Tractor newbie - issue with BX MMM installation

rdricks · Apr 15, 2002

Okay guys - I am getting pretty good at asking questions of you. Maybe one day I'll have enough experience to answer a few!

I took the MMM mower off of my BX Saturday to do some pretty serious FEL work (8 hours of moving dirt - clay / rock, but that's another story). Anyhow, afterwards I tried to reinstall the MMM without success. When I pulled the MMM off I ended up sepearting the drive shaft (the section that conects to the PTO has a "ribbie" shaft that rides inside of it - these two parts came apart). I didn't think much of it, but now I cannot get the two pieces back together. I have noticed that the parts are keyed, and I have them in the correct orientation, but the sleeve only goes on about 1/2 of an inch and then nothing. Any ideas? (You'll have to pardon my technical jargon - like I said, I'm new to this stuff).

Anonymous Poster · Apr 15, 2002

there is a ring you pull back and the shaft will slide on and lock

rdricks · Apr 15, 2002

Thanks for the comment, but let me explain a little bit further. The drive shaft contains the two pieces that are separated. I can get the PTO end connected to the tractor, but the drive shaft itself is sitting in front of me in two pieces. Those are the two pieces that I cannot get back together.

TresCrows · Apr 15, 2002

Look in there and see if some dirt or something is in there, when you seperated the two pieces did one drop on the concrete and get a burr or a flat spot. If so dres it out with a file and emory cloth. Clean a relubricate the shaft, it should slide back in. Mine was very tite also when it was new and I fiddled with it about 30 minutes trying to figure out why it is a guy who works on turbine engines cannot reassemble a PTO shaft. It will go back together. Next time don't let it slide apart. I always--after that--left it together. J

Old_Wanker · Apr 15, 2002

It's the kubota knuckle skinometer at work. You won't be able to get the thing back together until you have skinned your knuckles at least 3 times.

If someone finds out how to disconnect this device on a BX please let me know.

rdricks · Apr 15, 2002

TresCrows -

Thanks for the info. At least I am not the only person in the world who has done this! Stupid mistake - I started pulling out the mower not realizing that I did not have the PTO collar pulled all the way back. Out it came, leaving half of the drive shaft connected! I'll take a look with a file and emory cloth in hand - hopefully I'll get it back together without needing to purchase a new one!

TresCrows · Apr 16, 2002

Trust me, you do not need a new shaft, it will go back together. You might try Old Wankers solution of skinning your knuckles at least three times. I got some really skinned up hands. It is normal by the way to seperate the shaft for cleaning and greasing. I notice my 2410 has a grease zerk on the shaft, the BX does not so it must be done manually. J

wdn · Apr 16, 2002

This is an area where they could improve the design of the BX. I really have to look at it for awhile to get the correct spline lined up on the 2 ends of the driveshaft. I have only done it a couple times since I have owned the tractor so maybe my skill will improve over time.

sss · Apr 16, 2002

Had the same thing happen to me - first time it took about 10 minutes to get them back together - since then, it goes faster. Like WDN said, it takes awhile to get the spines lined up. On mine, the female end has a wider groove (looks like two spines wide and easy to see) and the male side looks like all single spines but if looking closly directly at the end, you can see where two spines are still joined together (no "V" groove on the end). Once together, I slid the shaft all the way in and then marked the outside of the male and female ends so all I do is roughly line up those marks and twist back and forth a little until they slide together.Hope that helps