LP RCR1260 rotary mower oddness

[ShaunRH]

My manual says the RCR1260 has a clutch on it, but it doesn't it's shear bolts.

Now, I'm not complaining, I actually like the lower maintenance of the shear bolts and they cost me the whopping $2 each for spares from the dealer, so I carry a pair on the tractor.

I just can't find a manual for the RCR1260 with shear bolts... did I get an odd bird 'low cost' model that isn't listed in a manual or just an older model that had been sitting around the dealership for a while. He did give me a deal on it so maybe it was an older one in 'new' shape... hmmm...

One more thing...

I had it going out of balance regularly (a lot of vibration) and had to open the little rubber plug covered hole in the top and get debris out from the blade mounting area which throws off the balance. Seems to be a design issue that it gathers so much crud there. Does anyone have a great fix for this? I just ended up carrying a stick to help me clean it out... silly but works. I'd rather permanently fix the problem though...

 

[mickeyd]

I think what the manual actually states is "EITHER slip clutch or shear bolt." The heavier models, i.e. 1860, does have the slip clutch.

 

[ShaunRH]

I checked the website and found the one that covers both. Mine was just photocopies of the wrong one. I'm all good, manual wise, now.

I do need to fix that clogging problem though. Maybe a sheet metal cover on the gap between the spinning blade bolt mount and the central deflector 'disk', hmmm.

 

[Russell King]

While I am not completely sure where your debris is collecting from your description...

If you are collecting a lot of debris at the junction of the blade and the stump jumper (disk in middle that blades attach to) I would think that you need to check the position and tightness of the bolt holding the blade on. It needs to pull the blade up fairly tight against the lower surface of the stump jumper. The bolts on my shredder have a tab to align with a slot in the stump jumper. They also are shoulder bolts so you can not really pull them too tight around the blade and lock them to the stump jumper.

If you are getting some debris on top of the stump jumper (which I think you mean from what you said) that would lead me to think that there may be something wrapped around the vertical shaft (wire/string/plastic) that catches and holds debris there. The rotational motion of the mower should be expelling most of the material off the disk. You may be able to close the gap between the deck and top of the stump jumper with some non metallic material. I think this could lead to trapping material in there instead of helping though...

 

[ShaunRH]

The 'stump jumper' disk and the mount bar for the blades is where it catches. The design is just a downward bent bar. The debris catches and builds up in the joint area and takes the mower out of balance if a big enough chunk gets caught. I have to get off the tractor, wait for it all to spool down, and use a stick to push it out of the spot.

The vacuum point (the hole in the middle of the 'stump jumper' disk, sucks up the debris and doesn't eject all of it.

Here's where I'm talking about...

 

[Russell King]

That is an odd design and I can see what you mean. The heavy bar on mine is flat down against the sheet metal disk.

You can try to cover the hole in the middle or plug both sides with equal mass so nothing gets caught.

The cover sounds easier to me but you may have trouble knocking it off if you hit anything with the mower...

Plugging the area that catches material will probably require that you remove the stump jumper which seems to be a difficult process. I would weld some material to the heavy bar and the sheet metal disk to block off that "pinch point" where the bar and the disk come together.

 

[Bluegill]

I've had the same mower for over 2 years and have not had any issues with it?

 

[mickeyd]

I have the heavier RCR1860 and haven't had that problem but did have the bolts holding the Gear Box on to come loose.

 

[coachgeo]

being that others with same model are not reporting this issue now or previously then there must be something wrong with yours.

Could yours be assembled wrong or have something loose allowing for more space in that area than others who have reported here have?

 

[ShaunRH]

Well, the diagram matches the build so I don't think it's a build issue. Others may have just put up with the vibration until enough stuff built up in there to make it's own 'deflector' of sorts.

I was cutting longer material so if it didn't get sucked up and tossed past the choke point just right, it would unbalance things. I could've just kept going but I'm not a fan of getting a vibratory massage from my tractor seat, though in hindsight, it might not be a bad customization for those long days in that chair!