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rotary cutter vibration

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dbernardi
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2000-05-15          16313


What is a normal amount of vibration when running a 60" rotary cutter. I've put about 6 hrs on my new king kutter and it just about shakes my teeth out (from the first time I used it). Then when I hit something it shakes drastically then I typically have to stop it then start it again.Thanks,



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rotary cutter vibration

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Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999
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2000-05-16          16329


That kind of vibration is not normal. I'd start by checking the blades. Do each of them swing freely on the "pan or stump jumper", or whatever your model calls the piece in the middle the blades are bolted to? Is one broken or badly enough damaged that they are not balanced? If it's new, then you shouldn't have a bad U-joint on the driveline, but check to see that there is no "play" or looseness, but that they are greased and can turn in all directions freely. Of course, I guess you've looked under the deck to make sure nothing (like a big limb) is jammed in there that the blades are hitting. ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2000-05-16          16331


Check to see that the drive-shaft was assembled correctly, if it is a type (i.e. square shaft) that can be put together 4 ways it may be 'out of phase' (90 deg. off) The two sets of inner 'eyes' on the u-joints should be inline with each other. If not it will behave as you have described. If not that then just start checking that EVERYTHING is balanced, blades, spindle, etc. Lastly, call the dealer and ask them, a new rotary cutter should have absolutely NO vibrations at all, life-expectancy of a machine with a vibration is much lower than a smooth running piece. Best of luck. ....


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rotary cutter vibration

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dbernardi
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2000-05-16          16337


Thanks. I'll check the drive shaft.

If that's not it how can I check and balance the other components. Everything looked fine when I brought it home and it sure seemed smooth when I spun it by hand before attaching the drive shaft. If I recall correctly the blade had 1-2" of up/down play (at the tip) and I didn't know if that was normal.

Unfortunately I bought it a central tractor and I wouldn't ask the folks there for the time of day. The vibration was there from the first time I spun it up and now that I've used it there's little chance to return it. Looks like I'll have to find the problem and fix it myself.

Thanks,
Dave B. ....


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Frank R Taylor
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2000-05-18          16381


Dave, I think that 2" movement in the blade is excessive and may be the answer to you problem, especially is the deck is not level or the blades are not balanced. I didn't know, but after reading your post I went and checked my rotary cutter. It has about 1/4" to 1/2" max vertical movement at the tip of the blade and mine is an el cheapo model since I use it mainly on pasture grass and weeds. Better check that the bolts holding the blades to the stump jumper plate are properly tightened because you sure as hell don't want a blade coming off in use. Otherwise you may need to put some sort of spacer in there to reduce the amount of "play". ....


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Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999
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2000-05-21          16465


dbernardi, I was going to go with the driveshaft alighnment as the most probably cause of lots of vibration.....until you mentioned the 2" of up and down movement. Is this movement of the blades on the gearbox output shaft? Movement at the tips of the blades? Or is it movement of the gearbox shaft itself? You may have to take the inspection cover off of the gearbox to determine this. If either of the gearbox shafts can move in and out as much as the thickness of a dime, then this gearbox is in serious trouble and it is the fault of the manufacturer - not anything you did.
About drive shaft alignment, it has always been perplexing to me that the designers made it possible to assemble one wrong..But they surely did, and all over the world they continue to make the same dumb mistake. Some of the US cars and trucks used to use a splined two-piece driveshaft without a "keying spline". These could not only be assembled right or wrong, they could be assembled in as many variations as there were splines..!!
....


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dbernardi
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2000-05-22          16524


Roger,

The 2" of up/down movement is at the tip of the blade. The other blade has slightly less up/down movement. What is normal play? The gearbox shaft (and stump-jumper) have no play and rotate very smoothly by hand (without the dirveshaft attached). It's been raining for a week now so I havn't had a chance to check the driveshaft alignment. I will verify, as Murf stated above, "The two sets of inner 'eyes' on the u-joints should be inline with each other."

I checked the driveshaft manual again and it said nothing about the shaft alignment. It shows how to maintain, replace parts and repair, but no alignment.

Thanks!! ....


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