Grinding noise

[Goat girl]

Goat morning! I had a short video clip that better shows what my tractor is doing, but I guess I’m not allowed to post a video. So in a nutshell, I was driving through the pasture and I heard a grinding noise. I slowed down and disengaged the blade, and after a few more rotations, the grinding noise ceased. Did a few more tests of engaging/disengaging and got the same result.

 

[NCL4701]

View attachment 160315
Goat morning! I had a short video clip that better shows what my tractor is doing, but I guess I’m not allowed to post a video. So in a nutshell, I was driving through the pasture and I heard a grinding noise. I slowed down and disengaged the blade, and after a few more rotations, the grinding noise ceased. Did a few more tests of engaging/disengaging and got the same result.

Upload your video to YouTube and post a link here.

 

[Henro]

Upload your video to YouTube and post a link here.

In the meantime, is that you with your head under the deck inspecting the mower? Or perhaps that’s you directing a helper from the driver seat?

 

[Goat girl]

In the meantime, is that you with your head under the deck inspecting the mower? Or perhaps that’s you directing a helper from the driver seat?

Haha have to shake the cookie container to get them away from the tractor sometimes.
Somebody suggested uploading a video to YouTube but I’m not a member of YouTube so if that’s what I have to do I will have to figure that out I suppose. But video was basically me engaging the blade and you can hear the grinding noise that it makes when I do so.

 

[Henro]

First thing I think I would do is look down under the deck and see if there’s a piece of wire or something that the blades may have picked up. Would also check the blades and make sure somehow the deck didn’t get bent in to the point where a blade could touch it.

Then, if I didn’t find anything concerning upon visual inspection of the deck, and couldn’t pinpoint where the sound is actually coming from, I would remove the driveshaft from the mid PTO as if I were taking the deck off, and engage the PTO turning only the output shaft and make sure everything was quiet.

Depending on those results, I would evaluate what the next step might be…

 

[Russell King]

I agree with @Henro that your trouble is in the mower or mower drive system.

There are three (or more?) spindles that hold the blades. They are driven by the deck belt. You should be like that one goat and give a good look between the tractor bottom and the top of the mower deck to see if something got jammed in there and is causing the noise. If there is, then get it removed from that area. Also, look for the pulleys all being straight and the belt running through them properly. Look for places that paint is scraped off around the pulleys on the deck that would indicate rubbing.

If nothing on top then look underneath the deck (through the chute?) and see what you can.

If you don’t see anything on top or bottom, then I would assume that one of the spindles is failed. There are a couple of bearings in the spindles that need to be greased often. The center (driven) spindle is probably oil filled and will have some gears involved. You would probably want to remove the deck and inspect the spindles but you may be able to get the deck belt loose and then turn the blades to see if it is smooth turning or makes noise.

 

[Goat girl]

First thing I think I would do is look down under the deck and see if there’s a piece of wire or something that the blades may have picked up. Would also check the blades and make sure somehow the deck didn’t get bent in to the point where a blade could touch it.

Then, if I didn’t find anything concerning upon visual inspection of the deck, and couldn’t pinpoint where the sound is actually coming from, I would remove the driveshaft from the mid PTO as if I were taking the deck off, and engage the PTO turning only the output shaft and make sure everything was quiet.

Depending on those results, I would evaluate what the next step might be…

I did consider that a blade may have gotten bent-and I suppose it is possible that a piece of wire but then again I have walked to that pasture and picked up even cigarette butts to make sure there is nothing out there for my goats to have other than what God intended so I believe unlikely.
Hopefully it will not require removing things that I am not familiar with, and I do appreciate your time and your input!

 

[Goat girl]

I agree with @Henro that your trouble is in the mower or mower drive system.

There are three (or more?) spindles that hold the blades. They are driven by the deck belt. You should be like that one goat and give a good look between the tractor bottom and the top of the mower deck to see if something got jammed in there and is causing the noise. If there is, then get it removed from that area. Also, look for the pulleys all being straight and the belt running through them properly. Look for places that paint is scraped off around the pulleys on the deck that would indicate rubbing.

If nothing on top then look underneath the deck (through the chute?) and see what you can.

If you don’t see anything on top or bottom, then I would assume that one of the spindles is failed. There are a couple of bearings in the spindles that need to be greased often. The center (driven) spindle is probably oil filled and will have some gears involved. You would probably want to remove the deck and inspect the spindles but you may be able to get the deck belt loose and then turn the blades to see if it is smooth turning or makes noise.

I am getting ready to go out there and give it a quick clean off and get to looking. You have given me some good suggestions as well and I appreciate it!

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

View attachment 160315
Goat morning! I had a short video clip that better shows what my tractor is doing, but I guess I’m not allowed to post a video. So in a nutshell, I was driving through the pasture and I heard a grinding noise. I slowed down and disengaged the blade, and after a few more rotations, the grinding noise ceased. Did a few more tests of engaging/disengaging and got the same result.

Awesome picture!

 

[Goat girl]

Awesome picture!

Hey, thanks! The goat life is a great life lol

 

[JimDeL]

One other caveat: Goats will eat the drive belt.

 

[D2Cat]

Check to confirm the blades are tight.

 

[Russell King]

One other caveat: Goats will eat the drive belt.

I imagine that the goats would eat just about anything they can get to!

 

[Goat girl]

I agree with @Henro that your trouble is in the mower or mower drive system.

There are three (or more?) spindles that hold the blades. They are driven by the deck belt. You should be like that one goat and give a good look between the tractor bottom and the top of the mower deck to see if something got jammed in there and is causing the noise. If there is, then get it removed from that area. Also, look for the pulleys all being straight and the belt running through them properly. Look for places that paint is scraped off around the pulleys on the deck that would indicate rubbing.

If nothing on top then look underneath the deck (through the chute?) and see what you can.

If you don’t see anything on top or bottom, then I would assume that one of the spindles is failed. There are a couple of bearings in the spindles that need to be greased often. The center (driven) spindle is probably oil filled and will have some gears involved. You would probably want to remove the deck and inspect the spindles but you may be able to get the deck belt loose and then turn the blades to see if it is smooth turning or makes noise.

Well, I actually did see some stuff,

One other caveat: Goats will eat the drive belt.

 

[Goat girl]

One other caveat: Goats will eat the drive belt.

Not mine, they got it too good with peanut butter sandwiches and quality hay, sweet potatoes, and bananas to name a few of things that taste a lot better than a drive belt! Also, these are Nigerian dwarf and Myotonic, and I think the crazy eaters may tend to be the larger brush type goats.

 

[Goat girl]

One other caveat: Goats will eat the drive belt.

Check to confirm the blades are tight.

Yes, sir! And the one in question I could easily turn the nut by hand. The whole assembly is wobbly. I’m hoping it just needs to be tightened and not any bearings replaced. Thank you for your time to answer!

 

[Goat girl]

I agree with @Henro that your trouble is in the mower or mower drive system.

There are three (or more?) spindles that hold the blades. They are driven by the deck belt. You should be like that one goat and give a good look between the tractor bottom and the top of the mower deck to see if something got jammed in there and is causing the noise. If there is, then get it removed from that area. Also, look for the pulleys all being straight and the belt running through them properly. Look for places that paint is scraped off around the pulleys on the deck that would indicate rubbing.

If nothing on top then look underneath the deck (through the chute?) and see what you can.

If you don’t see anything on top or bottom, then I would assume that one of the spindles is failed. There are a couple of bearings in the spindles that need to be greased often. The center (driven) spindle is probably oil filled and will have some gears involved. You would probably want to remove the deck and inspect the spindles but you may be able to get the deck belt loose and then turn the blades to see if it is smooth turning or makes noise.

Well, I actually did see some stuff,

Check to confirm the blades are tight.

I imagine that the goats would eat just about anything they can get to!

 

[Goat girl]

I agree with @Henro that your trouble is in the mower or mower drive system.

There are three (or more?) spindles that hold the blades. They are driven by the deck belt. You should be like that one goat and give a good look between the tractor bottom and the top of the mower deck to see if something got jammed in there and is causing the noise. If there is, then get it removed from that area. Also, look for the pulleys all being straight and the belt running through them properly. Look for places that paint is scraped off around the pulleys on the deck that would indicate rubbing.

If nothing on top then look underneath the deck (through the chute?) and see what you can.

If you don’t see anything on top or bottom, then I would assume that one of the spindles is failed. There are a couple of bearings in the spindles that need to be greased often. The center (driven) spindle is probably oil filled and will have some gears involved. You would probably want to remove the deck and inspect the spindles but you may be able to get the deck belt loose and then turn the blades to see if it is smooth turning or makes noise.

 

[Goat girl]

Is that black cylinder on top of the blade what you’re referring to as spindle?

 

[Goat girl]

@Russell King