I'm a new tractor owner and becoming skilled at tearing up shear bolts on my Mahindra standard duty rotary cutter. My problem is, after the bolt is sheared, the coupling is rotated some 90 degrees or so out of alignment and I can't easily get these aligned to drive out the bolt and install a new one. I'm hoping there is a simple solution to this but I've tried twisting to no avail. This thing is TIGHT. I can even engage the PTO and start the cutter spinning and hoping against hope that somehow the coupling and drive shaft will magically align when stopped. Any tricks to this or is it just brute force involved?
Mahindra Rotary Cutter Shear Bolt Alignment
- Thread starter David325
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Why are you shearing pins that often? Perhaps you are mowing to low for a rotary cutter. If this is new to you then you should set the tail wheel so the cutter is up in the air a little and then raise the 3 point up so you do not strike things as often.
Are you trying to cut things that are to big in diameter? Perhaps your ground speed it to quick for what you are trying to cut.
As to your alinement problem you should be able to put a pipe wrench on the piece to turn it. I have had to put a small prybar into the U-joint to hold the other side so that you can line them up.
Are you trying to cut things that are to big in diameter? Perhaps your ground speed it to quick for what you are trying to cut.
As to your alinement problem you should be able to put a pipe wrench on the piece to turn it. I have had to put a small prybar into the U-joint to hold the other side so that you can line them up.
Thank you for the quick response. Mowing too low is most likely the issue here. Have broken 3 shear bolts since March but I’m learning. Nothing bigger than 1” being cut generally though. I’ll take your advice on raising the deck though going forward. I’ve been anchoring the cutter through the top portal hole and moving the drive shaft via pry bar through the shaft u joint. Does not seem to be done any differently but this one is a buger for sure.
DonRybak
Gold Member
When I first bought my tractor and cutter I sheared several bolts in just a couple months. Not sure what you're mowing but doing some research I found that the suggested height for pasture mowing was 4 inches. The blades were hitting the ground quite often when the ground was rough. Raising the mower solved the problem. I haven't sheared a bolt in a couple years now. I did have a bolt that sheared one time that left a small fragment of bolt in the splines that kept me from aligning the holes up. I had to hammer on the end of the universal joint to slide it off the shaft of the drive unit. If you are using the recommended grade of bolt (usually grade 2) there shouldn't be any problem. Good luck.......
3gunr
Veteran Member
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My 5ft cutter has not sheared a bolt in 17 yrs and my neighbor borrows it and is rough with it. I have a new 6ft mahindra standard duty mower but it has a slip clutch, As others have said if the blades are hitting the ground on high spots that can pop a pin. My 5 ft farm king tiller pops bolts all the time . I finally bought a slip clutch for it .
Thanks Don. I’m using grade 2 bolts and ground is rough in some areas. Ground strikes play a part no doubt but I’m gaining knowledge on where to be more careful.
Yep. Using grade 2. Thanks.
