FS91 strokin

[PTmowerMech]

There you go. It is working smarter as you age. I know I get laughed at for using that folding engine crane for picking up 100 lb lawn mower engine or one those heavy ZTR decks but my back thanks every night when I do.

And you can't tell the young that they need be careful about the bodies either. I had one the other shouldered 100 lbs of corn and walk over to my truck. When I was young I use to do something similar with 96 lb Portland cement bag. Those days are long gone.

And I am so bad about turning my ankles that flat refuse to wear dress shoes anymore as the last time I nearly broke my ankle just walking across the yard.

I'm going to build a platform for the shop wench to pick up push mowers. Being on the edge of the shop, I think the handle will stick far enough out the opening to raise it to at least shoulder level. I'm thinking 1X2's will be strong enough for any push mower.

 

[PTmowerMech]

Really depends what engine you are pulling. There a lot stuff the has to come many verticals before you even get to the flywheel. Several Kawasaki I had to pull this year only need the sump re-tapped because the mount screws stripped out. And that Kawasaki 3010 engine is where it is nearly impossible to lift it out without one.

Then there was that horizontal shaft drive Cub Cadet that had to be pulled just to get to the ignition coils wiring. Even with the crane it was a pain to get out and just a little easier going back. Mice really did a number on the wiring under the shroud. Darn customer insisted it would only 30 minutes to take out, repair, and put back in. Well it took an hour just to get it out. He *****ed to high heaven about the bill so I just charged for the parts and then told him never come back. An year of nit picking was back enough then when he start telling how to do my job that was the final straw.

I had one like that with a Scag spindle R&R. Clearly told him "Most cases" it's any hour labor. Which is correct. Usually to pull, reinstall and test takes about 1 hour. His was a problem. Took me and another fella about 4. I took the loss and only charged him 2hrs.
He still complained. But I didn't budge on the 2hrs, because he was being a prick about it. Plus, he brought his own spindle that he bought from a competitor.

But karma, being what it is, when he brought me the new spindle, I could feel a slight bit of grabbing in the bearings. One spot in it seems to grab a little. Even after greasing it. He insisted that I use it. Two weeks later, he came back with it burned up. He watched me grease it when he brought it to me (to see if it would turn smooth). So there was no chance of him accusing me of anything.
I suppose I was smiling too much when I told him I still had his old one that I could rebuild for $250 (about what he paid for the spindle he brought). He decided to take it to the guy who sold him the bad spindle. I was glad.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

I'm going to build a platform for the shop wench to pick up push mowers. Being on the edge of the shop, I think the handle will stick far enough out the opening to raise it to at least shoulder level. I'm thinking 1X2's will be strong enough for any push mower.

My mower lift has attachments that let it lift push mowers. Most time i just work on push mowers on the florr but if it needs more than routine maint i will lift it.

 

[StarTech]

I had one like that with a Scag spindle R&R. Clearly told him "Most cases" it's any hour labor. Which is correct. Usually to pull, reinstall and test takes about 1 hour. His was a problem. Took me and another fella about 4. I took the loss and only charged him 2hrs.
He still complained. But I didn't budge on the 2hrs, because he was being a prick about it. Plus, he brought his own spindle that he bought from a competitor.

But karma, being what it is, when he brought me the new spindle, I could feel a slight bit of grabbing in the bearings. One spot in it seems to grab a little. Even after greasing it. He insisted that I use it. Two weeks later, he came back with it burned up. He watched me grease it when he brought it to me (to see if it would turn smooth). So there was no chance of him accusing me of anything.
I suppose I was smiling too much when I told him I still had his old one that I could rebuild for $250 (about what he paid for the spindle he brought). He decided to take it to the guy who sold him the bad spindle. I was glad.

I know some customers think we are just trying to milk them every penny we can at times.

In this case PT the other shop should warranty the new spindle. I just recently replaced a Stens spindle on a Z925A that I replaced 6 months ago. It was still under the Stens warranty so the customer got a free replacement spindle. I took the Stens spindle apart just find out why it failed. It turned someone used the wrong spacer washer and spindle had been binding all along. Stens let me keep the unit so I rebuilt it making sure the spacer was right this time around and the spindle just left this week. The retail on those JD spindle are $210.

And yes I rebuilt a few Scag 461663 spindles which are selling for $257 but I also replacing them with Oregon 82-325 spindles which are about cost as rebuilding the old spindles.

 

[PTmowerMech]

I know some customers think we are just trying to milk them every penny we can at times.

In this case PT the other shop should warranty the new spindle. I just recently replaced a Stens spindle on a Z925A that I replaced 6 months ago. It was still under the Stens warranty so the customer got a free replacement spindle. I took the Stens spindle apart just find out why it failed. It turned someone used the wrong spacer washer and spindle had been binding all along. Stens let me keep the unit so I rebuilt it making sure the spacer was right this time around and the spindle just left this week. The retail on those JD spindle are $210.

And yes I rebuilt a few Scag 461663 spindles which are selling for $257 but I also replacing them with Oregon 82-325 spindles which are about cost as rebuilding the old spindles.

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out ways to cut a customers cost, than I ever did trying to figure out how to charge more. Maybe a lot of us are that way.
Which would explain why none of us are millionaires. lol

 

[PTmowerMech]

My mower lift has attachments that let it lift push mowers. Most time i just work on push mowers on the florr but if it needs more than routine maint i will lift it.

I sure miss my two post vehicle lift I had at my other shop. I used certain boards to put push mowers onto and raise them up in just a few seconds. It was a lot easier getting the carbs, blades on and off. It seems a little drastic. But bending over several times a day, takes it toll.
It was around November of 2020 that my back really put me down. That lasted until like march. Luckily it was the slow time of year. But I still needed make money.
Had it not been for that lift, my ship would've been sunk.