Rotary Cutter Woods BrushBull 72 problems, I think

[SSHANK42]

Got a BB72E brush hog that isnt as should be I dont think. Notice a vibration when cutting. Kinda acted like one of the blades was not slinging out. Crawled under and took a look. Blades were fine. However, I did notice that the stump jumper/mounting bar for the blades has a wiggle to it. Kinda acts like a loose wheel bearing. The castle nut still has the cotter pin in it so the nut hasn't backed off.
So I'm guessing its time for a bearing. Problem is how do I hold things from spinning when trying to break loose the blade bolts and the shaft nut. I have 1/2 in. impact tools but dont think they are gonna budge the nuts.
I can get bigger hand tools to do the job. Just not sure how to hold counter pressure. Or am I gonna have to get 3/4 or inch impact wrench.
Thanks.

 

[leonz]

No matter what size air wrench you can still get wacked pretty good.

Ideally you need some hardwood 6 by 6 blocks cut to length to shoulder the blade hanger and hold it in place as soft wood will splinter.

As it sounds you need major surgery, just flip it over, and use the blocks to counter the force of the smaller air wrench by setting them in place against the mower shell to hold the mount .


If you have a large enough impact socket for the castle nut it should fall right off as the cotter pin simply holds the castle nut. You can then unbolt the gear box and let it drop to the groundundder the deck and then drag the deck away and set it someplace out of the way and on the ground.


NO- please do not use a cheater pipe on a pipe wrench please!!!!


leonz

 

[SSHANK42]

No matter what size air wrench you can still get wacked pretty good.

Ideally you need some hardwood 6 by 6 blocks cut to length to shoulder the blade hanger and hold it in place as soft wood will splinter.

As it sounds you need major surgery, just flip it over, and use the blocks to counter the force of the smaller air wrench by setting them in place against the mower shell to hold the mount .


If you have a large enough impact socket for the castle nut it should fall right off as the cotter pin simply holds the castle nut. You can then unbolt the gear box and let it drop to the groundundder the deck and then drag the deck away and set it someplace out of the way and on the ground.


NO- please do not use a cheater pipe on a pipe wrench please!!!!


leonz

Ok thanks for the help. Do you think I could just tight the castle nut to the next slot? I do not hear or feel any grinding/graveling when I spin the blade assembly by hand.

 

[leonz]

Ok thanks for the help. Do you think I could just tight the castle nut to the next slot? I do not hear or feel any grinding/graveling when I spin the blade assembly by hand.

I would do the surgery as it has to many red flags already-

1. you can move the vertical shaft easily.
a. more than likely the pinion gear(s) are very bad and the vetical shaft is way bad.

2. wheres the oil? its gone when the seal died unless you have two seals in the vertical pinion gear shaft.
a. splash lubrication no oil, no splash, whoopsie!!
3 if its a cup and cone bearing play funeral dirge.
4. same as number 3 if its a roller bearing or two stacked roller bearings-no oil, no seal, means rebuild.

 

[SSHANK42]

Dont think its that bad. Shaft isn't moving as least as far as I can tell. Its just the stumpjumper/blade mount thingy that is wiggling. It does not leak any oil so I'm guessing that the shaft and gears are not bad. At least nothing has caused a seal failure yet. Thanks for the continued ideas. When I crawled under it the 1st time it was late. You are giving me ideas to look at. Thanks again.

 

[geneP]

A good 1/2" impact will do it. I just removed the blades and stump jumper on my Woods with one. I used 3/4 drive sockets with an adapter.

I would try tightening the nut before any drastic action. I recently did the same thing on a non-Woods brand. The nut either wasn't tightened enough at the factory or it had developed some slack in use. It tightened right up.

 

[SSHANK42]

A good 1/2" impact will do it. I just removed the blades and stump jumper on my Woods with one. I used 3/4 drive sockets with an adapter.

I would try tightening the nut before any drastic action. I recently did the same thing on a non-Woods brand. The nut either wasn't tightened enough at the factory or it had developed some slack in use. It tightened right up.

Thanks. Do ya remember the socket size?

 

[Baby Grand]

Since the drive feels alright when you turn it, maybe the bearings & gears are O.K. but the blade mounting bar bolt holes have ovalized/loosened?

-Jim

 

[SSHANK42]

Hope it is as easy as a loose nut. Find out Sunday. 1st day off work I have to look again.

 

[sweettractors]

Sometime the tapered splines wear out in stumpjumper and sometime, the weld breaks loose on the upper side of the stumpjumper hub. You will find out more over the weekend. Keep us posted. Ken Sweet

 

[SSHANK42]

Got it apart. The washer that goes between the castle nut and the stump jumper had broken. All that was left was a tiny piece. Easy fix, yeaaaa. The castle nut takes a 35mm socket.

 

[sweettractors]

You lucky dog, everybody needs a little good luck sometimes :thumbsup: Ken Sweet

 

[pitt_md]

Thanks. Do ya remember the socket size?

I have a 72" Woods Heritage model and the socket size for that was 1 11/16". Since they both use the half inch blades I would think they are the same.