Finish mower options

[Paul Allwood]

I currently have a mid mount mower that I remove when not needed, but it's a horrible job, especially the underneath PTO shaft connection and disconnection. The mower deck is about half deck and half rust with several holes and lots of patches welded on from before I got it.

There's got to be a better way !

I'm thinking I'll just make a new deck and transfer the gearbox, spindle assemblies etc, and make some decent castor wheels so it can track the ground like a proper finish mower.

Connecting and disconnecting at the 3 point would be easy, but the PTO speed is too low as the mower currently runs from the 2500 rpm mid PTO.

I'm wondering if I can extend the forward facing mid PTO out the front, and run mount the mower in front of the tractor....a smaller version of the pic below.



It looks like a decent idea - easy to see the mower, able to get under overhanging trees....

Just thoughts for now. Any input appreciated (unless you suggest I just go out and buy something - you'd be wasting your typing time with that ).

If anyone has any info on the front PTO option for a B7200, that would also be great.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I currently have a mid mount mower that I remove when not needed, but it's a horrible job, especially the underneath PTO shaft connection and disconnection. The mower deck is about half deck and half rust with several holes and lots of patches welded on from before I got it.

There's got to be a better way !

I'm thinking I'll just make a new deck and transfer the gearbox, spindle assemblies etc, and make some decent castor wheels so it can track the ground like a proper finish mower.

Connecting and disconnecting at the 3 point would be easy, but the PTO speed is too low as the mower currently runs from the 2500 rpm mid PTO.

I'm wondering if I can extend the forward facing mid PTO out the front, and run mount the mower in front of the tractor....a smaller version of the pic below.

View attachment 175730

It looks like a decent idea - easy to see the mower, able to get under overhanging trees....

Just thoughts for now. Any input appreciated (unless you suggest I just go out and buy something - you'd be wasting your typing time with that ).

If anyone has any info on the front PTO option for a B7200, that would also be great.

The original front PTOs are rare as Unicorns.



Fabricating one is straight forward.

As I have said before - if the gold OEM adapter is present replace it with a bolt on shop built shaft coupler and build out from there. For a mower you will want/need some sort of clutch. The OEM clurch was electric.

I expect pictures of your completed creation by the 4th of July

Dan

 

[Chanceywd]

I currently have a mid mount mower that I remove when not needed, but it's a horrible job, especially the underneath PTO shaft connection and disconnection. The mower deck is about half deck and half rust with several holes and lots of patches welded on from before I got it.

There's got to be a better way !

I'm thinking I'll just make a new deck and transfer the gearbox, spindle assemblies etc, and make some decent castor wheels so it can track the ground like a proper finish mower.

Connecting and disconnecting at the 3 point would be easy, but the PTO speed is too low as the mower currently runs from the 2500 rpm mid PTO.

I'm wondering if I can extend the forward facing mid PTO out the front, and run mount the mower in front of the tractor....a smaller version of the pic below.

View attachment 175730

It looks like a decent idea - easy to see the mower, able to get under overhanging trees....

Just thoughts for now. Any input appreciated (unless you suggest I just go out and buy something - you'd be wasting your typing time with that ).

If anyone has any info on the front PTO option for a B7200, that would also be great.

I have an old Yard Machine brand garden tractor I have thought about doing that to, moving its deck from underneath to the front.
I have a few rough areas I mow on my dog walking paths.
It has a belt engaging lever so an electric clutch would be needed.
That project hasn't made its way to the top of the list yet.
I will be watching your progress for ideas!

Bill

 

[TheOldHokie]

Oops! I failed to read carefully. You are going to use the mid-PTO. Should be even easier.

Dan

 

[Paul Allwood]

Oops! I failed to read carefully. You are going to use the mid-PTO. Should be even easier.

Dan

My thinking is that if I can route the mid PTO to the front then the clutch will already be taken care of.

 

[Yooper]

Here is the perfect excuse to buy a vertical mill!

 

[Paul Allwood]

The original front PTOs are rare as Unicorns.

View attachment 175731

Fabricating one is straight forward.

As I have said before - if the gold OEM adapter is present replace it with a bolt on shop built shaft coupler and build out from there. For a mower you will want/need some sort of clutch. The OEM clurch was electric.

I expect pictures of your completed creation by the 4th of July

Dan

Did that setup get it's drive direct from the crankshaft ?

 

[TheOldHokie]

Did that setup get it's drive direct from the crankshaft ?

Yes, shaft was direct drive off the crankshaft/pulley. I think it was a work around for lack if mid-PTO on the DT models.

Dan

 

[Paul Allwood]

Yes, shaft was direct drive off the crankshaft/pulley. I think it was a work around for lack if mid-PTO on the DT models.

Dan

I'm still planning on running a pump for hydraulic steering from the crankshaft - haven't got to it yet. Still haven't ordered a pump.

 

[Paul Allwood]

I raised the tractor today so I could have a look at where I might run a shaft from the mid PTO to get it to the front.

Part of this included tilting the front axle fully in both directions to see what space I have. When I did this I noticed the steering linkage that runs side to side hit the underside of the frame. I decided it would be a good time to replace the bolts that limit this travel as both heads were pretty squashed. A couple of hours later I had this 5 minutes job done. Both were rusted in. One came out eventually with vice grips. The second one broke. I was lucky there was enough left to weld a nut on and it held to get it out.

I'll start again tomorrow looking at where the shaft will go.

 

[Paul Allwood]

I've made a little progress on making bits to get the mid PTO up to the front. A bit forward, a bit backwards, then a bit forwards again....anyway, here's where I'm up to.

This assembly bolts to the lower left side of the front diff housing. It seemed like the best way I could come up with to keep the drive shaft as high as possible and to keep clear of the diff housing as the front axle pivots fully both ways.

The uni joint on the right will have a shaft added that extends to a sliding yoke on the uni joint on the mid PTO output.

The one on the left will head up a little and to the front with another sliding yoke and uni joint, through another couple of bearings and finish with a standard 1-3/8"/6-spline shaft.







Here it's bolted in place on the lower left of the front diff housing.



The bottom edge sits only about 15 mm below the lowest point on the diff housing.



I don't tend to drive through long grass but I still might end up adding some sort of guards for the uni joints just in case.

 

[chim]

Paul, I'd love to have you living next door.

 

[Sawdust&Shavings]

Paul, I'd love to have you living next door.

Next door? I’d move him into the In Law suite,

 

[Russell King]

I am assuming the shaft is split between the bearings and that is a sleeve between the bearings.

Why split and not solid one piece shaft?

I would put some type of safety shield over that whole thing just because. I could see some vine or small limb getting involved with the rotating shaft and banging around pretty well before it was dislodged. I could also imagine putting your hand up there in a moment of frustration/stupidity and having a really bad day! Perhaps bolted to the bearing carriers and a ”U” shape (think collegiate team letter font).

That looks like a nice, well thought out design!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Turn it around. you need the slip portion off the joint to the rear.

Look at a flail mower for the front.
Most new front mounted mower decks are hydraulic driven.
Cuts out the need for a drive shaft to run it.
And offers far better articulation and contour following.

 

[Paul Allwood]

I am assuming the shaft is split between the bearings and that is a sleeve between the bearings.

Why split and not solid one piece shaft?

I would put some type of safety shield over that whole thing just because. I could see some vine or small limb getting involved with the rotating shaft and banging around pretty well before it was dislodged. I could also imagine putting your hand up there in a moment of frustration/stupidity and having a really bad day! Perhaps bolted to the bearing carriers and a ”U” shape (think collegiate team letter font).

That looks like a nice, well thought out design!

Thanks Russell. Yes, the shaft is split between the 2 bearings because it's welded into the uni joint yokes at each side. I made it this way so that it can be disassembled. I think I agree with your thoughts regarding a safety shield.

 

[Paul Allwood]

Turn it around. you need the slip portion off the joint to the rear.

Look at a flail mower for the front.
Most new front mounted mower decks are hydraulic driven.
Cuts out the need for a drive shaft to run it.
And offers far better articulation and contour following.

Thanks. There will be a slip joint to the rear and the front - I'll need both as I'll be mounting another fixed bearing block under the front bar.

I agree with you about a flail mower. I was originally planning to build a standard finish mower. But after watching lots of flail mower videos and reading a bit about them, I'm going to have a go at building that instead. I also found a really good build video for a flail mower by Greenhill Forge.

I hadn't considered hydraulics to run it. I may stick with the mechanical drive, but will have a look at hydraulics.

 

[Paul Allwood]

Paul, I'd love to have you living next door.

No you wouldn't. There's too much grinder noise.

 

[chim]

Maybe not

 

[Paul Allwood]

The drive shaft to run from the mid PTO to the front is made and bolted in well enough to test. I simplified the design a little and terminated the shaft with a 1-3/8" 6-spline in front of the front axle. It's still easy to access and eliminates another set of uni joints, slip joint and bearings.

Looking down over the top of the left front wheel.



From in front of the left front wheel.



Looking up towards the front.



Attachment to the mid PTO shaft and slip joint. Both splined joints here are pretty wobbly.



The front output shaft runs nice and true.

Running at idle at low PTO speed. The shaft speed would be approximately 600 rpm.

Running at full speed of approximately 2500 rpm. It's pretty wobbly.

25 June 2026

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Even though the shaft ran nice and true when I tested it in the lathe, the wobbe in the splines connecting to the mid PTO shaft and the slip joint are causing a lot of wobble in the shaft, particularly at full speed. I knew the splines were loose when I made the shaft but expected them to pull themselves into line when running due to their self-centering involute design where the side faces of the splines are angled at about 30 degrees rather than being straight. So now I'm wondering if the self-centering might actually work better with the shaft under load....it's looking like that's the next test. Even if that does eliminate the wobble I might still have a problem when I'm using the rear PTO with nothing on the front as they both run together.

I'm not much of an expert at drive shafts (or anything really), open to good suggestions.