Still trying to get the mower deck right

[JimP2014]

Ronnie Milsap can see that idler is not correct.

You might have to remove the deck and take the bracket off for a complete inspection. There may be a SHOULDER washer under the bracket that allows it to spring loaded swivel and a matching thru bolt with a nut under the deck. That bracket that the idler mounts to should have very little up and down play also. Make sure that the deck is not cracked around the shoulder washer area. The bolt that holds that bracket to the deck needs to be checked to see if it's tight/bent or ???

Anyway that area is of interest as the Police inspectors say.

Hey forest it's singing like your buddy Ronnie not ringing anymore let's see how long it lasts but I need to make some other changes with the deck completely removed from the frame

 

[JimP2014]

Here is the video of the mower deck blades engaging and no ringing noise which is significantly better than it was maybe it still needs some work for other things also.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[GearHead36]

@JimP2014, what is your goal here? Do you want to "fix it right" and keep this mower working for another 10 yrs? Or do you want to just get it fixed enough to work for now, with plans to run it until it dies? I understand each position. It may not be worth it to "fix it right". If you DO want to fix it right, you have more work to do. The pulleys still aren't right.
Pulleys should:
- Not wobble.
- Not have much vertical play.
- Spin freely without excessive noise. They will make some noise, but they shouldn't be loud.

The tensioner arm shouldn't have play in it either. With the deck engaged, the belt should ride close to the middle of the idler pulleys. The belt should not ride against the edge of any of the idler pulleys. Belts should not get warm if the blades aren't mowing any grass. If you're wanting to keep this thing for a while, I would fix these things before getting wound up over belt lengths & widths. If you just want to get through this season, let 'er rip.

 

[JimP2014]

@JimP2014, what is your goal here? Do you want to "fix it right" and keep this mower working for another 10 yrs? Or do you want to just get it fixed enough to work for now, with plans to run it until it dies? I understand each position. It may not be worth it to "fix it right". If you DO want to fix it right, you have more work to do. The pulleys still aren't right.
Pulleys should:
- Not wobble.
- Not have much vertical play.
- Spin freely without excessive noise. They will make some noise, but they shouldn't be loud.

The tensioner arm shouldn't have play in it either. With the deck engaged, the belt should ride close to the middle of the idler pulleys. The belt should not ride against the edge of any of the idler pulleys. Belts should not get warm if the blades aren't mowing any grass. If you're wanting to keep this thing for a while, I would fix these things before getting wound up over belt lengths & widths. If you just want to get through this season, let 'er rip.

Well I have been battling some neck and shoulder nerve damage for a few months so a lot of how this goes depends on that no fun when you're doing some work on this thing and your whole shoulder is tingling and is numb but I think if I can move past all that and it heals reasonably well then yeah I like to really do a great job on it but as it stands now, mostly get it to run right would be the goal and not to prolong this injury to my neck and shoulder.

But an excellent question no doubt about it.


Jim