today, ate up the yoke, scattered the bearing. Drove 3 hours, finally got the parts, put the shaft back together and dang if I can't remember which end is which. One end has an overrunning clutch, the other is just a regular u joint. Which end goes toward the mower? Seems like the clutch end went toward the mower but dang I can't be sure. It's a Fort First Choice. Don't have an owners manual.
Somebody help me out, I believe the sun has burned my brain!

 

[JESSE1]

On my Kuhn, the clutch end is at the mower.

 

[JESSE1]

On my Kuhn, the clutch end is at the mower.

 

[jwcinpk]

Wow it's amazing how much a nights sleep and a little daylight will do for the situation. The clutch has to go to the mower. Stamped right on the shaft, just couldn't see last night. Thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jwcinpk]

Wow it's amazing how much a nights sleep and a little daylight will do for the situation. The clutch has to go to the mower. Stamped right on the shaft, just couldn't see last night. Thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HayDR]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Well the shaft on the disc mower went boom today, ate up the yoke, scattered the bearing. Drove 3 hours, finally got the parts, put the shaft back together and dang if I can't remember which end is which. One end has an overrunning clutch, the other is just a regular u joint. Which end goes toward the mower? Seems like the clutch end went toward the mower but dang I can't be sure. It's a Fort First Choice. Don't have an owners manual.
Somebody help me out, I believe the sun has burned my brain! )</font>
This is a common problem with the Fort/Morra 6 & 7 disc mowers. The travel on the safety kick-back is too long causing the PTO to be at an angle beyond it's capable use. The PTO gets damage back at the over-run clutch attached to the mower. This is not a new problem and I have factory service memo's to prove it.
The first Fort DMD mowers in 1999-2000 had PTO's too short and came apart so Fort lengthened the OEM PTO but the problem was not cured. Next Fort increased the spring tension on the safety break-back but once the mowers broke back the angle was still too sever for the PTO to operate without damage. The problem is a combination of the safety break-back having too much travel and the center pivot design flaw. Most 3 point mower models sold in Europe are 5 disc units (7'). The design flaws do not show up in the smaller units as bad but in the 9'- 7 disc unit it is common for that unit to eat PTO's. Since we sell PTO's we here this all the time about the Fort mowers. We like selling PTO's to Fort owners.

 

[HayDR]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Well the shaft on the disc mower went boom today, ate up the yoke, scattered the bearing. Drove 3 hours, finally got the parts, put the shaft back together and dang if I can't remember which end is which. One end has an overrunning clutch, the other is just a regular u joint. Which end goes toward the mower? Seems like the clutch end went toward the mower but dang I can't be sure. It's a Fort First Choice. Don't have an owners manual.
Somebody help me out, I believe the sun has burned my brain! )</font>
This is a common problem with the Fort/Morra 6 & 7 disc mowers. The travel on the safety kick-back is too long causing the PTO to be at an angle beyond it's capable use. The PTO gets damage back at the over-run clutch attached to the mower. This is not a new problem and I have factory service memo's to prove it.
The first Fort DMD mowers in 1999-2000 had PTO's too short and came apart so Fort lengthened the OEM PTO but the problem was not cured. Next Fort increased the spring tension on the safety break-back but once the mowers broke back the angle was still too sever for the PTO to operate without damage. The problem is a combination of the safety break-back having too much travel and the center pivot design flaw. Most 3 point mower models sold in Europe are 5 disc units (7'). The design flaws do not show up in the smaller units as bad but in the 9'- 7 disc unit it is common for that unit to eat PTO's. Since we sell PTO's we here this all the time about the Fort mowers. We like selling PTO's to Fort owners.

 

[jwcinpk]

You're right on CCI. Hung the dang thing in a gopher hole, broke it back and next thing you know shaft is history. I kind of figured it was a common problem. I walked in at Valley with yoke in hand and Wes looked down at it and said disc mower. There was also lots of that particular yoke hanging on his parts board. Overall the mower has been a very good one though. I have used it for 3 years and cut well over 1000 rolls of hay with it with no failures.

 

[jwcinpk]

You're right on CCI. Hung the dang thing in a gopher hole, broke it back and next thing you know shaft is history. I kind of figured it was a common problem. I walked in at Valley with yoke in hand and Wes looked down at it and said disc mower. There was also lots of that particular yoke hanging on his parts board. Overall the mower has been a very good one though. I have used it for 3 years and cut well over 1000 rolls of hay with it with no failures.