Good Morning All,
Finally received the comer LF 227j gearbox yesterday.
A number of people have shared their disappointment with JD after purchasing the MX series of rotary cutters, because output shafts break predictably, and the company version of "support" requires purchase of a new gearbox and stump jumper for at least $2200 (have seen higher quotes even), basically railroading the customer into buying a new cutter.
For years the design used a retaining bolt, which terminated about 0.375 inches from a 90 degree snap ring shoulder, which created the condition, was not abandoned until their recent change to a castle nut configuration, which leaves the steel intact.
I need to open up the ~0.75 bolt hole up to 1.25 inches to accomodate the COMER LF227J gearbox; at that point the gearbox will be a bolt on replacement. It requires some work to do:
opening the stump jumper hole by 1/2 inch
and either
a) drill 6 new 0.80 holes in the reinforcing steel bowl that sandwiches the upper and lower decks together --or--
b) cutting the reinforcing bowl out,drilling the 4 spot welds out from the top, rotating it 30 degrees, and welding it back in place.
I chose b) to keep the steel, and have the bowl as a drill guide for the top sheet metal.
My solution was expensive for me, because I didn't own a welder... here's the math (not counting my time!):
Setting up for welding (I chose Lincoln MIG/flux 180 dual) $1100.00 (& accessories)
New 20 spline slip clutch driveline $275.00
COMER LF227J 1.69:1 gearbox $550.00
So I'm up to $1925.00, but have the welder, plus an extra 21 spline slip driveline (anyone need one?), but do not have the bonus stump jumper/scrap metal JD's fix would have left me with.
I still have warranty on the box & driveline, which is fine: I had zero support on the unit anyway.
If you have (or hire) a welder, the fix would be less than half what JD is demanding to fix their OBVIOUS design flaw.
I am pleased to have had this occur, because now I have a welder, which I'm getting to know (if you are thinking of a MIG welder, the 230V/higher voltage is the way to go-mine does both, and it's night & day the difference on heavier materials (like 0.375), but I will find small projects for sheet metal I'm sure that need the lighter touch of 115V), and have now got chain hooks on the pallet forks, hitch receivers on the bucket & box blade, and the capacity to do work I had to hire out before. To date I've only used the flux core, because everythings heavy gauge I want done.
It would have been very costly for JD to retrofit all the MX series with gear that wasn't on a countdown to catastrophic failure... x% of future business versus y% of retained customers= ???. Must have been worth it to see a% new cutters sold, b% retrofit old cutters, and lose z% of future equipment sales.
I'll post pictures when it's done; the gearbox will NOT be painted green!
There is a fix, it's not an easy bolt on fix, but when you see the comer on the MX... looks like putting a 7.3 liter into a fiesta-- kind of comical, yet reassuring.
Finally received the comer LF 227j gearbox yesterday.
A number of people have shared their disappointment with JD after purchasing the MX series of rotary cutters, because output shafts break predictably, and the company version of "support" requires purchase of a new gearbox and stump jumper for at least $2200 (have seen higher quotes even), basically railroading the customer into buying a new cutter.
For years the design used a retaining bolt, which terminated about 0.375 inches from a 90 degree snap ring shoulder, which created the condition, was not abandoned until their recent change to a castle nut configuration, which leaves the steel intact.
I need to open up the ~0.75 bolt hole up to 1.25 inches to accomodate the COMER LF227J gearbox; at that point the gearbox will be a bolt on replacement. It requires some work to do:
opening the stump jumper hole by 1/2 inch
and either
a) drill 6 new 0.80 holes in the reinforcing steel bowl that sandwiches the upper and lower decks together --or--
b) cutting the reinforcing bowl out,drilling the 4 spot welds out from the top, rotating it 30 degrees, and welding it back in place.
I chose b) to keep the steel, and have the bowl as a drill guide for the top sheet metal.
My solution was expensive for me, because I didn't own a welder... here's the math (not counting my time!):
Setting up for welding (I chose Lincoln MIG/flux 180 dual) $1100.00 (& accessories)
New 20 spline slip clutch driveline $275.00
COMER LF227J 1.69:1 gearbox $550.00
So I'm up to $1925.00, but have the welder, plus an extra 21 spline slip driveline (anyone need one?), but do not have the bonus stump jumper/scrap metal JD's fix would have left me with.
I still have warranty on the box & driveline, which is fine: I had zero support on the unit anyway.
If you have (or hire) a welder, the fix would be less than half what JD is demanding to fix their OBVIOUS design flaw.
I am pleased to have had this occur, because now I have a welder, which I'm getting to know (if you are thinking of a MIG welder, the 230V/higher voltage is the way to go-mine does both, and it's night & day the difference on heavier materials (like 0.375), but I will find small projects for sheet metal I'm sure that need the lighter touch of 115V), and have now got chain hooks on the pallet forks, hitch receivers on the bucket & box blade, and the capacity to do work I had to hire out before. To date I've only used the flux core, because everythings heavy gauge I want done.
It would have been very costly for JD to retrofit all the MX series with gear that wasn't on a countdown to catastrophic failure... x% of future business versus y% of retained customers= ???. Must have been worth it to see a% new cutters sold, b% retrofit old cutters, and lose z% of future equipment sales.
I'll post pictures when it's done; the gearbox will NOT be painted green!
There is a fix, it's not an easy bolt on fix, but when you see the comer on the MX... looks like putting a 7.3 liter into a fiesta-- kind of comical, yet reassuring.
