rotary cutter down in 4.8 hours

[Toby873]

new owner so I know that I have been sort of babying this thing, branson 4720 with 6' howse cutter, I was at 540 rpm, in slow mode. Cutter bottom out but not any more significantly then the couple of times previous in its short life, cutter stopped as did the pto I believe. raised the cutter free, turned pto back on, very very slow speed build up in the cutter, when lowered to cut it dies, what have i done? the shear pin on the cutter is still in place, ???????? help please

 

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( raised the cutter free, turned pto back on, very very slow speed build up in the cutter, when lowered to cut it dies, )</font>
Sorry not quite understanding what is happening, what dies when you lower to cut? do u have another implement(or can borrow one) to see if it is the implement or the pto drive that is not working.

 

[Rch]

I'd be concerned you broke the PTO shaft in the differential/transmission of the tractor. The slow weak turning may be the transmission oil transmitting some force from the whirling proximal shaft/gear to the shaft distal to the break. Essentially a crude fluid coupling. Try engaging the PTO and any gear and shut off the motor - if you can turn the PTO shaft by hand ( I'm assuming this is a gear transmission without a built-in overiding clutch so that the momentum of the implement can "power" the tractor /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif ) it maybe busted inside. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[rdbrumfield]

If it builds up speed slowly and there is no noise, I would suspect the pto clutch. when you engage the pto and the pto shaft doesn't start to spin would definetly pinpoint a clutch problem.

 

[Toby873]

pull the rotary shaft off, turn tractor on, put pto in gear, turn tractor off, I can not turn the pto by hand....please tell me thats a good sign, the shear pin is intact

 

[Toby873]

the cutter will stop upon any contact with grass/bush, very slow start up completely unlike when I engage pto before

 

[normde2001]

You are going to have to tell us if the pto driveshaft is still turning, or not.

 

[B2400]

Double check the shear pin. They will sometimes remain in place( both sides of coupler) even though they have sheared.

 

[Toby873]

under power the pto shaft still turns, I have just loaded my new baby up,(this is my first real piece of equipment that doesn't have 'RENTAL' on the side) and will take it to a buddy of mine that has a bush hog, will figure out real quick if its my tractor or the cutter

 

[Rch]

Toby, I think that is a good sign. I would check-out the cutter. What about keyways on the cutters drive train ? The cutter's gear box has the shaft the PTO shaft connects to and, sticking down, the big disc with the 2 short blades bolted to the edge, Both of these usually have a square groove machined into the mating parts with a squared rod in it to tie the male and female components together. Also, the castings of the two universal joint are mated to the PTO shaft someway, keyway, spline, squared, welded. Check these points