I've got a 5' Howse rotary cutter and I hit a rock this morning mowing and now the blades don't spin. The shear bolt on the pto shaft is still intact. The input shaft and output (blades) will move independently with a slight thumping sound from I'm guessing the gearbox. It's probably 20 years old and I've only had it 5 so I'm wondering if the output shaft has finally sheared in two. Does this sound like the problem or could it be something else? If it is the problem, can just the output shaft be replaced or is it just as easy/cheap to get a new gearbox? Thanks in advance for any help.
Howse Cutter Hit Rock
- Thread starter jacm
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kebo
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Hey jacm, welcome to TBN. About your mower, I guess you are absolutely certain that the shearbolt on the input to the gearbox is still intact?? Did you visually confirm that by removing the bolt? Just thought it would be good to doublecheck & confirm that in case you hadn't already done so.
IF the shearbolt is intact, then one of the gears inside the box might be spinning freely on it's shaft because of a sheared key. At least, that's one possibility. Or, if they are held in place with splines, then it might have sheared off all the splines? Or, maybe one gear has a bunch of broken teeth?
If you have a manual to the gearbox and/or the mower itself, I would look at it and see if there is an exploded view or a parts list in it. That might help you determine what might have gone bad. If you don't have a manual, maybe try the Howse website, they might have a view of the internal components of your gearbox.
I would think if one of the two shafts had broken in two, you probably wouldn't be able to spin it freely, and it would probably make a LOT more noise than it is making now.
IF the shearbolt is intact, then one of the gears inside the box might be spinning freely on it's shaft because of a sheared key. At least, that's one possibility. Or, if they are held in place with splines, then it might have sheared off all the splines? Or, maybe one gear has a bunch of broken teeth?
If you have a manual to the gearbox and/or the mower itself, I would look at it and see if there is an exploded view or a parts list in it. That might help you determine what might have gone bad. If you don't have a manual, maybe try the Howse website, they might have a view of the internal components of your gearbox.
I would think if one of the two shafts had broken in two, you probably wouldn't be able to spin it freely, and it would probably make a LOT more noise than it is making now.
Managed to get the pan off of the shaft and all of the splines are completely rounded off on the pan, not quite as bad on the shaft. I'm guessing I'll need a new gearbox and pan to make this one operational - probably to the tune of $250-$350 for both.
Anybody know of prices and dealers for Howse 5' cutters in North Texas?
Anybody know of prices and dealers for Howse 5' cutters in North Texas?