Is anyone else being driven insane by mowers that don't cut ?

interesting, that big slotted boss looks like it is some sort of 'sprung' retainer for the pulley, and separate from it ? Shouldn't be surprised if the pulley has a woodruff key in it !!
Bob
 
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This is just amazing its so simple to work on .... I spent 5minutes looking at it ... undid 3 bolts, lifted the frame up and rolled the mower backwards. Deck removed :dance:

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I thought there would be a big nut on top of the pulley. There this, that must clamp the pulley down onto the shaft...

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see the pulley is slotted. I just used a puller right? I thought I'd check with you guys as you all seem to have been here before (my experience with using a puller on pulleys ... is bending and breaking the pulleys :eek:
It looks like a split collar and the 3 bolt plate you have removed clamps it onto the shaft. I would say if you put a screwdriver in the full slot and gave it a bit of a tap the collar will spread as little and lift off separately. The pulley will be on a woodruff key and may well wiggle off without a puller. The split collar is just there to stop the pulley walking up the shaft, it has no real load on it.
 
It looks like a split collar and the 3 bolt plate you have removed clamps it onto the shaft. I would say if you put a screwdriver in the full slot and gave it a bit of a tap the collar will spread as little and lift off separately. The pulley will be on a woodruff key and may well wiggle off without a puller. The split collar is just there to stop the pulley walking up the shaft, it has no real load on it.
Would be nice for Double Chevron to view the detail of that setup before he attempts to remove it. My thought was to apply some heat to the slotted collar to expand it slightly away from the shaft but I guess the screwdriver in one of the slots would probably achieve that without adding heat...and then gentle assistance with a puller. Hopefully there will be someone who has actually pulled one apart and can say with confidence how to approach the removal. I wonder if the manual mentioned in the link shows an exploded view of the actual components ?

Pulling things apart is the fun bit, getting it all back together and working is the challenge of course. :rolleyes:

Ken
 
Would be nice for Double Chevron to view the detail of that setup before he attempts to remove it. My thought was to apply some heat to the slotted collar to expand it slightly away from the shaft but I guess the screwdriver in one of the slots would probably achieve that without adding heat...and then gentle assistance with a puller. Hopefully there will be someone who has actually pulled one apart and can say with confidence how to approach the removal. I wonder if the manual mentioned in the link shows an exploded view of the actual components ?

Pulling things apart is the fun bit, getting it all back together and working is the challenge of course. :rolleyes:

Ken
The hole in the collar will be exactly the same size as the shaft, the split is to allow the collar clamp up onto the shaft with the application of the locking plate. The collar will have a slight taper on the outside that allows the locking plate to apply inward pressure as it bears downward on the taper. Problem is it has been on there a while so has a rust bond onto the shaft. The slot will only require expanding slightly to break this chemical bond, a bit of a squirt of CRC or Inox and it'll lift straiģht off. Once the screwdriver is removed it will return to its original shape.
It's a similar idea to the Taper Lock system only it's only focussed on locking the collar to the shaft, whereas a Taper Lock locks into the special Taper Lock pulley/sprocket as well as onto the shaft.
 
Yeah, well if your putting a puller on the pulley, putting some tension on it and giving it a whack with a heavy hammer ..... while also apply heat...... Don't do that :cautious::censored: Imagine my suprise when I accidently bent the pulley when the puller fell off..... Or, on closer inspection ... I groaned .... and gave the pulley a few good whacks with the hammer and knocked it out the way ....

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Both the pulley and the plate at the top sandwich the center down onto the shaft, so by using a puller on the pulley, I'm clamping to the shaft harder, the harder I pull.

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I'll need to put the deck up on some blocks of wood and see if I can beating the hell out of it with a heavy sledge hammer will get it out (well that's the only way I can think of to do it)
 

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Yeah, well if your putting a puller on the pulley, putting some tension on it and giving it a whack with a heavy hammer ..... while also apply heat...... Don't do that :cautious::censored: Imagine my suprise when I accidently bent the pulley when the puller fell off..... Or, on closer inspection ... I groaned .... and gave the pulley a few good whacks with the hammer and knocked it out the way ....

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Both the pulley and the plate at the top sandwich the center down onto the shaft, so by using a puller on the pulley, I'm clamping to the shaft harder, the harder I pull.

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I'll need to put the deck up on some blocks of wood and see if I can beating the hell out of it with a heavy sledge hammer will get it out (well that's the only way I can think of to do it)
Oh it is a taper lock, never seen one like that before. That hub must be double tapered? I first started using taper locks 40 years ago and have only ever been supplied ones like in the attached image. I wonder if they manufactured their own?
I see that little collar on top of the bearing has a spot for a grub screw, I'd make sure there's no more grub screws in it before you start hammering. Maybe try and pull that collar off first?
 

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Yeah, well if your putting a puller on the pulley, putting some tension on it and giving it a whack with a heavy hammer ..... while also apply heat...... Don't do that :cautious::censored: Imagine my suprise when I accidently bent the pulley when the puller fell off..... Or, on closer inspection ... I groaned .... and gave the pulley a few good whacks with the hammer and knocked it out the way ....

View attachment 138908

Both the pulley and the plate at the top sandwich the center down onto the shaft, so by using a puller on the pulley, I'm clamping to the shaft harder, the harder I pull.

View attachment 138905

I'll need to put the deck up on some blocks of wood and see if I can beating the hell out of it with a heavy sledge hammer will get it out (well that's the only way I can think of to do it)
Depending on how the pulley is placed, rather than pulling on the pulley it can be tapped down with a hammer to loosen it off the tapered boss. Strike it on the centre part of the pulley that has the threaded holes to avoid cracking the arms that hold the outer v section.
Then if the boss is frozen it can be spread with a screwdriver to loosen it on the shaft.
I know it is too late now, but next time.

I looked at Sparks Ag that was suggested back in this thread. They list a spindle bearing for AMC and also if disaster occurs they have a spindle housing that looks like the one above.
Parts AMC-H0005 housing AMC-Booo8 bearing Many others parts that may be of interest.

 
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This thing is just a tank. I've been heating the hell out of the and beating the shit out of the spindle with a heavy sledge hammer. I was thinking I'd bent and distorted the area here ....

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Look at the sheer size of the spindel (ever look at a crap american mowers are made of ?) This is all heavy cast iron, the pulley is heavy cast iron. its only died after a couple of decades as the bearings have dried out (there was a grease nipple hidden down under the pulley)

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I wonder if I shoudl source sealed bearings ... or greasasble bearings given we now know there is a grease nipple hidden down here .... hmmm.... I'll straighten it all out as good as I can before re-assembly. I doubt I'll need to visit here even again if I fit greasable bearings and keep the grease up to them.


I'm now thinking it wasn't me beating the hell of of it that bent that area .... Look at the grass clamped between the spindle house and mower deck. This has run loose at some point and been tightened without dismantling it all to clean it. If I just cleaned this deck (not even painted it) it would look pretty much brand new again. Amazing for a 19 year old mower.I
 

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Oh it is a taper lock, never seen one like that before. That hub must be double tapered? I first started using taper locks 40 years ago and have only ever been supplied ones like in the attached image. I wonder if they manufactured their own?
I see that little collar on top of the bearing has a spot for a grub screw, I'd make sure there's no more grub screws in it before you start hammering. Maybe try and pull that collar off first?
Yes that's right. Its a double taper lock. Nothing damaged or bent 'cos its probably 4 times that size it needs to be!
 
Depending on how the pulley is placed, rather than pulling on the pulley it can be tapped down with a hammer to loosen it off the tapered boss. Strike it on the centre part of the pulley that has the threaded holes to avoid cracking the arms that hold the outer v section.
Then if the boss is frozen it can be spread with a screwdriver to loosen it on the shaft.
I know it is too late now, but next time.

I looked at Sparks Ag that was suggested back in this thread. They list a spindle bearing for AMC and also if disaster occurs they have a spindle housing that looks like the one above.
Parts AMC-H0005 housing AMC-Booo8 bearing Many others parts that may be of interest.

[/URL]
Oh yeah, once a realised it was a center section clamped in place by both the pulley and top plate, I got it straight off with a small 3legged puller :)
 
Are you right from here, Shane? (to get the bearing remains off the shaft?)

Check that deck belt tensioner idler pulley - your headphones are on it in the photo above. It looks like you have a crack in the edge of the pulley. I think I have a spare good used if you need it. My mower has a John Deere one on it - took my failed one to a mower shop, they said AMC one NLA and gave me the JD one which wasn't identical, but near enough. I see Sparks have the correct one now - AMC-M0015 for $58.65 if you want a new one. (I had to replace mine before I had the spare parts dead mower.)

Also , check the 4 long bolts passing through the diff. They get loose, sloppy and suddenly snap off. They must be HT bolts to replace, Sparks have a set AMC-C9826 for $25. I suspect they get hot, the nyloc releases, this might be why they work loose? I put star washers as well as nyloc nuts on last time I replaced the bolts, hasn't worked loose yet, but hasn't had much work since then either.
I mainly use the Greenfield now, the AMC sits in reserve for any really nasty jobs that might damage the Greenfield.
 
Are you right from here, Shane? (to get the bearing remains off the shaft?)

Check that deck belt tensioner idler pulley - your headphones are on it in the photo above. It looks like you have a crack in the edge of the pulley. I think I have a spare good used if you need it. My mower has a John Deere one on it - took my failed one to a mower shop, they said AMC one NLA and gave me the JD one which wasn't identical, but near enough. I see Sparks have the correct one now - AMC-M0015 for $58.65 if you want a new one. (I had to replace mine before I had the spare parts dead mower.)

Also , check the 4 long bolts passing through the diff. They get loose, sloppy and suddenly snap off. They must be HT bolts to replace, Sparks have a set AMC-C9826 for $25. I suspect they get hot, the nyloc releases, this might be why they work loose? I put star washers as well as nyloc nuts on last time I replaced the bolts, hasn't worked loose yet, but hasn't had much work since then either.
I mainly use the Greenfield now, the AMC sits in reserve for any really nasty jobs that might damage the Greenfield.

I think its all good. I'll just cut the bearings with a 1mm wheel so they release easily and clean up any burs I've made on the top of the shaft by beating on it. now I have access every/any puller or press will pull the retaining sleeve. This is such a heavy duty unit I'd prefer to keep what is here if possible :) I'll check all the tensioner pulleys and bearings while I'm here too. I don't think this mower has done many hours now I've pulled a few things apart. Nothing is worn (eg: where rods pass through brackets .. they usually ovalise out with use vibration... everything seems very good so far. I'm only really finding age related issues (eg: dry bearings).

Thanks for the tip on the diff, I'll run a spanner over everything. I've already found the blade was loose'ish ... the spindle was loose'ish .etc...
 
Do you think thread sealer on all the bolts as its assembled would help? Not loctite thread locker, but the sealer, I have some loctite 542 here. It might stop everything rusting together if its not pulled apart for another couple of decades ... but prevent loosening from vibration :confused:
 
Memo to self, always preface any suggestion for Shane with "Gentle" "careful" "delicate" especially when removing (or attempting to remove parts) Brute force of course will work after all else fails.....:D:eek:

Ken
 
Do you think thread sealer on all the bolts as its assembled would help? Not loctite thread locker, but the sealer, I have some loctite 542 here. It might stop everything rusting together if its not pulled apart for another couple of decades ... but prevent loosening from vibration :confused:
Kopr-Kote would be the best stuff to use: https://xtex.com.au/kopr-kote-anti-seize/
 
Oh yeah, I have anti-seize here ... but that won't stop it from vibrating loose!
I read an interesting article on lock washers and anaerobic adhesives in a vibration environment. All the common lock washers, spring, internal/external serrated, wavy etc were no better than a normal flat washer at preventing the initial break of tension, all they did was delay the time it took for the first thread or so to undo. Nordlocks were the only locking washer that performed "extremely" well. Second to the Nordlock washer was Loctite 2760.
 
I read an interesting article on lock washers and anaerobic adhesives in a vibration environment. All the common lock washers, spring, internal/external serrated, wavy etc were no better than a normal flat washer at preventing the initial break of tension, all they did was delay the time it took for the first thread or so to undo. Nordlocks were the only locking washer that performed "extremely" well. Second to the Nordlock washer was Loctite 2760.
Oh 2760 is high strength loctite... I have some here, but if that's used I'll probably find we round or sheer off all the fasteners if they need to be removed in the future :) I was thinking, leave the lock washers there, but also add the thread sealer/medium locking 542.
 
Oh 2760 is high strength loctite... I have some here, but if that's used I'll probably find we round or sheer off all the fasteners if they need to be removed in the future :) I was thinking, leave the lock washers there, but also add the thread sealer/medium locking 542.
I've used 2760 lots of times. As long as the bolt heads are in good condition they will undo just fine. Use a 6 point socket for added insurance.
 
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