Flail Mower I Bent The Shaft On My Center Link

[dennis33]

This weekend I hooked up my first PTO attachment. It's a Caroni TL1500 flail mower.

It took some time to get it hooked up since I had to remove 4 inches from the PTO shafts. The hardest thing was getting the shaft connected at both ends. I dread trying to remove it (and connecting it again)! Finally after lifting, lowering, lengthening the center link I heard the 'clicks' that locked the shaft on the mower, then the tractor.

Now it was time to mow! Everything was going great. The top link was floating in the upper slot and I was raising/lowering the mower as needed, although I did bottom out several times. No big deal since its just an open meadow and not a manicured lawn.

A few times I needed to back into an area to mow and I sometimes did that with the mower down. When I was done for the day I looked at things in the back of the tractor and saw that the center link was no longer floating. All of the weight was resting on the center link and it was bent!:ashamed:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/7831

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/7830

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/7829

Maybe there wasn't enough grease in the slot and it got stuck in that position or the pin is the wrong size. Does anyone have any input on how to prevent this from happening again?

Thanks,

Dennis

 

[sweettractors]

It bottomed out in the slot pretty hard and bent the toplink. That usually happens while backing up a hill with the 3 point hitch too low. Some sort of chain or a longer slot would stop that from happening again. Ken Sweet

 

[greg_g]

It also happens when the toplink is too short. In this case, you had to extend the weakest part of the toplink to achieve your desired cutting height. If that's the height at which you intend to do a majority of your mowing, I suggest buying the next longer toplink. Cat 1 toplinks are available anywhere between about 13" and 30". Then pin it in the top hole on the mower. Don't use that slot.

And your bent one isn't a total loss, you can buy replacement threaded link ends. But be careful, opposite ends are threaded differently. Make sure you get one to replace the bent end - not the straight end.

//greg//

 

[tommu56]

Try using a chain in stead of the top ling gives you more movement.

Straighten the old one being careful not to bugger up the threads it will be fine.

tom

 

[Gordon Gould]

You said that you dreaded dimounting and remounting your mower - Dont be.
I remember the same feeling. You will find that it gets easier and
easier every time and pretty soon you wont even think about it.
You will also do it quicker and quicker. When you remove it try to leave it
in a position to make it easier to put it back on.
You should be able to "click" the drive shaft ends home by hand. I'm not
sure how wise it is to seat them by raising and lowering the impliment
unless the instructions tell you to do it that way.
Keep the faith and good luck.

 

[TDVT]

Your toplink yoke is installed upside down. I'm not sure why they don't stagger the holes or something so it would only fit one way but they don't.

(from Caroni site)

If you flip it over, the slot with be horizontal & shouldn't bind up as readily.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

If you think about it, bending the top link is a blessing as opposed to having something on there that wouldn't bend! I did the same thing, bought a aftermarket replacement (cheaper), then straightened the JD top link and used it again. Aftermarket replacement looks too stout and I may have another temporary loss of intelligence in the future.

 

[greg_g]

Try using a chain in stead of the top ling gives you more movement.

You clearly have never used a flail mower. Cutting height is set by lengthening or shortening the toplink. I haven't met anyone yet who's had any success in pushing a chain.

//greg//

 

[nwbearcat]

You clearly have never used a flail mower. Cutting height is set by lengthening or shortening the toplink. I haven't met anyone yet who's had any success in pushing a chain.

//greg//

I was kinda thinking the same thing. I also kinda wonder what happens if you were to use a chain, and the whole thing rocked forward, and tipped over, binding the PTO shaft...while spinning. I'm not seeing a pretty mental picture. I almost did that with the rotary mower I had, I let it down a bit too far and the front corners caught on a little ridge then the mower tried to flip up. Fortunately I was looking back and stopped before it got too carried away. I see some folks using a pipe slid over the chain to give the mower some room to move, but not just give it all the freedom to come too far over.

Does your 3pt float up and down? I've backed up with mine or ran across humps and holes and the lift arms just raise up and fall down as they need. My mower doesn't even have a slotted hole that I remember.

 

[RoyJackson]

Top Links are sold at your dealer and Tractor Supply. They aren't too expensive ($30-$40).
As greg_g wrote, the threads are opposite (one right hand, the other a left hand thread), like a turnbuckle.
If dennis33 had his extended too far out, and that caused the bending, I suggest he buy a longer link.