Thread: Mower deck rebuild

Hi all,
the missus informed me that the mower was making a bad noise. I told her to stay there and I will fix it.
I went to the shed and got the earmuffs for her. It was at that moment that she crossed over to the 'dark side'. No sense of humour that girl.
Anyway, to make a short story long I stripped it down.
Several things aren't quite up to scratch like the main shaft. Someone has used a centre punch to build up the shaft for one of the bearings and while I understand that some people may think this is a great idea, not so in this case.
It is a big lump of steel spinning on there.
The collar provided to attach the cutter bar to has a square section on it for location purposes. The problem lies in that the cutter bar that only has a round hole in it and has well and truly worn the shaft.
I'll let the pics tell the story.

Phil
IMG_4392.jpg IMG_4397.JPG IMG_4399.jpg IMG_4404.JPG IMG_4405.jpg IMG_4525.jpg IMG_4530.JPG IMG_4539.JPG IMG_4541.jpg IMG_4545.jpg

Phil, unless you feel sentimentally attached to that deck, or unless it was only about the challenge to fix it / keep it going one more time - it may be time to upgrade to a less worn out model?

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

Hi all,
the missus informed me that the mower was making a bad noise. I told her to stay there and I will fix it.
I went to the shed and got the earmuffs for her. It was at that moment that she crossed over to the 'dark side'. No sense of humour that girl.
Anyway, to make a short story long I stripped it down.
Several things aren't quite up to scratch like the main shaft. Someone has used a centre punch to build up the shaft for one of the bearings and while I understand that some people may think this is a great idea, not so in this case.
It is a big lump of steel spinning on there.
The collar provided to attach the cutter bar to has a square section on it for location purposes. The problem lies in that the cutter bar that only has a round hole in it and has well and truly worn the shaft.
I'll let the pics tell the story.

Phil

snip

Some women are like that!

Is there enough thread left on the shaft? I had a similar problem years ago and was lucky enough to get it fixed by my then daughter's boyfriend's father. The whole bearing tube was cut off and replaced. I think the bearings were the same size and only had a spacer between them on internal and external races.

I am not a big fan of cutter bars myself. I prefer disks with blades attached to the edges. Easier to change blades and stronger. My Rover disk has a keyed hub so no chance for slipping. I stripped a twin deck rover for parts which include the bolt on bearing housings made from cast iron. I am keeping these for parts. In a situation like yours I would only need to undo bolts and swap them over.

The mower disk housing I had repaired, had angled braces welded on to support the tube. Maybe if you have room this could help where you ask about the wastage. The fact that the cutter bar is only held in position by pressure from the nut does not look ideal. Hit something solidly and it will move. Maybe that is a safety feature for the mount tho.

Are you going to build the shaft up with weld? I guess the thread prevents a press on sleeve to bring the diameter up to original. Sometimes it is worth pricing a new replacement. Just occasionally I have considered major repairs then checked the price for new and had a pleasant shock. Costs nothing to ask except for maybe an unpleasant shock!

Dean

Originally Posted by cba_melbourne

Phil, unless you feel sentimentally attached to that deck, or unless it was only about the challenge to fix it / keep it going one more time - it may be time to upgrade to a less worn out model?

Hmmm, good point. It is getting a bit long in the tooth and dangerous plus I need the engine for another project.
I fear it might be time to retire the old girl once and for all.

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

Some women are like that!

Is there enough thread left on the shaft? I had a similar problem years ago and was lucky enough to get it fixed by my then daughter's boyfriend's father. The whole bearing tube was cut off and replaced. I think the bearings were the same size and only had a spacer between them on internal and external races.

I am not a big fan of cutter bars myself. I prefer disks with blades attached to the edges. Easier to change blades and stronger. My Rover disk has a keyed hub so no chance for slipping. I stripped a twin deck rover for parts which include the bolt on bearing housings made from cast iron. I am keeping these for parts. In a situation like yours I would only need to undo bolts and swap them over.

The mower disk housing I had repaired, had angled braces welded on to support the tube. Maybe if you have room this could help where you ask about the wastage. The fact that the cutter bar is only held in position by pressure from the nut does not look ideal. Hit something solidly and it will move. Maybe that is a safety feature for the mount tho.

Are you going to build the shaft up with weld? I guess the thread prevents a press on sleeve to bring the diameter up to original. Sometimes it is worth pricing a new replacement. Just occasionally I have considered major repairs then checked the price for new and had a pleasant shock. Costs nothing to ask except for maybe an unpleasant shock!

Dean

Hi Dean,
it is a very old mower and the last time I did some 'renos', it was easier to make the parts.
I've already had one heart attack and I suppose using the push mower is way more cardiovascular, which is what I am supposed to be doing more of now
Yep definitely time to retire her.
Just for future reference, the question I forgot to ask in the first post is what material to use for the shaft.
I have some 4140 and some stainless shaft, 316 grade or would some ordinary mild steel have done the job.

Phil

I can't work that one out - is the square section on the collar so that you can get a spanner on or is it to allow drive? It's also one of those ones where I keep wondering whether it has been assembled incorrectly following a previous strip down and that has caused problems in itself.
At work we over haul marine assemblies. In cases of wear like that it is grit blast off and build up with weld before machining or grinding down. Trouble is with that mower where do you stop doing repairs? from the photos it looks like just about every part could do with some TLC.

Michael

Originally Posted by Michael G

I can't work that one out - is the square section on the collar so that you can get a spanner on or is it to allow drive? It's also one of those ones where I keep wondering whether it has been assembled incorrectly following a previous strip down and that has caused problems in itself.
At work we over haul marine assemblies. In cases of wear like that it is grit blast off and build up with weld before machining or grinding down. Trouble is with that mower where do you stop doing repairs? from the photos it looks like just about every part could do with some TLC.

Michael

Hi Michael,
I am guessing that at some stage someone has put a different cutter bar on with out a square hole in it and that is what has worn the shaft down.
The hole in the cutter bar is the same size as the threaded section, or at least what it used to be.
I think I can see the remnants of the old thread where the bar now sits.

Phil

I would use a reasonable tensile steel,I wouldnt go with a 1020 or similar.

My 1st choice would be 4140 then either 1045 or EN36.

I would try and steer away from stainless mainly because of its machining characteristics.

How much lawn(grass) do you have to mow, considering that it was actually the missus who was using the ride on at the time?

I've already had one heart attack and I suppose using the push mower is way more cardiovascular, which is what I am supposed to be doing more of now

We have several acres in all. It depends on how much we want to do but the snakes and fire risk tend to have a bit of say. The sides of the driveway alone are probably about 10 times the size of the average back yard, in rural towns anyway.

Dean

Hi Phil,

If you do want to get it running without making your own parts try a local lawn mower seller/repairer. They generally have a scrap yard with heaps of usable parts. May cost you though (the older the machine the more they cost).

Ben

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

I told her to stay there and I will fix it.
I went to the shed and got the earmuffs for her. It was at that moment that she crossed over to the 'dark side'. No sense of humour that girl.

mine would still be trying to figure out how it was fixed so quick

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

Hi all,
the missus informed me that the mower was making a bad noise.

I am a bit perplexed, what was the mower doing running in the kitchen?





Can you spot the single person in the thread? LOL

Originally Posted by .RC.

I am a bit perplexed, what was the mower doing running in the kitchen?





Can you spot the single person in the thread? LOL

Probably taking out the garbage. "You cooked the s--t, you throw it out!"

Don't know why the cutter deck was running tho. Must be a woman thing.

Dean

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

Hi all,
the missus informed me that the mower was making a bad noise. I told her to stay there and I will fix it.
I went to the shed and got the earmuffs for her. It was at that moment that she crossed over to the 'dark side'. No sense of humour that girl.
Anyway, to make a short story long I stripped it down.
Several things aren't quite up to scratch like the main shaft. Someone has used a centre punch to build up the shaft for one of the bearings and while I understand that some people may think this is a great idea, not so in this case.
It is a big lump of steel spinning on there.
The collar provided to attach the cutter bar to has a square section on it for location purposes. The problem lies in that the cutter bar that only has a round hole in it and has well and truly worn the shaft.
I'll let the pics tell the story.

Phil
IMG_4392.jpg IMG_4397.JPG IMG_4399.jpg IMG_4404.JPG IMG_4405.jpg IMG_4525.jpg IMG_4530.JPG IMG_4539.JPG IMG_4541.jpg IMG_4545.jpg

Can't see what your problem is. Don't you own a welder and a box of E4311 electrodes?

Bloody big tiger snake is living on the north end of my barn ATM so I can't mow the grass. I am devastated.... I so like wasting time driving around in circles (squares) on a stupid machine powered by one of the biggest POS engines of all time - a B&S 12HP vertical shaft.

Count your blessings & buy her a scythe for Christmas. Make sure you wrap it well & be elsewhere when she unwraps it.

PDW

Originally Posted by PDW

Count your blessings & buy her a scythe for Christmas. Make sure you wrap it well & be elsewhere when she unwraps it.

PDW

If the scythe dont work you can bet the steely sharp stare down will.......

Another wasted answer .