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Toro 20332 Recycler - rear drive issue

#1

S

slomo

Took the rear wheels off. Rear pinion gears look ok. This model the pinion gears just slide onto the rear drive shaft. Little C clip secures the gear on. This is not the ratcheting pinion gears as on other models.

Issue is it's hard to pull backwards and makes a lot of grinding/complaining noises while pushing forward, all this engine OFF.

With rear wheels removed, both pinion gears turn freely both directions with no binding. You can turn one side one way and the other side the other way to both the same direction, no issues.

My guess is the pinion gears are done. Maybe the wheels too. Guessing the mesh is off due to wear??

Pulls okay with engine on. Something is not right. Tried PP cable adjustments. Mower was made in 2012. What do you guys think?
31.jpg


#2

M

mechanic mark

Parts | Toro

www.toro.com www.toro.com
I think you need to write down serial # from mower & see troubleshooting section in manual. See Service Manual. Let us know how it goes, thanks, Mark
See serial # starting with 31500000001 click then service manual, section 2 .


#3

S

slomo

serial 313019137

She's 9 years old. Dad would push it around not knowing how to adjust the PP drive cable. Recently put a new OEM belt on and adjusted the cable. Dad said it now pulls him around the yard LOL.

I got the general use manual.

It's like the wheels don't want to turn and skid around in the garage engine off.

slomo


#4

R

Rivets

Nine years old, I’m betting the bearing hocs are worn, allowing the axle to twist out of alignment. This will lock up the wheels.


#5

upupandaway

upupandaway

slomo said:
My guess is the pinion gears are done. Maybe the wheels too. Guessing the mesh is off due to wear??
Click to expand...
Maybe. I would check if there is play in the pinion shaft or the wheel itself. Some play and it can easily skip a tooth or not mesh properly thus making noises.


#6

M

mechanic mark

Rivets said:
Nine years old, I’m betting the bearing hocs are worn, allowing the axle to twist out of alignment. This will lock up the wheels.
Click to expand...


#7

S

slomo

Rivets said:
Nine years old, I’m betting the bearing hocs are worn, allowing the axle to twist out of alignment. This will lock up the wheels.
Click to expand...
I can spin each pinion gear any direction with the wheels off. Both are nice and free spinning. Put the wheels on I get complaining and skidding around engine off. Guess is wheels or pinions are worn/not meshing proper.

Just found the engine has no compression. Need to pull the head looking for a loose valve seat or broke rod.

Check this out. Engine had one spot in the fuel line that didn't have a clamp. Little fuel would dribble out and get blown all under the engine shroud. Fuel collected dirt. Tons of dirt on top and sides of the engine. Always preach clean your cooling fins on here. Guessing an exhaust valve seat has jumped out of the block holding the ex valve open. Simple over heat strikes again.

slomo


#8

S

slomo

If I remove a C-clip at the pinion gear, the axle will move in and out a lot.

slomo


#9

Beamster

Beamster

About the only thing I hate in life is my Toro superrecycler. I knew I shouldn't have bought it and have kicked myself in the butt every time I use it.
As you found out, the drive system is an archaic PIA. Mine loves to eat and bind up drive belts.
I wish I never let the :LawnBoy and John Deere mowers go, but who know that is was not better days to come in technological development.


#10

R

Rivets

To each his own, its one of the best out there today.


#11

S

slomo

The recycler and super recycler are made now, to a price point. 20 years ago they were made to last. Get a commercial if you want a good Toro pusher. Course they don't have the personal pace and have a ton of levers to hold onto. I dislike holding onto levers while mowing.

The SR mulches great. Love the aluminum deck too. Love the personal pace drive system. Not as robust and reliable as the Snapper driven disk but what else is? LOL

Would love to have a Toro Super Recycler with the Kawasaki FJ180V engine and the Snapper drive system. That would be a mulching machine.

slomo


#12

D

deminin

I had similar troubles with my Toro 20332 last year...grinding noises, etc. The wheels and gears all seemed ok, but when I checked the transmission, it was shot...the main bearing was bad, and the pinion gear was worn. I wound up replacing the entire transmission and it has worked great since.


#13

S

slomo

deminin said:
I had similar troubles with my Toro 20332 last year...grinding noises, etc. The wheels and gears all seemed ok, but when I checked the transmission, it was shot...the main bearing was bad, and the pinion gear was worn. I wound up replacing the entire transmission and it has worked great since.
Click to expand...
I figured the trans was bad in mine too. Only like 65 bucks now. I need to pull the head on mine. Has no compression. Might be a loose valve seat possibly.

Think the issue with these transmissions is the use of heavy #2 wheel bearing grease. It dries up to a mud consistency. Youtube has a guy that opens several up. Looked like grease failure to me. I would of preferred a lighter grease like Snapper's 00 grade grease. It's a pudding like consistency that flows well, thick enough to not leak out.

slomo


#14

R

rice4me

slomo said:
Took the rear wheels off. Rear pinion gears look ok. This model the pinion gears just slide onto the rear drive shaft. Little C clip secures the gear on. This is not the ratcheting pinion gears as on other models.

Issue is it's hard to pull backwards and makes a lot of grinding/complaining noises while pushing forward, all this engine OFF.

With rear wheels removed, both pinion gears turn freely both directions with no binding. You can turn one side one way and the other side the other way to both the same direction, no issues.

My guess is the pinion gears are done. Maybe the wheels too. Guessing the mesh is off due to wear??

Pulls okay with engine on. Something is not right. Tried PP cable adjustments. Mower was made in 2012. What do you guys think?
View attachment 57089
Click to expand...
slomo said:
Took the rear wheels off. Rear pinion gears look ok. This model the pinion gears just slide onto the rear drive shaft. Little C clip secures the gear on. This is not the ratcheting pinion gears as on other models.

Issue is it's hard to pull backwards and makes a lot of grinding/complaining noises while pushing forward, all this engine OFF.

With rear wheels removed, both pinion gears turn freely both directions with no binding. You can turn one side one way and the other side the other way to both the same direction, no issues.

My guess is the pinion gears are done. Maybe the wheels too. Guessing the mesh is off due to wear??

Pulls okay with engine on. Something is not right. Tried PP cable adjustments. Mower was made in 2012. What do you guys think?
View attachment 57089
Click to expand...
Check to see if there is any wear in the wheel gears. I have a lawn boy that is about 15 years old. About 10 years ago I heard a grinding noise coming from the wheel gear area. I removed the dust cover and re-installed the wheel. When turning the wheel by hand I observed that only the outside tip of the wheel gear was making contact with the pinion. I determined that the wheel mounting plate was toed-in due to pressure applied by the height adjustment lever. To correct this I installed a nut spacer directly behind the end of the wheel mounting bolt and the mower body. Here is a link to the video showing my fix. Hope this helps.


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