Farmer Fix

[Fawteen]

Customer has a Honda-powered Husqvarna self-propelled push mower.

The front axle design is too light (and the owner has a tendency to bull and thrash) so the plastic bushings held in by self-threading screws strip out, the height adjuster tucks under, the front of the mower drags the ground and the wheel jams against the housing. I replaced the plastic bushings once but they didn't last long.

First job was to manufacture some brass bushings. Didn't have any "real" bushings on hand so bored out some brass reducing nipples and sliced them in half to fit over the axle. Due to the adjuster flange, no way to slip them over the end.

Next job was to make some combination reinforcing plates for the thin mower deck and bushing retainers. Plan A was to have an inside and an outside plate, but there wasn't room once I started to assemble the axle.

The top half of the bushing is captured by the deck stamping, the bottom half by the reinforcing plate on the inside of the deck.

Axle pivots smoothly, axle housing on the deck is MUCH stiffer and it's all held in place with 1/4-20 bolts and Nylock nuts.

Hopefully that'll farmer-proof it for a while...

 

[JOCCO]

FAWTEEN a little story for you. I had a lady bought a new Husqvarna self-propelled mower. First go around she hit a rock as the lawn had not been cleaned up from snow plowing. Asked me to look at it and fix it. It bent the crankshaft and was ruined. How the blade did not break or come off is beyond me.

 

[joeysmith]

FAWTEEN a little story for you. I had a lady bought a new Husqvarna self-propelled mower. First go around she hit a rock as the lawn had not been cleaned up from snow plowing. Asked me to look at it and fix it. It bent the crankshaft and was ruined. How the blade did not break or come off is beyond me.

I have straightened many a push mower crankshaft.
Even had a jig so you could do it without tearing the engine apart

 

[WI Dan]

I have straightened many a push mower crankshaft.
Even had a jig so you could do it without tearing the engine apart

How do you straighten a vertical shaft crankshaft? It's so short?

 

[joeysmith]

How do you straighten a vertical shaft crankshaft? It's so short?

that is one off the internet
Mine came from a yard sale many years ago but basically the same design

Bolt the motor to it then use the push bolts to straighten the shaft

 

[WI Dan]

View attachment 162059that is one off the internet
Mine came from a yard sale many years ago but basically the same design

Bolt the motor to it then use the push bolts to straighten the shaft

ahh, i see. okay. Thanks!

 

[farmersamm]

Seems like it's been a hundred years, but I straightened the shaft on this old thing using an O/A torch, and a dial indicator. I wrapped a wet rag around the shaft where it exited the motor. I was afraid of cooking the seal. Still runs well........carb problems this year. FIRST TIME IT'S FAILED TO START IN THE NEAR ON 15 YEARS I'VE OWNED IT. Amazing.

So..................you have your wet rag at the base of the shaft where it enters the motor. Then you take a small tip torch (a small cutting tip is fine), and heat a small spot on the shaft at the apex of the bend. Then you use another wet rag to rapidly cool the hot spot you made. The spot doesn't have to be white hot..........only enough to create steam when you hit it with water. It doesn't have to be dull red like when you do most heat straightening. Just hot enough to slightly discolor the metal.

The rapid cooling causes your heated spot to contract..........bending it in the desired direction.

I got lucky, and didn't damage the seal. It's not something I'd recommend doing if you're not familiar with hot work.