Why is Second Gear the Weak Gear

Am I gonna wear it out or damage it some how.

Probably the most abuse it gets is me grinding the gears sometimes.
I try to keep that to a minimum, but it still happens.

Otherwise I mow mainly in second gear.
I have one hill I come up in second gear
when I am hauling dirt with the rear scoop.

Is my second gear in any danger.

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

I personally don't think the 2nd qear is as weak as you think and I think Zane is correct that it is subject to "abuse" from brushhoggin'. But I think the abuse is due to lack of internal ORC. Always use an external PTO mounted ORC (over running coupler) when bushhoggin' ($60, cheap)..... ....Dell

Second gear in the four speed transmission is a thin cylinder with a row of teeth sitting on the outer circumference. The OD is about two inches or so and the ID is about 1-1/4 inches so it is thin. It is the weak link in the four speed transmission

Bush Hog hitting a heart pine stump at full RPM will bust that little sucker half in two.

How do I know? I have repaired maybe 40 four speed transmissions over the past 50 or so years and nearly every one of them was a busted second gear while Bush Hogging. That should be suffiecient reason to the wise!

ZaneYou can plow and mow all you want to in second gear but I can tell you for sure that you should avoid bush hogging in the rough stuff in second gear. The reason is that the second gear is a puny little thin in cross section gear. The gear outside diameter is about two inches and the shaft it rides on is about 1-1/4 inches so all you got is a thin piece of steel with a row of teeth sitting on top of it and the shock of that

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

I don't think you can break a three speed transmission no matter what you do to it. Tough!
But slow!

Zane