BX 2370 PTO lever Operation

[Butch]

My neighbor owns a BX2370. Its equipped RCK60B23BX MMM. The issue she is experiencing is in the operation of PTO. The PTO lever is hangs up big time and is almost impossible to shift between the 3 PTO shift positions. One thing to note is when we finally got the lever to the Mid PTO on position and engaged the clutch lever ... we had power at the PTO output shaft.
This 2370 is a one owner tractor in mint condition a has about 1200 hours one her.

Any thoughts? I am not very well versed with BX Tractors.
Thanks in advance, Butch

 

[Russell King]

… the 3 PTO shift positions. One thing to note is when we finally got the lever to the Mid PTO on position and engaged the clutch lever ... we had power at the PTO output shaft.

I know nothing about that tractor but which PTO has power when in that position? Mid only, Rear only or both?

Your statement is not clear enough on that point.

I would start looking for where the linkage moves and rotates and put penetrating oil on anything that is close fitting and lubricate the linkage well - but that’s all I got for suggestions.

 

[Nicksacco]

I'm not familiar with that mower deck, but is it possible that it is not installed correctly or something is broken causing the shift mechanism to be jammed?

You are talking about the mid PTO, right?

Have you tried removing the deck, raising or lowering all the way to see what's up?

Just some thoughts...

 

[tinkerwitheverything]

I have the BX 2370-1 .The mower deck has nothing to do with what your describing . I'm not sure what you mean by hanging up ,I'am thinking hard to move. They do sometimes have the gear teeth not line up with each other. What you can do is with the tractor off not running . Try shifting the lever if it seems like its not shifting reach underneath and turn the mid pto or the rear pto and see it it shifts easy . Once it's determined that it shift easy this is normal .Just means the teeth aren't lined up to meash together .It the shift linkage moves hard then lubricate the linkage pivot shaft that goes into the trans. Hope this explains the problem.

 

[Butch]

I have the BX 2370-1 .The mower deck has nothing to do with what your describing . I'm not sure what you mean by hanging up , I'm thinking hard to move. They do sometimes have the gear teeth not line up with each other. What you can do is with the tractor off not running . Try shifting the lever if it seems like its not shifting reach underneath and turn the mid pto or the rear pto and see it it shifts easy . Once it's determined that it shift easy this is normal .Just means the teeth aren't lined up to meash together .It the shift linkage moves hard then lubricate the linkage pivot shaft that goes into the trans. Hope this explains the problem.

I did not install the mower this season because I blew my knee out so getting down is a big deal these days. Another neighbor helped her out and he'd never done it before. I got a call when they could not engage the mid PTO with the clutch lever. Given that info I checked if the mower was installed properly... It was. The Mid PTO output shaft also turned freely.
Next I checked the lever position of the PTO selection on the left fender. It was in the "off" position (no power to either rear and or the mid PTO shafts).

The obvious solution was to engage that lever to a position that shows the mid PTO running. There in lay the problem..... the lever would not move ... so I figured the mating gears were not meshing. SO... I asked my buddy to slowly turn the the mower drive line (he's got the good knees) while I tried to manipulate and engage the PTO position lever.. We must have fiddled with that for a good half hour.... Still could not get the PTO selection lever to move. It was like "locked" into that position... would not budge.
As a last resort... my buddy fired up the tractor while I gently engaged the tractor's PTO Clutch while VERY lightly pulled back on the PTO position lever..... IT FINALLY RELUCTANTLY MOVED raking gears ever so slightly.

We shut the tractor down and manually engaged the the PTO lever to the nonrunning mid PTO several times (Worked as smooth as silk).... and then we fired the tractor up and did the same things several times. still smooth as silk.

I have no idea why that PTO position selection lever was stuck/bound/jammed ? in the first place.... but everything seems to be running well, smooth gear engagements NOISES coming from the affected areas.

We were overly slow and careful as not to make what could have been a significant problem into a much worse situation that would require the sale of a kidney to pay for it.
As always responses and comments are always welcome...
Butch

 

[DustyRusty]

I believe that the answer lies in the very first post. You mentioned the 1200 hours on the tractor but didn't mention maintenance. Maintenance is important on these tractors and it consists of more than just changing oil and greasing the nipples. You have to clean the dirt, grime, and soil that accumulates on the linkages of the tractor. Then those linkages need to have some lubrication put onto them so they will move smoothly when they are needed to move. Another place where the BX tractors seem to develop a problem is the knob under the seat just to the right of the center. If you don't turn it once in a while, it will freeze in place and be very difficult to turn when you try to turn it.

 

[tinkerwitheverything]

The obvious solution was to engage that lever to a position that shows the mid PTO running. There in lay the problem..... the lever would not move ... so I figured the mating gears were not meshing. SO... I asked my buddy to slowly turn the the mower drive line (he's got the good knees) while I tried to manipulate and engage the PTO position lever.. We must have fiddled with that for a good half hour.... Still could not get the PTO selection lever to move. It was like "locked" into that position... would not budge.
As a last resort... my buddy fired up the tractor while I gently engaged the tractor's PTO Clutch while VERY lightly pulled back on the PTO position lever..... IT FINALLY RELUCTANTLY MOVED raking gears ever so slightly.

more then likely the shaft going through the case corroded / rusted so once you got it to move plus grinding of the gears helped free it up from winter sitting . If the tractor sits outside this will be more prevalant . Glad to know it's working like its supposed to.


Butch

 

[Henro]

I believe that the answer lies in the very first post. You mentioned the 1200 hours on the tractor but didn't mention maintenance. Maintenance is important on these tractors and it consists of more than just changing oil and greasing the nipples. You have to clean the dirt, grime, and soil that accumulates on the linkages of the tractor. Then those linkages need to have some lubrication put onto them so they will move smoothly when they are needed to move. Another place where the BX tractors seem to develop a problem is the knob under the seat just to the right of the center. If you don't turn it once in a while, it will freeze in place and be very difficult to turn when you try to turn it.

I’m with DustyRusty on this. I had an issue with my PTO lever for selecting between front and mid PTO’s on my 20 year old BX at the time. . I don’t use the rear PTO. . I think if I remember correctly after reading posts here that I lubricated everything and I was able to shift between front and mid positions, or whatever the choices are, I don’t remember, but since then, I decided not to take my PTO selector out of the mid PTO position.

So I guess the answer is: lubricate, lubricate lubricate!

 

[Butch]

I’m with DustyRusty on this. I had an issue with my PTO lever for selecting between front and mid PTO’s on my 20 year old BX at the time. . I don’t use the rear PTO. . I think if I remember correctly after reading posts here that I lubricated everything and I was able to shift between front and mid positions, or whatever the choices are, I don’t remember, but since then, I decided not to take my PTO selector out of the mid PTO position.

So I guess the answer is: lubricate, lubricate lubricate!

Guys... My deceased neighbor was an applied petroleum engineer. His world revolved around lubrication and cleanness.. That tractor was lubed every 10 hours (except for one hidden grease fitting.... the forward /reverse pedal under the floormat access) after he passed last year I did his tractor's scheduled maintenance. The floormat flap had never been accessed.... but the rest of the machine evidenced a well lubed unit. Got that freed and then the pedal would center and the tractor would come to a stop as if it was new. He also only used OEM parts and equipment and stored his tractor in a climate controlled space. Did I mention the tractor looks brand new .

I swear I thought something broke in the PTO gears ... and was preventing gear engagement. The reason was the widow would let anyone that asked to borrow it use it. She lives across the road and I saw with my own eyes a few of those people struggle to even engage the mower or properly (safely) travel with the FEL well above the hood height. Not all, but more than enough of those operators had zero business even in the seat.
Thanks again you all for your advice... as the last thing I wanted to do was to make a potential bad issue even worse.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Some of these models have an inherently problem with the shaft going into the case getting dry or wet and corrosion sets in making them hard to shift.
The real fix is to disassemble polish and grease the shaft and case, but that's a lot of work.
So try getting some good penetrating lube like PB Blaster or Kroil and spray this area and work the lever.