Archive through July 17, 2014

[kmcconaughey]

Earl, all, I believe what is up with the QA42 is that the sprocket side auger axle was badly worn, probably due to a failed bearing. Then the PO had it turned down to get it back to being round and added a bushing. Note the step, red arrow in the photo.

EDIT: Earl, what is the part to the right side, the one that appears to be a pipe inserted into the bearing?

 

[jbaker]

I am here also lurking and reading cub cadet info

 

[hydroharry]

Kraig - Oh Great One Keeper of the Photos (and often lurking in the windy fields of the Great Cheese Country) - yes Earl's pic of that pipe in the bearing is what's got me sorta stumped to. My first thought was maybe he's showing the items in the wrong order and that pipe has the bearing from the other end of the auger BUT that doesn't make sense because it wouldn't be a pipe - it would also be a solid shaft.

Jeff - are those home grown kernels in the jar?

 

[rrschmitt]

Harry,

Your statement "The bearing used on the QA snow throwers is the same bearing used on the PTO clutch" is not quite correct. The outer race of the bearings on the snow thrower are semispherical to fit in the two retaining rings whereas the outer race of PTO clutch bearing is flat around its circumference to slide into the PTO clutch housing. The inner race ID's (1.0" Dia.) are the same.

 

[hydroharry]

Ron - you know I think you're right. I never checked the part number but was just going by what someone else had told me (long ago by a Cub Cadet dealer). I wonder if it's a situation where the bearing is not correct but "will work" for the snow thrower what way it gets squeezed between those 2 flanges that you are calling retaining rings.

(And by the way, I'm glad there are people on here checking out what I say - I've been know to be pretty loose with my knowledge. You probably know, but the older I get the farther I had to walk to school).

 

[elamott]

Harry, Kraig,
Thanks for the comments regarding the snow blower bearing assembly. I measured the sprocket shaft and it must have been turned down because it measures a short 7/8. The bushing brings it up to an inch. Sorry about the black tubing in the bearing. I just put it there to hold up the bearing so I could take the picture. It does not belong to the assembly.
I think I am going to tack weld the collar to the shaft and then install the bearing with the collar. Any other comments greatly appreciated.
Earl LaMott

 

[hydroharry]

Earl - makes sense now that you mentioned you added the pipe. Now - how do you proceed? I would definitely "not" weld the collar to the shaft. YOu'll end up with the same situation where the shaft will still spin inside the bushing. I think your only choice is to weld the bushing to the shaft. As long as the shaft is true and the bushing fits snug so it's true on the shaft I would think you should be ok. You will have to make sure the bushing will not spin inside the bearing. It must be the correct diameter to marry up with the bearing.

 

[dfrisk]

HARRY - Notice in Earl's picture how his old bearing's outer race is rounded towards the corners? That's the semi-spherical condition Ron was talking about.

That condition plus the two bearing retaining plates with matching spherical conditions make the bearings self-aligning so if the sides of the blower housing are not perfectly parallel, or the holes the bearings attach to are not perfectly in line, the bearings "align" themselves to each other.

NO way will the snow blower bearings work in a mechanical PTO, and the PTO bearing would not assemble properly in the snow blower, the two halfs of the bearing retainer would not tighten up. About all the bearings share is the common 1.00" dia inner race ID for use on a 1 inch shaft.

 

[jhillegass]

Good morning,

I need some advice for why the head bolts on a 14hp K321 Kohler (on a 149) seem to loosen up after about 3 to 5 hours of mowing time.

I'm on the second head gasket this season (and share the mowing with a 129). I've been retorqueing the bolts after the first three mowings. But now even after this, a few of the bolts still come loose again.

I'm thinking I could go with new bolts and see how that works out.

Has anyone run into this too and how did you fix it.

Thanks.

 

[jbkrupar]

Question on the air filter size between a K161 and K181 engine. Is the air filter for the K181 larger (taller) than the K161 air filter? I have seen K181 filter housings advertised that appear to be larger (deeper) than the K161 filter housing. I am asking because I swapped the K161 on my 72 with a K181 and reused the air filter housing.

 

[dfrisk]

JAMES - Yes, the K181 actually did have a taller air cleaner than the K161. ID & OD the same, just maybe half an inch taller. I wouldn't think using the smaller filter would do any harm to a K181.

FRAM CA76 filter fits the K181... just happens to be the same filter that my air compressor uses.

 

[jbkrupar]

Dennis,

Thanks for the info. I was making sure that I was not starving the engine for air as I live at 6700 feet. My father-in-law taught me the three things to check are fuel, spark and air. Will look for the appropriate filter holder. Jim

 

[jbaker]

Jerry H try NEW grade 8 bolts

 

[dfrisk]

JAMES - I've spent enough time at higher elevations to know what being short of breath is like.

At 6700 ft even with the large air filter from the K181, you won't get full rated hp, you'll be down about 1-1/2 HP from sea level performance. With the smaller air filter you would probably be down just a bit more.

If you run your engine wide open at full load frequently, it would be good to find the proper K181 air filter, but if your just running part throttle and light loads, it probably isn't necessary.

 

[hydroharry]

Dennis - I understand what your saying about the semi-spherical shape of the outer race of the bearing for the snow thrower, and I understand the 2 flanges hold it true and in place (I've replaced several of them). I also understand the outer race of the PTO bearing is flat and how it sits inside the PTO cast assembly. I was only passing on that I had been told one would work (could be used) in the other. I don't recall which way (whether the PTO bearing could be used in the thrower, or the thrower bearing in the PTO). I suspect it's the thrower bearing in the PTO - because you push the bearing up against that big snap ring, and when you install the PTO assembly onto the crankshaft those 3 little really pointy set screws get screwed down against the outer race of the bearing. As long as you hold the clutch assembly true vertical when tightening the sets screws I'll bet it would work. It ain't something I ever did that I recall, and I don't know if there is anyone on here that wants to try it just for discussion purposes, and I can't foresee a dire situation where in a pinch you would want to do this, I'm just saying someone at a CC dealership had told me it would work.

Hey Earl - have you got a PTO bearing you can slip between the 2 bearing flanges to see if they hold the bearing securely in place - and the flat surfaces on the flanges contact each other???

Jerry H - on your issue with head bolts coming loose. Are you torquing them to Kohler spec and in the correct sequence shown in the service manual? Also, after you torque them to spec, you need to run the engine for about 20 minutes, let it cool down 30 minutes, then re-torque them in the proper sequence again. If you're doing this and they are still coming loose after 3-5 hours of use then you may have a warped head. Before machining or replacing the head you could try new grade 8 head bolts as Jeff noted but I'll bet the same thing happens. The head needs to be true.

 

[dlbarnett]

Jerry H. are the bolts that loosen the ones that the heat shield attaches to? if so the spacers may be crushing and not holding the torque to spec. replace the spacers with a stack of grade eight washers.

 

[elamott]

Harry:
I don't have a PTO bearing to try on the snow thrower. I am just going to weld the bushing (I said collar before, I did mean bushing)to the shaft and go from there.
Thanks everyone
Earl

 

[dcmay]

I am not sure about all of this but I know Cub Cadet was sold in Jn 1981 and that CCC bought it.It was rumored that some Cub Cadet employers pooled their money, didn't have enough money so they went to MTD and MTD backed them for the rest of the money.One stipulation was they could not use MTD name for 15 years.(Maybe those who pooled their money would be retiring by then?).I am not sure how or where I got this info but this is the way I think the Cub Cadet history went after 1981.

 

[nbextermueller]

What are you talking about Dan? Where did that come from... You do know its never advised to use the Internet while drinking right?

Well, at least for me. I usually wake up in places of my home town I've never seen before.

Anyways. I only pay for pre '81 cubbies. They are the cat's meow.

 

[bcuster]

Can anyone identify the manufacturer of this front rotary mower attachment? I can't find any pictures that are similar to it in any of the Allied Equipment brochures....