I bought a used B7300 and the previous owner threw in a little used Bush Hog SQ480. While mowing some unfamiliar ground a couple of days ago, I "accidental found" a couple of tree stumps the power company left behind while clearing the right of way. I was mowing grass about 2 feet high, going slow but unfortunately both times my tractor wheels straddled the 14 inch diameter stump perfectly so I didn't know it was there till the terrible racket issued from the shredder followed quickly by the tractor stalling. "Oh great, what did I break the first time I'm mowing." The stumps were cut off short enough that they went right under the shredder frame without touching but then the blades caught them. There was dirt piled up around the stump, the way a tree pushes aside dirt as it grows; so it wasn't a really terrible first impact type of hit but like I said, it stalled the tractor.
My first surprise came when I backed off the stump then engaged the shredder again; it didn't shear the pin. That's the first thing I'm going to change; a softer shear pin. Next, I'm going mark the stumps till I can remove them so I don't encounter them again.
I continued mowing even after the second hit and there was no abnormal vibrations or noises so I think everything is OK. Is there anything I need to check to avoid something breaking in the future (besides softer shear pins)? I know it's not a great thing to have happen but is there a possibility I damaged anything in the tractor since it hit hard enough to stall?
My first surprise came when I backed off the stump then engaged the shredder again; it didn't shear the pin. That's the first thing I'm going to change; a softer shear pin. Next, I'm going mark the stumps till I can remove them so I don't encounter them again.
I continued mowing even after the second hit and there was no abnormal vibrations or noises so I think everything is OK. Is there anything I need to check to avoid something breaking in the future (besides softer shear pins)? I know it's not a great thing to have happen but is there a possibility I damaged anything in the tractor since it hit hard enough to stall?
Perhaps it is due to my lack of experience with them, or perhaps just my paranoia.....but I would feel equal suspicion with a slip clutch even if it was new. I mean, how do you really test them to know if they are set properly? A shear pin is mass manufactured in batches out of the same metal to the same specs. Physics give little leeway in how they will react under a given stress. Slip clutches are all individually set and adjusted, and even if done by the same hand are prone to variance. I will grant they are good at what they do, but how do you know yours is adjusted correctly?