Rotary cutter / mower / clipper / bushhog -- blades stopped spinning

[ovrszd]

The auto position on the PTO switch on my Branson turns the PTO off when the implement is raised up and back on when it's lowered.

I don't use it because I like to throttle down to slow the implement down before turning off the PTO to save the PTO brake, and engage the implement at idle then throttle up to save the PTO clutch.

If you leave the PTO on at idle you should be able to hear the mower turning. I can hear mine. So you can tell when the PTO turns off. You can also watch the PTO shaft. Even with full shields you can usually see if the shaft is turning. The shields move some as the shaft turns inside them.

I wonder if his tractor turned off the PTO because he left the seat with it running?

If so, would that require a reset of some kind to get everything working again? Might even require the tractor be turned off and then restarted? Just guessing.

Some of the comments made by the OP indicate a lack of hearing the cutter/PTO running. I'm like you, there's no doubt. Unless,,,,,, I'm running my little JD using the MMM with my DeWalt radio headphones on......

 

[livemusic]

I don't know why you guys say I am not hearing the cutter running; that is not an issue, I can hear it just fine when it runs.

A bit miffed at what is going on... went back today and pretty much the same thing happened. After inspecting everything I have found about this, again, nothing seemed awry and I cranked the tractor and attempted to run the mower and the PTO/mower would not spin. I tried everything and gave up but just before I left, I decided that I needed to know if the PTO will spin when free of the mower, so, I uncoupled it. The PTO operated just fine! I hooked the mower up again and it worked like normal and I cut for two hours! I don't get it.

This tractor has only one button/swith/lever to turn the PTO on... the electronic button I mentioned before that lights up red when you push it in and engage the PTO.

I am not sure if I found the PTO solenoid that some have mentioned under the right side of the deck. I saw something under there that might be it but I am not sure, I will need to find a photo of one so I am know what I'm looking for. Whatever it was that I saw with a ground wire on it, I could not see how I could reset it, which some have mentioned.

@ovrszd... your idea about when I left the seat with the mower running and it might have shut itself off and might need a hard start... that's a good idea... hmmm...

 

[LouNY]

I wonder on my Branson you have to lift the pto a bit or the pto will not turn on.
It doesn't take much but it has to move up a bit or no pto. This happens every time the tractor is turned off.

 

[livemusic]

I wonder on my Branson you have to lift the pto a bit or the pto will not turn on.
It doesn't take much but it has to move up a bit or no pto. This happens every time the tractor is turned off.

@LouNY what do you mean 'lift the PTO?' You mean lift the 3-pt hitch (mower)?

 

[Williy]

Livemusic; have you seen this:

https://assets.oregontool.com/adaptivemedia/rendition?id=5e39ec219e3c6a68986647f3657c3e8624dd7b4f

https://manualmachine.com/woodsequipment/hc54/723137-user-manual/

https://www.actualusa.com/woods/woods-rotary-cutter-manual.pdf

for woods products they have free manuals on their
web site

willy

 

[LouNY]

@LouNY what do you mean 'lift the PTO?' You mean lift the 3-pt hitch (mower)?

Yes, before the pto would run the lift arms had to be raised.
No place in any manual was it ever mentioned. First time I ran across it was getting ready to ted hay one morning.
We had dropped the brush hog off the day before and hitched the tedder up. The tedder is drawbar pulled,
tedded that day fine, went out the next morning and couldn't get the pto to work. Messed with everything we
could imagine and no go I was trying to reach the pto solenoid which I could see and the lift arm was in my way,
raised it and all of a sudden the pto started. With all of the 3 point pto powered implements I just routinely lift them
prior to turning the pto on so it had always worked. With a pull type there was no reason to lift the arms.
This happens every time the key is switched off the lift arms have to move upward to run the pto for the first start
after starting the tractor.
I don't know if that was a Branson thing or if it was only on their larger models. I have never had that issue with any other tractor.

 

[Bobrown14]

I may have missed it but did the op adjust his slip clutch. When it wears it needs to be tightened. This is something that needs to be checked every spring.

Easy enough torque wrench the bolts on the clutch disc while connected to the implement and PTO gear engaged tractor off key in pocket.

You dont want those bolts tight or the clutch wont do its job. You want the clutch to slip when you hit an object.

I do a lot of tilling with a tiller so the clutch slips on rocks etc. Raise the implement stop tractor, reverse lower implement and go.

I put about 15#s of torque on my clutch bolts.

This gets adjusted every spring.

When I first figured that out, my tiller stopped turning when doing any work. The bolts on my slip clutch were loose enough to back out by hand. Prolly not set up properly. Its an owner adjustment deal. And something to check at least annually.

 

[gckshea]

I have a Woods Heritage HC72C rotary cutter on a Mahindra 5010 tractor that I bought used a year ago. I think it's maybe 2014 or thereabouts models. The mower blades suddenly stopped turning clipping a pasture after I had been mowing a couple hours. It appears to me that this cutter has a slip clutch. I have no idea where to start with a diagnosis. I hit a few large fire ant mounds and also a firewood round (large oak round), I could not see these in the tall grass. But I kept mowing with no issue for a long time, probably an hour, after these 'hits.' The mower shuttered but it seemed fine.

I took the shaft off the PTO and the PTO spins fine. So, how do I diagnose what is going on and fix it? I first thought it might be a shear bolt but I see what appears to be a slip clutch atop the mower near the gearbox. Which I know not much about other than a youtube! Which I rely on but I can't find any info on this problem with the mower just suddenly free-spinning and not cutting. I am not exactly a mechanic expert!

I need to check oil in this gearbox as well. Maybe I can find a Woods manual. Thanks for any help.

My money is on a sheared bolt that holds the slip clutch end of the PTO shaft onto the input shaft of the gearbox. While the slip clutch is designed, and intended, to dissipate any shock energy to the clutch plates, sparing the gearbox, or and tractor parts upstream of the PTO shaft, it's possible the slip clutch is either stuck, or improperly adjusted. The next item to receive the jolt is the through-shaft bolt that holds the slip clutch on.

Not out of the realm of possibilities that the gearbox is damaged, but I check the simple first. Disconnect the through bolt on the slip clutch/ gearbox shaft. It will tell you.

 

[livemusic]

I used the tractor and mower again this morning for three hours and it operated normally. I will fiddle with it some more based on what I have learned in this thread and outside reading on this subject. Thanks for replies!

EDIT: BTW... on this tractor, I do NOT have to press the clutch to engage the PTO. I do have to clutch it to start it, it won't start in neutral.

 

[DieselBound]

Randomly functioning stuff is nearly always electrical related. Check wires: might have a damaged wire; It took years before my Kioti's cabin fan quit working and it was due to a manufacturing defect- factory crimped/hard-bent the wires at the connector to the fan. Disconnect what you can (related to the PTO circuitry that is) and check connectors add dialectic grease). Sometimes you need to play around with stuff to catch what will make it work (or not work).

I was only able to find the cabin fan issue on my Kioti by having the circuit active/on and wiggling wires. For PTO stuff you'll have to be VERY careful: I'd not have anything connected to the tractor's PTO when doing such troubleshooting).