Raptor SD deck spring

I mowed this tonight.

There is indeed laydown happening, so I ignored that.

To test for power delivery I left a wide swath of laydown and covered it with a few passes of clippings, a _lot_, then went though that, full deck width.
Engine loaded up, but never bogged, the chute exit mimicked that of a silage chopper. I had the chute raised about 25 degrees and stuff was flying 20'.
On completing the pass, the area was vacuumed clean and cut evenly.

Can't be belt slip tonight.

RaptorSD: thanks for pointing out the center-prone laydown.

Kremeneon said:

Please explain how load pulls the idler.

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Do you really not know?

Carscw said:

I guess you really do not get how it all works.
When you get in heavy grass the spring is pulled on. If the spring is to strong it will hold the belt to tight

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Carscw said:

Do you really not know?

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I thought I did, I've been told I'm wrong twice now without explanation why.

I understand what you are saying if the idler was on the tension side of the clutch. It would act as a torque limiter, opening up and releasing tension and letting things slip. I don't think this is ever a good design except in a cassette player or something.

Being on the run-off/going-off side of the clutch it is different, this is naturally the least 'tight' area of the belt since the highest tightness is between the clutch and right blade, energy/tension is absorbed by that blade. Then on to the center blade, where more is absorbed, then to the left blade, where all remaining energy is absorbed. It is like an endless string being pulled through the system. The tension spring is there to provide enough pull to keep belt friction over contact area on the clutch and drive pulleys enough to not slip since the belt isn't cogged or anything (or a chain)

I'm lost in translation?:confused2: Maybe my ADD kicking in...please simplify this process. Nice pics! That field looks like mine,plenty of thatch to stunt thick growth.I just don't want the hassle of de-thatchment!:laughing:

You should send that sunsetting hustler pic to hustler. It's that set up. Tagline "Conquer your lawn while making the neighbors jelly" (jealous for you old folk).

chemingthroughtheleather said:

That field looks like mine,plenty of thatch to stunt thick growth.I just don't want the hassle of de-thatchment!:laughing:

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It was bush hogged last fall. There's no real thatch but a lot of standing/leaning straw. A pass with deck on the transport hook and a finisher pass at 3.5" left pretty much cut stems and visible soil (and three families of VERY pissed off ants, need to take a jug of chem back there next time)

RaptorSD said:

I agree with Carscw and I've seen it first hand when my original spring distended trying to cut a field that high early in the season, damp with the chute down.

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Bent/deformed? at what part of the spring?

RaptorSD said:

Kremeneon, the stock spring will cut that all day long with the mower setup like you have it.

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It did. That whole ~2 acres was knee high, I've been working on it a little at a time and the photo is of finishing the last bit.

DSepe said:

You should send that sunsetting hustler pic to hustler. It's that set up. Tagline "Conquer your lawn while making the neighbors jelly" (jealous for you old folk).

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I did, thanks for the suggestion!

Tensioner pulley came loose. How do reinstall?

tbob said:

Tensioner pulley came loose. How do reinstall?

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Is the pulley still attached to its sled and the whole thing came out, or is the bolt missing ?

Kreme,

I have no idea what all the hoopla is about. You have one of those hard to find, Mohawk decks that so many are seeking. Run it like the wild Indian you are and that sucker will keep on tickin' till you kill it. By the way, Mohawks are hard to kill.


Max