Archive through October 08, 2012

[bjamison]

Kirk L - that's a might fine looking shop you got there. Tractors look pretty good too!

 

[nbextermueller]

Ok guy's (and gal), power steering question. Didn't IH/CCC make 2 different length power steering columns? My off topic 2072 has a really tall column, I though there was a shorter "normal" height version too. I'm I thinking clearly?

 

[digger]

Yep, it's Off Topic alright.

 

[lcarter]

Hydro, back when I worked for a living the driveshafts we installed were always phased and balanced. When a driveshaft is installed out of alignment (not straight) the outer portion of the universal travels faster than the inner when rotating. If they are not in phase you will get a vibration which could cause failure, but in the case of the snow blower it could possibly cause the loosening of the set screws.

 

[sblunier]

Harry, You are right, sorry Doug...

As Larry explained, u-joints must be phased so that the "fork" on each end of the shaft is in the same plane. As Larry mentioned, this keeps the acceleration of the spider and bearings as constant as possible, eliminating vibration. This is adjusted at the splines in the center slip joint of the driveshaft.

Being "just a little" off could cause a high order vibration that isn't obvious, but is detrimental to equipment (and set screws)...if you are 90 deg out, the vibrations are nasty and destructive.

The sketch below answered a previous question that also involved how to tell a 36" driveshaft from a 42", hence the spacer note.

Fixes for the problem:

Verify timing/phasing of driveshaft, correct as necessary.

Degrease and lock tight the set screw (double set screw is good idea).

Make sure slip yoke on drive shaft if lubricated and moves freely.

NOTE: see text of picture below indicating a cotter key......the stub shaft on the blower (and gear box) has a hole drilled in the end of it for a cotter key (inside the yoke of the u-joint). This prevents the driveshaft from becoming a wrecking ball should you loose the set screw and the drive shaft come off the driven shaft. ALWAYS keey a cotter key installed in this location (especially if you are having set screw issues).

 

[sblunier]

44" decks:

Gator blades INCREASE the air flow and suction under the deck...not to mention cut better due to the square (not raked back) cutting edge.

Install Gators on a deck that has been carefully trued and squared per FAQ, then install on tractor perfectly level to 1/8-1/4" nose down and perfectly level side to side......HANG the deck from the subframe, but set the gauge wheels and cutting height so that there is ~1/2" air gap between a hard surface and the wheel. Prepared ans set-up this way the deck will not bounce, chatter, or be beat to death by a rough lawn, but will instead ride with very little weight on the wheels in the thatch of the lawn, ready to respond to terrain changes.

Front gauge wheels are a HUGE help to prevent scalping, as is a rear center anti scalping roller modification.

I mowed with a 44" set up as described on a 149, 169, and several 782's at 3-5 mph with great results (I tune my mowers until I get the golf course quality cut I want, yet maintain decent speed...I hate mowing slow

)

 

[hydroharry]

Thanks Larry C and Steve Mr. Plow - I'll make sure my drive shafts are in phase now. Just something I didn't realize before.
Thanks,

 

[jchamberlin]

Steve "Mr. Plow" Blunier: Thanks for posting the finer points of setting up a 44" deck. I've reviewed your FAQ, and I still have some work to do, I failed to check the level on every blade at 90 deg, but overall my deck is exactly where I want it.

By-the-way, thanks for mentioning the "raked back" cutting angle of the stock blades, I can't figure out why IH came up with the design, except they would need to be replaced more often.

I also find length differences between the different blades: IH/CCC blades for the 44" deck are 15.12" long, commonly available replacement blades from non-IH/CCC suppliers are 15.1" long (and say so on the label) but the cutting edge is "square" vs. "raked back"; whereas the Gator blades are slightly longer than the orgininal, stock blades, but they don't hit each other (barely).

If you can get the cut you say you can at 3-5 mph, I'll keep working on my deck; because the performance you report is my goal.

 

[lcarter]

Steve "Mr Plow" since you obviously have gator blades do they cut the grass to small clippings as advertised? As everyone knows the grass always grows greener over the septic tank and when I cut there are always more grass clippings in that area that I usually have to go back over to spread out. I may try the additional washer method as I did level my deck.

 

[sblunier]

Gators and Clippings:

They aren't "mulchers" but they do help make them finer (not obviously noticeable). The big performance boost comes from the square edge and more air flow.