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Archive through October 02, 2012
- Thread starter kfreeman
- Start date
Help Support IH Cub Cadet Tractor Forum:
Okay I am needing a bit help here, I have the 42" mower deck the one with the cast nose and squared off ends, I went to change the deck belt and ended up breaking the tension spring on the tensioner pully, I have looking for the service, not owners manual, so that once I have the new spring in, I don't don't break it too trying to put the new belt on. Any help would be appreciated.
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- Oct 25, 2005
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- Brian Branstetter
A new box of parts arrived today. Thanks Cub Cadet Classics!!
Can't wait to get a new throttle cable in the 122 and not have to run kroil down it every other week to get it to move again. The po boiled a few batteries in it which dripped down to the cable and rusting it up pretty good. Surprised that it's made it this long.
Can't wait to get a new throttle cable in the 122 and not have to run kroil down it every other week to get it to move again. The po boiled a few batteries in it which dripped down to the cable and rusting it up pretty good. Surprised that it's made it this long.
Thomas, here are some photos of Dan Hoefler's Original.
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- Binder 1650
Charlie - straight to the point!
I had an electronics sales guy tell me one time that people would say to him, "I've been an electrician for 30 years." What they really were saying was, "I've been an electrician 30 times." LOL
Looking over these head gaskets on the IHCC single cylinder engines, I have to say that after replacing the head gaskets on my Kohler Command twin cylinder, I'm leaning towards NEVER owning any engine in a garden tractor that ain't 1) single cylinder, 2) cast iron and 3) Kohler!
I had an electronics sales guy tell me one time that people would say to him, "I've been an electrician for 30 years." What they really were saying was, "I've been an electrician 30 times." LOL
Looking over these head gaskets on the IHCC single cylinder engines, I have to say that after replacing the head gaskets on my Kohler Command twin cylinder, I'm leaning towards NEVER owning any engine in a garden tractor that ain't 1) single cylinder, 2) cast iron and 3) Kohler!
ERIC - The springs MTD sells, and for that matter, that IH used on the tensioner are almost a "one time use" spring. About every time I replace the spindle belt on a mower the tension spring is broken. If they break correctly, they actually last longer that way. Seems the eye that bolts to the mower deck housing always breaks on my decks.
They're not hard to replace. I think the same spring was used on ALL mower decks with the spring loaded tensioner. And if you look at the broken part bolted to the deck the way they install is pretty easy to figure out.
If you check the sponsors above I know they stock them. Today's CC dealers are really hit & miss. Some are experts on the older IH tractors. Some don't stock ANYTHING for them.
They're not hard to replace. I think the same spring was used on ALL mower decks with the spring loaded tensioner. And if you look at the broken part bolted to the deck the way they install is pretty easy to figure out.
If you check the sponsors above I know they stock them. Today's CC dealers are really hit & miss. Some are experts on the older IH tractors. Some don't stock ANYTHING for them.
Thanks Dennis, I have a new being shipped, I just wanted to make sure I was putting the belt and tensioner back on right, the last one broke at the bolt section where the spring itself is tightened down with a bolt on to the deck. But of course this looked like it had been on the deck for 20 or so years. Also upon getting new blades from the local CC dealer, i found that I had to grind the edges of the center blade down by just a little otherwise it was scraping on the baffels on the deck, asked the CC dealer and he said that, that happened occasionally and that they had given me the correct blades.
ERIC - That's odd that the center blade was a bit too long. Dad had a 42" deck that he never used, came with a pristine original condition 129, frt blade he never used, and a rear tiller that he used ALL the time.
I've had several 38" decks, and the center blades on a 38 & 42 are the same, the outer blades are just longer on the 42" deck. MTD must have changed suppliers of the blades and now they run long, or like I've had happen at work dozens of times, the new supplier finally made them to print! My current 38" deck was missing the baffles and I rebuilt them 30 yrs ago higher, thicker, and closer to the ends of the blades along with some other changes to the deck.
It shouldn't hurt anything grinding the ends off as long as you keep the blades in balance. I always balance the blades over the shaft of a round screw driver and make sure the blade balances with the screw driver splitting the center mounting hole perfectly in two. I also wire brush all the dust/dirt off the blades before I sharpen and balance them. I use a twisted wire brush in a drill press to clean them up.
Grass, dust, leaves, etc collect under the belt guards on those older decks and hold moisture if they're left out in the weather. Rust and springs don't mix well. I always blow out under those belt guards when I'm done mowing as well as blow everything else clean on the tractor with compressed air.
The tensioner needs to be pulled towards the front of the tractor when the mower is mounted, the belt installed and the belt set into the idler pulley. When it's right, the belt runs parallel to the right spindle pulley by the discharge chute, the back run goes to the left side outer pulley, and the front run to the idler, then curves forward to the center spindle. The idler has the spring force the idler towards the back of the deck.
The spring very possibly could be twenty years old. Those deck belts normally last a long time. It's the mule drive from the engine down around the two idler pulleys under the engine then back to the center spindle that go bad first. I would say the mower deck belt will last for 5-6 mule drive belts. Think I've broke only 2-3 mower deck belts on my 38" deck in the 31 yrs I've owned it.
I've had several 38" decks, and the center blades on a 38 & 42 are the same, the outer blades are just longer on the 42" deck. MTD must have changed suppliers of the blades and now they run long, or like I've had happen at work dozens of times, the new supplier finally made them to print! My current 38" deck was missing the baffles and I rebuilt them 30 yrs ago higher, thicker, and closer to the ends of the blades along with some other changes to the deck.
It shouldn't hurt anything grinding the ends off as long as you keep the blades in balance. I always balance the blades over the shaft of a round screw driver and make sure the blade balances with the screw driver splitting the center mounting hole perfectly in two. I also wire brush all the dust/dirt off the blades before I sharpen and balance them. I use a twisted wire brush in a drill press to clean them up.
Grass, dust, leaves, etc collect under the belt guards on those older decks and hold moisture if they're left out in the weather. Rust and springs don't mix well. I always blow out under those belt guards when I'm done mowing as well as blow everything else clean on the tractor with compressed air.
The tensioner needs to be pulled towards the front of the tractor when the mower is mounted, the belt installed and the belt set into the idler pulley. When it's right, the belt runs parallel to the right spindle pulley by the discharge chute, the back run goes to the left side outer pulley, and the front run to the idler, then curves forward to the center spindle. The idler has the spring force the idler towards the back of the deck.
The spring very possibly could be twenty years old. Those deck belts normally last a long time. It's the mule drive from the engine down around the two idler pulleys under the engine then back to the center spindle that go bad first. I would say the mower deck belt will last for 5-6 mule drive belts. Think I've broke only 2-3 mower deck belts on my 38" deck in the 31 yrs I've owned it.
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- Brian Branstetter
I love getting packages on the door step!! Maybe my wife won't run out of gas like I did at our first plow day.
jbaker
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- jeff l baker
Dennis and all thanks for your comments and keep them coming.
Today After cleaning up the cylinder edge and top
I decided to open the bottom to see if I had balance gears since the engine was on my bench.
yes theres the first one
so out they came
heres the gears and this one broke on the first hit and was the first one I had that broke free from the bearing race.
Tomorrow morning its going to be installed here so it can get back to tilling in the afternoon
Today After cleaning up the cylinder edge and top
I decided to open the bottom to see if I had balance gears since the engine was on my bench.
yes theres the first one
so out they came
heres the gears and this one broke on the first hit and was the first one I had that broke free from the bearing race.
Tomorrow morning its going to be installed here so it can get back to tilling in the afternoon
hydroharry
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- Harry Bursell
Jeff B - what a difference a day makes - the upper end looks great to me. Now, everytime I see balance gears it gets scary. Let us know how it runs and if you get noticably more shaking when you got it all done.
Dennis- yeah that deck belt had been on there quite awhile, it was starting to slip some, so when I put the tensioner or idler pully back on what is the best way to do it. Pull the pulley towards the front of the deck so I can get the belt on all the way around, otherwise I am not sure of a safe way to get the deck belt on.
Eric, I just went through this w/my newly restored 44" deck. I used a pipe wrench on the tension arm. Gives plenty of leverage. Just pull it against the spring and fish the belt into the pullies. Not a problem.
Dave S.
Dave S.
Jeff-
Good going. You really had pretty good luck for that second gear to break up that well, especially on the first hit. I've had to knock the hell out of some gear webbing to break them and actually bent the stud on the second (I think) engine I ever did. They usually break fairly easily though. I'm sure you used a magnet to clean up the inside well. It will now shake just a tad more at idle but will smooth out after that. You shouldn't be able to tell any difference at wot. Did you by any chance find any needle bearings in the pan? I have on more than one engine. I just did a K321 and both gears and bearings were still fine.
Now, after a little cleaning, you have a wonderful paper weight too!
Good going. You really had pretty good luck for that second gear to break up that well, especially on the first hit. I've had to knock the hell out of some gear webbing to break them and actually bent the stud on the second (I think) engine I ever did. They usually break fairly easily though. I'm sure you used a magnet to clean up the inside well. It will now shake just a tad more at idle but will smooth out after that. You shouldn't be able to tell any difference at wot. Did you by any chance find any needle bearings in the pan? I have on more than one engine. I just did a K321 and both gears and bearings were still fine.
Now, after a little cleaning, you have a wonderful paper weight too!
You are right about the length on the 42" deck, these blades were just over the 22" by less than an 1/8th of an inch, so I had to grind the tip edge of the blade mostly paint and just a little of the metal now it spins freely without getting catching the baffels on the deck.
Dennis-
It sounds to me like the top of the block of that K161 wasn't flat. Did you use the aluminum paint for a filler trying to get a tighter seal?
I didn't think the marks in Jeffs bore were the result of a broken ring; they were too angled and more like the result of a scratchy hone. He sure did a good job cleaning the top of that engine and the bore for the piston to still be there. Hopefully he'll get many years of good service now.
It sounds to me like the top of the block of that K161 wasn't flat. Did you use the aluminum paint for a filler trying to get a tighter seal?
I didn't think the marks in Jeffs bore were the result of a broken ring; they were too angled and more like the result of a scratchy hone. He sure did a good job cleaning the top of that engine and the bore for the piston to still be there. Hopefully he'll get many years of good service now.
