1986 B7200HST with belt driven RCK60 side discharge deck. 2 years now every other mowing keep snapping center blade. i am not hitting anything and ground is almost perfectly level. there is no rattle to indicate the blades are touching each other. recently paid to have new spindles and bearings put in but just found out that the Kubota dealer only repacked the existing ones. (not happy about that) had new tension spring and blade bolts installed. the blades that kubota link says to use DO NOT FIT. this has been going on for 2 seasons now and am witts end. tried 3 different Kub dealers who say its fixed but on the first mowing whren i get it hoime...SNAP! any thoughts would be appreciated. im sick of push mowing 6 acres. otherwise its a great tractor and service.maintenance is keopt up on.
Help! B7200HST keeps snapping center deck blade
- Thread starter lubbadubb
- Start date
76_Bronco
Member
Equipment
B7200 4WD w/FEL, 4' disc, 4' Brush Hog, 14" Plow, 4' Blade, JD 246 2 row Planter
A friend of mine a had a similar problem with his zero turn mower, turns out his deck was slightly warped causing the blades to hit. He couldn't believe it was warped until they put a straight edge across the pulleys.
Good point- the deck needs to be checked. Have you looked at the spindle itself? Perhaps the cup that the blade rides on is cracked or damaged, and torquing the bolt down fatigues the blade. It is weird that it is happening on the same spindle. What do you hear preceeding the blade breaking? Any contact? Or just the break?
As far as the dealership working on the spindles- if the housings are good, there is no reason, unless you want to spend the money, to replace those. You just get new bearings, and spindles if necessary. It sounds like they rebuilt your spindles, which is an acceptable practice. And cheaper.
And, welcome to OTT! Sorry that this is happening, and that our first fellowship with you is in relation to a problem. Hopefully you will get it solved (keep us posted, so we can learn), and can enjoy the group.
Mark
Snapping the blade!? I've hit bricks and bent a few blades but never snapped one, usually the brick turns to gravel. They are very springy steel; when I straighten them I use a 3 inch billet about five feet long to pile drive them to straight again. If they are breaking at the hole I would suspect that the arbor is malformed and mounting the blade is starting a crack and tightening the nut just starts splitting that weak point. Without the blades clashing I can't see any other way to snap one but wedge it apart at the hole.
I'm with you on replacing the center spindle like you asked the dealer to do. If the blades aren't hitting, a bent spindle could be causing the blade to vibrate excessively and that could cause it to fatigue and snap.
Does the deck vibrate a lot when the blades are engaged?
Please keep us posted on what you find.
Good luck!
Steve
Does the deck vibrate a lot when the blades are engaged?
Please keep us posted on what you find.
Good luck!
Steve