Service & Maintenance Question
Any idea why the AWD walk-behind mower might pull only the...
Service & Maintenance Question posted May 23, 2018 by Thomas D Garrod
68 Views, 10 Comments
Question:
Any idea why the AWD walk-behind mower might pull only the rear wheels?
Details:
I have a puzzle: Rear wheels drive, but not the front wheels. The machine is about 4 years old. About a year ago, it started making an annoying noise that sounds like rushing air (best approximation), paired with engaged drive. I thought it was just debris in the belt channel, so I hosed it out and thought it got slightly better. I realize, now, I should have pulled the cover off and checked the belt, but I am a busy guy (lame, I know). Even now, I'm dressed for work, and though I'd like to pull it apart, I don't have the time. So, I'm puzzling it out in my mind. I expect the answer will be clear when I get to that, and I'll share it then, but anyone who'd like to pose a guess will be welcome.
Answer
OK. Pulling the many parts required to access the pulleys, it looks like the pulley adjacent to the drive shaft is frozen: it doesn't rotate like the others. Could that be its natural state? It looks like that pulley might be there only to guide the belt. I can't see how that pulley would put tension on the belt. The belt isn't broken. It clearly has too much slack to engage the front drive pulley. I still haven't broken the code to removing the plastic cover on the front top. That will allow me better access to the front pulley (a hint would be appreciated).
On a side note, I am disappointed with the Husqvarna engineering. The goal should be to support efficient maintenance and system durability. Better design would not require three different screw heads for cover removal. Better engineering would do a far better job of protecting the belt channel from debris build-up. It would also support regular flushing (the hose fitting is ineffective).
Be the first to rate this
|
Removing the front cover requires removal of two screws on underside at front and two screws on left side (standing behind) and one on right side (all three of the latter screws are, of course, are just behind the front wheels). My comment about flushing refers to the difficulty of flushing the belt housing - it was stuffed with grass despite my having flushed the underside after mowing.
Be the first to rate this
|
Removing the front cover requires removal of two screws on underside at front and two screws on left side (standing behind) and one on right side (all three of the latter screws are, of course, are just behind the front wheels). My comment about flushing refers to the difficulty of flushing the belt housing - it was stuffed with grass despite my having flushed the underside after mowing.
Be the first to rate this
|
Removing the front cover requires removal of two screws on underside at front and two screws on left side (standing behind) and one on right side (all three of the latter screws are, of course, just behind the front wheels). My comment about flushing refers to the difficulty of flushing the belt housing - it was stuffed with grass despite my having flushed the underside after mowing.
Be the first to rate this
|
I keep learning.
Be the first to rate this
|
Oh, and the belt slack is as it should be, because, by default, the belt is slack until the drive is engaged (smack forehead). If slack persists after engagement, I need to adjust the cable or replace the belt.The final question is: how is the frozen pulley enough to disable front-wheel drive? Perhaps the frozen pulley stretched the belt. Stay tuned.
Be the first to rate this
|
I would be leaning either a clutching problem in one the front wheels or front drive transmission.
Be the first to rate this
|
Thanks for weighing in Eugene. I finally got the front cover off. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the front drive transmission. The pulley turns, and when turning the shaft, at least one wheel turns (now that I think about it, I didn't observe both wheels). So I think if there is a problem with more than the frozen pulley, of your two possibilities, it will have to be the clutching problem. Stay tuned, the pulley will arrive on Tuesday. When I install that, I'll report what I find.
I see that this site has a "wish list." I thought that was a place where users could suggest improvements. Apparently it is a place where we can wish that a ferry godmother will happen upon our wish and buy us a desired Husqvarna product (perhaps a big and powerful riding lawn mower). If there my kind of wish list existed, I would wish that future designs close up the drive channel to prevent grass and dirt collection - and subsequent corrosion. This wouldn't be that difficult. They should also include ports allowing flushing of that channel. As it is, tons of grass and dirt collect inside the plastic covers, and there is no easy way to access those channels - though it does add a nice "heft" to the machine - a real feeling of substance.
Be the first to rate this
|
Replaced the pulley and that didn't solve the problem. Still think the problem is not front transmission and I doubt it is a clutching problem. Yeah, I know. I sound like I know something, but I didn't mention up front that I haven't even tried tightening the cable that engages the transmission. The noise from the cheap failing pulleys made me think of mechanical problems. Before I can test the lose cable theory, I need to remove the broken off blade bolt :>(. I was using a breaker bar to loosen and tighten the bolt. Forgetting the correct direction, I over-torqued it on removal. Now I am studying bolt end removal.
"This whole thing has sure been a lesson to me. Bang!" The Kingston Trio
Be the first to rate this
|
Finally got the blade adapter off using considerable heat and a puller-thingy. With the high moisture here in the Pacific Northwest, rust is a big factor. Once I got the mower back together with new bolt in place, and replaced center pulleys, I tightened the tension cable (the one that engages the transmission). It seems to work: no more noise with engaged transmission (that seems to be a function of pulley issues), both front and rear wheels pull with vigor. Lets hope it stays working for a while.
Lessons learned:
I haven't replaced the belt, but that and the tension cable are probable candidates for future failure.
Be the first to rate this
|