Mower deck making LOUD rattling noise

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jakesnake66

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6-8 year old Husq 5426 ZT. Since last year the deck has been deteriorating, and recently it's developed an extremely loud rattling noise and the whole deck vibrates terribly. I've removed the deck 3 times to confirm blades aren't hitting anything. The only thing I found was where one blade was barely clipping a piece of metal that had come loose. The piece was beyond repair so I removed it. It was one of the 3 thin metal strips that line the underside of the deck leading edge to help the deck glide or proceed more smoothly. I guess they comprise the "edge guard?" I'm not sure the name. All three were VERY loose, and I could not tighten the two outside sections, so I removed them - sure the rattling would cease.

But it didn't. It seems the sound isn't caused by contact, but perhaps rather a cumulative effect of old, slightly loose pulleys and flywheels on the deck, but I'm not sure. I just know it's very loud and vibrates terribly. I don't want to cut with it.

Could this be caused by an old belt causing the wheels and pulleys to run off balance?

I know I haven't provided a great description. Please let me know what I've left out. Thank you!
 
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Darryl G

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You need to inspect all of your pulleys and spindles. A belt in poor condition can cause some vibration but it sounds like it's beyond that.
 
reynoldston

reynoldston

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Sounds like bad spindle bearings. Unless you you have the skill and tools to replace bearings I would say buy the complete mandrels.
 
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jakesnake66

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reynoldston said:
Sounds like bad spindle bearings. Unless you you have the skill and tools to replace bearings I would say buy the complete mandrels.
Click to expand...

Thank you, and your answer brings up my next question: I can purchase a replacement deck for about $250 and a pulley/wheel rebuild kit for about $100. Considering the Kohler engine runs great and most of the other parts are in adequate condition, a $350 investment/expense to restore such critical components seems very reasonable. Do you agree.

Also, being of higher than average mechanical ability, with access to excellent tools - but lack formal training - should replacing the deck and hardware be something I can accomplish? I know you can't say for sure. I'm just asking for opinion given what I've described.

Thank you. I sincerely appreciate the input.
 
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bertsmobile1

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Nothing difficult about rebuilding a deck for the average person.
ZTR decks are easer because they are all electric PTO's so there is just a tensioning arm and that is it.
It is a lot easier to replace the bearings with the housing in the deck than doing it with them removed as the deck holds them nice & secure.
The bolts that hold the spindle housing in take a beating the heads are oft worn round under the deck and the shafts corroded solid into the alloy on the top.

Go to Husqvarna and download the parts diagrams.
Buy good quality bearings form an engineering supplies shop or a mower shop.
Check the pivot on the tensioning arm they take a beating, swinging about 10 to 30 deg you get rapid ovaling.
The bearings in the idlers are not replaceable unless to drill out the welds/rivets.
Check the mounting points carefully for cracks.
If you can get a spare deck really cheap then do it as doing a proper rebuild can take a while.
I like to repaint the entire deck with POR 15 both sides which is a once ever process.
It is a undercoat that will never wear odd and never rust so after that it is just a case of a wash and slap on whatever top coat you like then it starts to look tacky.

With the spindle housings, the lower bearing usually comes away with the shaft which comes out from the bottom and gets put back in the same way.
 
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jakesnake66

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bertsmobile1 said:
Nothing difficult about rebuilding a deck for the average person.
ZTR decks are easer because they are all electric PTO's so there is just a tensioning arm and that is it.
It is a lot easier to replace the bearings with the housing in the deck than doing it with them removed as the deck holds them nice & secure.
The bolts that hold the spindle housing in take a beating the heads are oft worn round under the deck and the shafts corroded solid into the alloy on the top.

Go to Husqvarna and download the parts diagrams.
Buy good quality bearings form an engineering supplies shop or a mower shop.
Check the pivot on the tensioning arm they take a beating, swinging about 10 to 30 deg you get rapid ovaling.
The bearings in the idlers are not replaceable unless to drill out the welds/rivets.
Check the mounting points carefully for cracks.
If you can get a spare deck really cheap then do it as doing a proper rebuild can take a while.
I like to repaint the entire deck with POR 15 both sides which is a once ever process.
It is a undercoat that will never wear odd and never rust so after that it is just a case of a wash and slap on whatever top coat you like then it starts to look tacky.

With the spindle housings, the lower bearing usually comes away with the shaft which comes out from the bottom and gets put back in the same way.
Click to expand...

Info-packed answer, thank you!

Please be patient, as my lack of experience and familiarity with the terminology is making it difficult for me to follow. But, I'm not sure if you're advising me to rebuild the deck using a kit such as:

husq rebuild kit.jpg

I cannot tell for sure if you're advising installing the full kit or trying to rebuild/replace bearings and individual parts.

Clarification would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again.
 
reynoldston

reynoldston

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jakesnake66 said:
Info-packed answer, thank you!

Please be patient, as my lack of experience and familiarity with the terminology is making it difficult for me to follow. But, I'm not sure if you're advising me to rebuild the deck using a kit such as:

attachment.php


I cannot tell for sure if you're advising installing the full kit or trying to rebuild/replace bearings and individual parts.

Clarification would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again.
Click to expand...

Thar depends as what you want to spend for money. I say go for the kit because it will be a complete ouerhaul then.
 
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bertsmobile1

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Actually that kit is not a full overhaul kit as it does not have the idler pulleys which are the pulleys that usually give you grief.
The spindle pulleys rarely need replacing.

Renyoldston is in favour of fitting the kit & I am in favour of rebuilding the spindles.
To take them out you have to take the top pulley off as they mount from underneath and you also have to remove the blades to change them.
Thus the only extra work to rebuild the spindles is to knock out the bearings.

Usually when you try to remove the spindles one or more of the bolts breaks off.
Bearings can be replaced anything up to dozen times before they become sloppy or too worn and need replacement.

The bearings are standard size 6203 and 6204 and cost about $ 10 a set in the USA.

Your mower, your choice.
 
reynoldston

reynoldston

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bertsmobile1 said:
Actually that kit is not a full overhaul kit as it does not have the idler pulleys which are the pulleys that usually give you grief.
The spindle pulleys rarely need replacing.

Renyoldston is in favour of fitting the kit & I am in favour of rebuilding the spindles.
To take them out you have to take the top pulley off as they mount from underneath and you also have to remove the blades to change them.
Thus the only extra work to rebuild the spindles is to knock out the bearings.

Usually when you try to remove the spindles one or more of the bolts breaks off.
Bearings can be replaced anything up to dozen times before they become sloppy or too worn and need replacement.

The bearings are standard size 6203 and 6204 and cost about $ 10 a set in the USA.

Your mower, your choice.
Click to expand...

Yes if it was in my shop I would do the rebuild with bearings in have on hand in my parts stock. I also have a shop press to remove and install the bearings. I just though it looked like a nice easy kit to install for the average home owner. And yes check the ilder pulleys, its not any more work to replace them. I also rebuild ilder pulleys also with bearings I have in my own stock.
 
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jakesnake66

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I wanted to follow up after figuring out the problem: out of balance blades. Two things combined to make it so bad - my well-meaning son had sharpened one blade "just a little bit" without removing to balance. He [sorta] reasonably assumed touching up one blade with a file wouldn't remove enough metal to matter. The second - and likely much more important - factor, unbeknownst to me my wife had hit a couple pretty significant pieces of metal or rock in the yard and taken a couple chunks out of the other blades. The result was a mower that felt like it was going to leave the ground and fly around.

I've been aware for years that blades need to be balanced after sharpening, and I always keep that in mind. But I had no idea just how extreme the vibration could get if even 1 blade is badly out of balance. Certainly a learning experience!

Thanks to all.

jake
 
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