OH POO! What did I do?

[Willl]

It seems odd to me that a brush hog would break the drive shaft to the blades and total itself before the slip clutch kicked out. Slip clutch adjusted or not.

How 'bout rusted together ?

 

[whistlepig]

How 'bout rusted together ?

How 'bout me being a total disbeliever on PTO slip clutches?

 

[AGGIE00]

It's obvious that the shaft was fatigued and the final ipact did not cause all the damage. Is this a warranty issue, depends on time of ownership. Based on what I have read of the MX6, it should be a recall.

Over the years we have dropped the stumpjumper a few times and never has it flown outside of the mower, but sat laying in the grass right where it fell/broke off.

I wouldn't spend a lot of money repairing it considering I bought a like new 3pt MX8 for $2500 from the dealer.

 

[Ken]

I have a MX-6 rotory mower.attached to a 4520 power reverser tractor was using it for the main brush cutter until started to read the broken shaft posts. and checked with my J.D. dealer his comment of Spain gear boxes were no longer used due to lack of spare parts.
Now use a gear box made in China. asked if this is a better gear box he told me only time will tell.
Now this type of thinking is a black spot on my idea of John Deere for the next purchase.
This is a expensive rotory cutter and if the parts are not supported by dealer neither will I be purchasing my next equipment and tractors.
Hard to believe a company will sell something that uses the customer to use to find out the relalabilty of the machine. what happened to the testing prior the selling.

 

[wirenut]

I had the exact same thing happen to me this summer (not JD though). I have a 60 HP Omni gearbox with 2" output shaft. Set it down hard on a stump, sheared the same as yours. I have a slip clutch, it may not be adjusted right, but I don't think a properly adjusted clutch could have helped with the instant shock load with tractor running at 2000 RPM's. I was able to find a replacement shaft online for $102.00 + $25.00 shipping. The repair was not too tough. Now changing out the blades is another matter.

 

[whistlepig]

It's obvious that the shaft was fatigued and the final ipact did not cause all the damage. Is this a warranty issue, depends on time of ownership. Based on what I have read of the MX6, it should be a recall.

Over the years we have dropped the stumpjumper a few times and never has it flown outside of the mower, but sat laying in the grass right where it fell/broke off.

I wouldn't spend a lot of money repairing it considering I bought a like new 3pt MX8 for $2500 from the dealer.

I spent a lot of time looking at this shaft. The pictures are excellent. There are no signs of metal fatigue that I could see.

 

[jenkinsph]

I agree that Deere needs to recall this cutter, I have read too many posts with the same problems and what appears to be a break in the same place on all of these output shafts. Regretably I have one of these myself.

 

[Redbug]

Just how do you test/check your slip clutch before you use the cutter? Loosen up the pressure bolts around the plates? I never considered the plates rusting together before.

 

[Degolyerent]

I think I would try to find a gearbox that would work with the stump jumper assembly that I have, if indeed it could be had at a reasonable cost or I would find a cutter on craigslist that is in bad shape that has a gearbox that would work and fit it to what I have or just buy a good used cutter at a reasonable cost off of craigslist and be done with it. Sorry about your bad luck on your cutter, no one needs that extra expense or hassle!

 

[IslandTractor]

Just how do you test/check your slip clutch before you use the cutter? Loosen up the pressure bolts around the plates? I never considered the plates rusting together before.

I adjust mine each spring and if I haven't brush hogged for a month or two. Loosen all the bolts on the pressure plate. Make a few magic marker slashes on the outside edge across the plates so you can tell if it has moved/slipped. Then at low idle start the PTO. Stop PTO let everything stop in the mower and then check your alignment marks. If they have moved then the clutch is slipping. If they haven't moved then repeat a couple of times with higher idle speed. If that doesn't do it go back to low idle and engage PTO while a 2x4 is jammed against the solid part of the blade. I've had to use the 2x4 trick once but if it requires more than that the tractor will stall or chew up the wood. If that happens then probably best to remove the slip clutch for bench inspection as it is likely quite rusted/fused. If the clutch does slip then just retighten to specs.