Rollins 5' Rotary Cutter - 2" of up/down play in blade

[glenintenn]

complete newb here purchased a tractor a couple of years ago. It came with a rollins 5' rotary cutter.

I have consistently maintained the oil level in the gear box.
hit some stuff and the cutter is now vibrating like a big problem is about to develop.

the blades are not striking the housing but I noted that when I look under there, I can press on one of the rotary cutter blades it moves down about 2" (and on the other side raises about 2").

My assumption is that this is not normal... that the hub shouldn't have about an inch of space hanging down on the shaft from the gear box and there shouldn't be any of this play in the blades... or is Rollins sort of special in this way? LOL.

Video of play in the blade here

 

[ericm979]

It looks like the hub is loose on the shaft coming down from the gearbox. Is the nut holding it on loose? Don't run it like this, you don't want the blades flying about.

 

[DonRybak]

I agree that the hub is loose or the shaft bearing has disintegrated........

 

[WranglerX]

Prop it up against a post or tree and chain it up solid to post or tree (so it does not fall over and crush you) and investigate what the problem may be... Should be pretty obvious its either a bearing or the stump jumper that holds blades the center hub may be coming apart...

 

[cathy liebchen]

Probably needs to have the gearbox rebuiit and new dishpan and blades

 

[glenintenn]

the cotter pin holding the castle nut must have sheared at some point. the castle nut worked it's way down to about 3/4" still on the drive shaft. I guess I ran it a bit more until I noted the vibration and the vibration was the drive spindle shearing some of the splines on the stumpjumper pan.

Would you agree the shaft is still usable? the second picture is the shaft rotated 180 degrees.

If not useable, how would you go about a rebuild with no model information (there's no tag on it and no stamping the metal). Any web site/store suggestions for finding individual build parts or is this just an exercise in frustration without model# ... buy new?