# Andy 500 rotary cutter question



## grweldon

Howdy y'all. First post on the forum. I've been lurking for some weeks since I bought my 88 Ford 3910 and I have a question about my rotary cutter. I have an "Andy 500" rotary cutter made by Lowery Manufacturing in Boaz, AL.

Last night I ripped the gearbox end PTO yoke in two. I think some brush knocked the PTO lever into the off position. When I noticed it, I re-engaged the PTO. It must have been bound-up and it ripped the yoke in two.

While looking for replacement parts online, I see that there are two roll pins that connect each yoke to each end of the sliding PTO shaft. Here is my question:  Aren't the pins supposed to shear before any damage to other components occur?

I'm a manufacturing/design engineer by profession and that is how I would design it. Sure would have been nice to be able to replace a couple of cents worth of pins rather than the $115 in parts that I just ordered...


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## pachal

Hi Andy
I purchased a 910 series ford rotary cutter 72 in .Was going to replace the clutch discs and can not get the clutch off the gear bow .does not look like there is any pins in the shaft .Had heated it up to 400 degrees and tapped and it would not move . do you have any idea of how to remove it from the gear box shaft


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## BigT

hello grwelden, welcome to the forum.

Normally the Yokes are welded to the PTO shaft, and the gearbox/PTO system are protected by a shear bolt where the PTO shaft attaches to the gearbox input shaft. You may have a hi-strength bolt (that will not shear) in place of the shear bolt. Check it out.


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## EdF

The Andy 500 is a light duty rotary cutter. Recommended For Tractors Not Exceeding 30 Horsepower. Your Ford 3910 has 50 HP.


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## pogobill

But... should the driveshaft for the cutter not have shear pins? I've been using a cheap galvanized carriage bolt in my post hole auger and a cheap nut and bolt in my snow blower. It's a pain when they shear, but cheaper than repairing the equipment attached to either end of the drive shaft.


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## pachal

no this one has no shear pins just 2 disc which acts as the slip clutch . as far as a roller pin holding it in place there doesn't seem to be any .there was suppose to be a snap ring at the end keeping it from sliding off but there none there as well . but re just refuses to budge .


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