Mower blades cut off while mowing? PTO switch or clutch?

One of the most common issues with residental and commercial mowers is that blades stop working during use or will not turn on at all. Everyone thinks its just the PTO switch. In this video I explain the real most common causes of this problem. The PTO switch might be the easiest and least expensive fix to the issue but it is also the most rare reason /solution to the issue.
To see how to check your mower's charging system watch this video • How to check your mowe...

[@Mechanical_Mind]

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[@jeli1347]

Thanks for taking the time to do these videos. I know it's time-consuming, and it takes time away from other things you could be doing, so again, thank you.

[@Mechanical_Mind]

I appreciate that!

[@AlabamaUSA1234]

Thank you so much! I thought maybe I needed to get a new battery... I mean I'm using a jumpstart to get it going...I know, I know.... Never thought the battery was used for more than starting it. I'm so ignorant when it comes to mechanical devices. So glad we have people like yourself to help us

[@cahilquirk139]

Had this problem on a friends gravely, unplugged and cleaned all the electrical connections with spray electronics cleaner and works great now

[@jaymichael91]

Love these videos. Very edgimicational.

[@wesleyholmes7192]

Thank you. Very informative

[@alsouthern7190]

Great explanation

[@charleneboles7832]

Thankyou so much very hepful😊

[@outlawet3fan209]

My exmark with 1018hrs is when I first start mowing pto disengages 2 or 3 times push pto switch down pull back up blades come back on and mow 2 to 3 hours and it never happens again, dealer checked battery and said battery is good, so not sure but will try some of these trouble shooting suggestions learned in this video, thank you

[@stressmasterbk4294]

try adjusting the pto so the gap is smaller between 0.010-0.014 is the most common gapping but look it up for your model

[@Jonathan-sg6bw]

I have a Cub Cadet RZT-S which is a zero turn w/ the steering wheel. I just had an issue where I had to realign my front wheels because one was pointing outward. After I finished making that adjustment, now my mower works fine, turns fine, blades engage, etc. BUT if I turn the steering wheel to the left the blades disengage. It runs fine going straight or if I turn right but I can't turn left of they disengage. Does this sound like a wire is getting pinched or pulled when I turn left or could it be something else. It disengages almost immediately with the slightest wheel turn to the left. Thanks for any help.

[@firescapenick]

My blades simply slow down in mildly thick grass. Then come right back up. The belts are tight. The mandrels snd pulleys are smooth. Is it likely that the clutch is slipping under load and i should just get a new one? I alread set the gap.

[@shanepipkin4041]

my 930 was the pro switch last month easy 18 buck fix . my safety switches are disabled

[@stressmasterbk4294]

i have tried to go the pto direct website but i must be doing something wrong as it is not a printer. can you link me that site for the pto's?

[@jimphilips2300]

How do you change fuel pump on a john deere la125

[@kristirobinson17]

@Mechanical_Mind I was mowing. Had to disengage blades to move something in the yard. When I got back on the mower and pulled the knob to engage blades nothing. I drove it back up to the house, and shut it down. Now when I go to try to start it nothing at all as if it's stuck in engage mode without blades moving. Anyone help?

[@salvatorecabano5482]

What if you have a turf tracer.. on steep hills slanted 1 way the blades turf off constantly I turn around and go the other way. It works perfect any ideas

[@Mechanical_Mind]

My guess would be that the seat safety switch / operator presence switch might not be fully engaged when you're slanted one way. My next thing I would check would be the wiring harness for the pto clutch

[@jibnerjuarez4288]

Mine is a lt1050 Mines starts and dies It does have a walmart battery that i used from another mower It has trouble engaging And when it does it lasts a few minutes then cuts off I put a new pto switch Could it be the battery? Relay? The black square

[@damianbrumfield8057]

My blades quit working on my gravely in middle of mowing. We replaced our battery with a normal riding mower battery. Mowed fine for a whole mow then 2nd mow was mowing high grass and it stopped out of nowhere. When I engage pto I hear a click but blades don't spin. Any advice?

[@Mechanical_Mind]

I would check the charging system. Those clutch require a constant draw on the battery while engaged. When the charging system doesn't keep the battery charged up enough, the clutch is the first thing that stops working. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpuUqGuajN2Upqs

[@DavidWeinberg-cm9xd]

The clutches can get weak when in use, and just disengage the blades? The electromagnetic clutch is using a coil basically, to force the clutch to engage and disengage? Coils can become weak and fail, usually when warm, or under extended use, more so than cold? The clutch mechanism can also become worn and sloppy, creating more room for debris and dirt to hang it up, or bind? The switches will go bad on occasion, but the switch is only doing the low amperage side of the circuit? The switch controls the PTO relay to do the higher amperage control? If the low amp switch did the On/Off operation of the PTO, it would burn up pretty quick?

[@AltonRowell-gb1lb]

I always replace the clutch bearings. They press out.

[@philliphall5198]

When they tell me how much education they have I just say that is great, then you fix it, I’m months behind

[@robertmailhos8159]

That is a bad thing to have happen to your mower while you are cutting grass

[@deejay2294]

Hey brother I watched this video yesterday Got a new battery, and it worked like it should I wanted to ask, I had been jumping off my mower to get it running with the bad battery, can that damage the PTO clutch?

[@Mechanical_Mind]

No, it would not hurt it unless the pto was constantly going off and on from voltage dropping too low

[@deejay2294]

@@Mechanical_Mind 10-4, thank you for the response and the info, it's much appreciated