Repairs Weedeater One (Mowcart 66) Differential - repair ?

donnybegood · Jan 8, 2019

Hello from Australia,

I have bought the above mini ride on mower, which has a problem/s with the transaxle. I knew so when I purchased it, but got it at a good price, hoping the issue was only slack chains.

I have the transaxle disassembled on the bench, and have found the differential shaft bushings and chains definitely need replacing.

However, Im not sure about the differential. It has what I would call excess sloppy movement in the short stub drive shaft , feeling like a CV joint in a front wheel drive car. I can move it up and down laterally 1/2" in all directions by its outer end.

Can anyone who has replaced this item with a new item , recall if the shaft should be very firm , ie., no lateral movement or very little ?

A very expensive item here in Australia, so unlike the worn bushes, its not something I want to replace if this movement is normal, or just because Ive got it all pulled down.

If that movement is normal, can it be serviced internally ?

Thank you,

Regards.

donnybegood · Jan 10, 2019

donnybegood said:
Hello from Australia,

I have bought the above mini ride on mower, which has a problem/s with the transaxle. I knew so when I purchased it, but got it at a good price, hoping the issue was only slack chains.

I have the transaxle disassembled on the bench, and have found the differential shaft bushings and chains definitely need replacing.

However, Im not sure about the differential. It has what I would call excess sloppy movement in the short stub drive shaft , feeling like a CV joint in a front wheel drive car. I can move it up and down laterally 1/2" in all directions by its outer end.

Can anyone who has replaced this item with a new item , recall if the shaft should be very firm , ie., no lateral movement or very little ?

A very expensive item here in Australia, so unlike the worn bushes, its not something I want to replace if this movement is normal, or just because Ive got it all pulled down.

If that movement is normal, can it be serviced internally ?

Thank you,

Regards.

Hi again,

Reporting back.

I have disassembled the differential and found that the short stub shaft is broken where it seats into the long shaft, leaving about 30mm of shaft broken off .

The short shaft would have had no support at the opposite end to the chain gear. That's why it had so much movement at the chain gear end.

I will buy a new diff, but will try silver soldering and /or locktite the broken piece back to the stub shaft, and keep it as a spare . I think tig welding will not work with the hardened steel.
Anyone had that experience with this diff ?

ToniG · Jun 25, 2022

This might be helpful if someone else has this issue... (hope you kept the old diff/short shaft))

The broken part is actually a high tensile pin 9.52mm dia (3/8"), 44.4mm long. Press fit in the short shaft & free fit in the long.
Getting the broken part out of the short shaft is a bit hard as not to damage the circlip groove, [a strong magnet & patience will get the short free bit out].
When installed it must be free to rotate in the hole of the long shaft. (& add some oil)
If you get a new pin from engineering/bearing supply & it is not free fit, linish in a hand drill with 600g wet & dry whole pin. !! wash pin in hot detergent water as any grit remaining will damage shaft hole !!

I think the problem is the pin is too hard & brittle (& a design weakness - shouldn't rely on the pin for pivot stress)

I made a new pin from a 7/16 cylinder head bolt ~12.9MPa (very strong yet ductile) & machined /finished to size 9.52mm

cheers

Photo machined pin (not finished to final size yet)

Repairs Weedeater One (Mowcart 66) Differential - repair ?

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