Greasing new land pride RCR 1860 driveline

[john_wiki]

2 questions:

1) For some odd reason after a lot of searching, I can't find anyone actually greasing the u-joint next to the gearbox on one of these rotary cutters. The reason being because there is a giant cover over the slip clutch and the u-joint.

Is there a way to remove the cover, grease everything, and put the cover back on? (without taking the entire shaft off of everything)
The manual seems to be silent on this also.

2) I have a PTO shaft from Comer industries and on the side of the shaft that connects to the tractor, there does not seem to be a fitting on the cover of the shaft, but, there is a fitting on the back near the gearbox. So instead of 4 total fittings to grease on the shaft, it looks like there are only 3 (although one is covered up by the gearbox shroud).

Hopefully I'm making sense.

Note, that the gearbox shroud does have two little removable covers, but, if the shaft isn't spun to the correct position, I can't see any fittings.

Being new to this whole scene, what am I missing? Do I have to take the entire shaft off of both ends to grease the darn thing?

P.S. - I have no plans to permanently remove any of these safety devices/covers- I just want to be able to grease the darn thing and verify that the slip clutch works (even though the dealer claims they "slipped" the clutch already).

 

[Fordtech86]

Does the shaft cover not have an access hole in it? This is on mine, you will probably have to spin the cover around the shaft to get it lined up with the zerk.

 

[john_wiki]

It does look very similar. I can spin the PTO shaft cover, but, that giant cover that covers the slip clutch seems to be stationary. I'll have to take some pictures and post later.

 

[john_wiki]

A third question - is it wise to spray the slip clutch every now and then with some sort of WD-40 gel lube (or something similar)?

 

[Elliott in GA]

You can access the slip clutch and the u-joint with the covers in place; it does take some time to manipulate (rotate things around to line up with access points) everything for the first time. Once you do it; it will be much easier - like figuring out where to stand to connect a PTO shaft to a tractor equipped with a Quick Hitch (first time 15 minutes, afterwards about 1 minute).

No - do not spray lubricants on the slip clutch.

Consult your manual; it details the steps to do the yearly slipping of the slip clutch. The slip clutch does not require any other routine servicing.

 

[john_wiki]

You can access the slip clutch and the u-joint with the covers in place; it does take some time to manipulate (rotate things around to line up with access points) everything for the first time. Once you do it; it will be much easier - like figuring out where to stand to connect a PTO shaft to a tractor equipped with a Quick Hitch (first time 15 minutes, afterwards about 1 minute).

No - do not spray lubricants on the slip clutch.

Consult your manual; it details the steps to do the yearly slipping of the slip clutch. The slip clutch does not require any other routine servicing.

Thanks. I'll try rotating it around and see what I can find. I did see the procedure on how to slip it, it just seems it would be a lot easier to see what its doing, if I could remove the cover (heck they even do it in the land pride video for the pull behind units), but, I guess they don't want you removing the cover at all on the smaller gear.

 

[RMS]

I used a wrench on one of the slip clutch nuts to help rotate the shaft first time around. After that, I was able to push on the studs to get the shaft to move. It is easier to access/grease all of the fittings if the pto is not connected to the tractor.

 

[B737]

remove rear cover, throw in trash.

 

[Elliott in GA]

remove rear cover, throw in trash.

HERETIC !!!

Your equipment, your choice - as it should be.

 

[mcmxi]

remove rear cover, throw in trash.

I have an RCR1884 and the cover is a PITA for sure. I keep mine on to keep the weather off the slip clutch since it lives outside all year round ... at the moment any way.

 

[B737]

I have an RCR1884 and the cover is a PITA for sure. I keep mine on to keep the weather off the slip clutch since it lives outside all year round ... at the moment any way.

thats why I took the cover off, with the cover removed, it's one easy bolt to remove the slip clutch so it can be stored inside, then flip a 5 gallon bucket upside down over the gear box, now the gear box has its own garage although your gear box may be too big to fit under a 5 gal bucket

 

[mcmxi]

thats why I took the cover off, with the cover removed, it's one easy bolt to remove the slip clutch so it can be stored inside, then flip a 5 gallon bucket upside down over the gear box although your gear box may be too big to fit under a 5 gal bucket

Good to know! It's a stout gearbox on the 1884 but it might fit. I'll check it out. Thanks.

 

[NCL4701]

remove rear cover, throw in trash.

I know that sounds like a crazy thing to post but it makes sense to me on a rotary cutter. My PTO implements are chipper, generator, rotary cutter. All guards are in place and will remain that way on the chipper and generator. Both of those are things people may be in the general vicinity of while in use. The rotary cutter? If your near that while it’s running you’re in mortal danger way before you make it to the PTO shaft. So the chipper and generator are kind of a PITA to grease but the rotary cutter is easy peasy. To each their own.

 

[john_wiki]

So I'm guessing if you remove the cover on the cutter then you can never put it back on? (as I don't see any bolts or anything that are out in plain view)

 

[B737]

cover is in the trash. I agree with @NCL4701, I do keep the rest of the covers on most of my other attachments, esp at the tractor end.

@mcmxi this was the picture I was trying to dig out last night
I store the cutter inside now, but when it was outside I kept it like this. I wanted to keep slip clutch stored inside, so it didn't get rusted together.

 

[GeoHorn]

cover is in the trash. I agree with @NCL4701, I do keep the rest of the covers on most of my other attachments, esp at the tractor end.

@mcmxi this was the picture I was trying to dig out last night
I store the cutter inside now, but when it was outside I kept it like this. I wanted to keep slip clutch stored inside, so it didn't get rusted together.

and/or cut a slot in the HD bucket to slip it over the shaft

 

[Bmyers]

I feel your pain

That shield got the best of me and I decided that I no longer needed that shield. I figured no one was going to be riding on my rotary mower nor would they be anywhere near it while the PTO was engaged, so it was a useless shield and I wasn't going to fight around it anymore to get to that grease zerk. Now I can get to it without an issue.

 

[mcmxi]

I feel your pain

View attachment 81361

That shield got the best of me and I decided that I no longer needed that shield. I figured no one was going to be riding on my rotary mower nor would they be anywhere near it while the PTO was engaged, so it was a useless shield and I wasn't going to fight around it anymore to get to that grease zerk. Now I can get to it without an issue.

Jesus, is that a rotary cutter or a tool cart?!

 

[mcmxi]

cover is in the trash. I agree with @NCL4701, I do keep the rest of the covers on most of my other attachments, esp at the tractor end.

@mcmxi this was the picture I was trying to dig out last night
I store the cutter inside now, but when it was outside I kept it like this. I wanted to keep slip clutch stored inside, so it didn't get rusted together.

You just had to go with an orange bucket didn't you!

 

[mcmxi]

I serviced the RCR1884 yesterday prior to mowing and was able to grease the u-joint nearest to the gearbox with the cover in place. I used one of the adapters in the OTC kit that I bought a couple of years ago. I used the one third from the left in the image shown below, the one with the 90 degree head on it. I rotated the pto shaft and pushed it over to the far left (if facing the tractor) and was able to get grease into the joint with little difficulty.

When I loosened the fill plug on the side of the gearbox to check the oil there was some pressure built up inside the case which makes me wonder if the vent on the top of the gear box isn't working properly. Not a lot of pressure, but enough to hiss a bit and push out some oil. The oil looked new so nothing to do there.