Go BottomRemoval of MMM for the Winter till Spring
 | Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee 
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2003-11-02 67813
I think I have about cut all the grass and soon will have mulched all the leaves I care to for the season. I am thinking about removing the MMM and storing it until I need it in the Spring. I have a couple of questions I was mulling over and wanted to get some opinions. I am planning to store the MMM layed up against the wall secured vertically. See any issues with the MMM gearbox & seals doing this? The other issue is preserving the MMM height and level adjustments that I have now. It is very time consuming to measure out and adjust. I was thinking about removing the MMM support rods and running a metal rod through the clevis's to keep them from turning while in storage. Anyone have a better idea on how to store the MMM? I plan on doing some tilling with the pto tiller in the garden and hopefully maybe make a few bucks tilling other people's gardens while I have it all hooked up. Doing this with the MMM is a big PITA as is hangs up in the soil and leaves when the tractor sinks in a little; and I feel it is just unnecessary wear and tear on the MMM. What do you think?
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 | Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-11-02 67850
There area many ways to mark your adjustments Chief. You could use duck tape, or paint to mark proper adjustments. Plastic ties help too. For your leaves have you tried gator back blades? ....
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 | Wildman1
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 196 Chugiak, Alaska 
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2003-11-02 67861
I sat my mmm flat on boards to keep it off the ground. I bungee'd my lift brackets together on the tractor. That keeps them from rattling against the frame and from turning. I tightened the front nuts on the front hanger against the rear ones to keep the setting from changing (front height). ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-11-03 67876
Didn't answer one part to your question on the gear boxes. The seals should hold with no problem. If they do leak then they do need to be replaced. ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-11-03 67899
Randy, any time you store equipment outside in conditions or locations where freezing can occur it is important to be sure that all seals are protected.
This is a two part thing, first you want to condition the seals to prevent deterioration from UV (yes, especially in winter) and dehydration. Secondly you want to be sure that no moisure can accumulate around the seal. If the machine is stored in such a way as snow or rain can build up around the seal, freezing & thawing cycles can cause ice to form in the gap and stretch or even tear the seal allowing water to enter, and oil to exit.
The best solution is to loosely cover the equipment with an opaque water-proof tarp. A frame made from scrap or surplus wood with a solid plywood roof and then covered by tarp works very well. I have also seen people stack firewood either side of implements then make a bit of a roof and tarp over, this way you get an extra benefit, dry equipment and dry wood.
A quick spray of some quality rust resistant spray such as WD40 or the like goes a long way too, just be careful of the seals or anything which the spray might affect.
Best of luck. ....
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| Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-11-03 67901
Good points Murf but I will be storing my mower in the basement which is heated. I cannot stand to leave equipment setting outside if possible. The rust and weather is so hard on it. ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-11-03 67907
You have to be careful when you first bring anything into & out of a heated shop in very cold weather.
If the any gearbox-driven implement is all toasty & warm from being inside, and you take it out into a blizzard the sudden cooling of the gearbox will cause a lot of suction against the seals which are not designed to hold any pressure to speak of. This can cause a lot of moisture to be drawn in. Likewise, when the implement is cold from being outside and you bring it in, you may have some seepage caused by the interanl pressure caused fby the expansion as it warms up. This whole problem is especially bad if the gearbox is vented since the air flow is not restricted much. Some people use a little oil soaked foam in the breather to slow the process down.
Best of luck. ....
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 | Ducati996
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 347 New York
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2003-11-03 67909
Hi Murf,
Respectfully of course, arent you being a little too extreme
here? These toys of ours cant be that sensitive? I hope I dont have to sit it down a talk to it next....
Not trying to upset you either...Ok?
Duc
....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-11-03 67911
Duc., it does sound a little over the edge, but it is a constant problem for us. With equipment that is used on an 'casual' basis by the average homeowner it is even more critical.
Even a relatively small amount of moisture trapped in a gearbox can cause rust to form in a short period of time if the gerbox is not running to distribute the oil around and keep things protected. A very small amount of rust can them cause a premature failre of a bearing since minor imperfections quickly grow under load.
Why take the risk of a failure in something when a couple of minutes of prevention can prevent it?
BTW, I rarely take offence, many years of marriage has dulled that reaction, LOL. ....
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| Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-11-03 67923
Murf, I am always open to new uses for my equipment. What would I do with a 72" mid mounted mower in a snow blizzard? Hmmmmmmmmm.......maybe I can improvise a snow blower? ;-) Just kidding. Your point is well taken. I know condensation can be an issue like it was for me this Summer when I would pull my baby out of the basement and moisture would condense all over it due to the cooler temps in the air conditioned basement. I do talk to my tractor and implements and feed them Amsoil chew biscuits when they have done a good job. ;-) They also get a blanket, mittens, and slippers if it is going to be very cold in the basement. ....
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 | itsgottobegreen
Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 329 Mt. Airy, MD
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2003-11-16 68938
Chef i wouldn't laugh to hard on the mower snow blower. I have seen it done. If the snow is real dry. The mower with high lift blades and a power flow bagger. The guy across the street tried it last year. I worked pretty good. Just pointed the bagger shoot off to the side. That 72" mower would move a lot of dry snow. ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-11-17 68960
I saw an old rototiller once that the owner had converted to snow use. They removed all the tines and replaced them with rubber paddles. Apparently as you backed up it just kept flinging the snow back.
To each their own.......
Best of luck. ....
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