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Blade hitting mowing deck problem

15 years ago

I need some advice on a problem with my Sears Craftsman II 38" twin-blade deck/12hp Tecumseh/6-speed gear trans riding mower. It is about 28 years old, model # 917.254.240, serial number is 1057S22991

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I was cutting the front grass last night and suddenly tractor started making this metal clanging sound...blade hitting the mowing deck with a slight vibration. Engine and transmission are okay and not the problem; When I disengage the blades it runs/drives fine. This is a new issue...

The blades are NOT hitting the deck if I move them by hand. At least 1 finger's width clearance all around on both blades between the blade and all parts of the deck. The blades are really dull and rusty, was planning to replace them soon. However, right-side blade wiggles back and forth when you grab it, left side blade is rock solid. Hmmmm.... nothing loose, deck belt is tight but worn badly... Pulleys look fine, don't see any grease spilling out. Maybe blew out a bearing, shim, spindle or ??? I went through the grass, did not see any loose parts that fell off. It will continue cutting grass but makes a lot of noise and vibrates. ????? The noise is definitely coming from the right-hand side.

I am guessing the shaft is wobbling and that is what is causing blade to strike the metal deck ??

Any thoughts on how to fix this?

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Comments (3)

mownie
15 years ago
You need to take the deck off, or at least get the tractor into a position where you can inspect the spindles and spindle mounting flanges. If the spindle bearings are sound, the most likely cause for what you are having is a crack in the deck around the mounting flange of one of the spindles, or the deck has become thin enough in that area to allow the deck to "warp" enough under the load of cutting for one of the blades to contact the deck. You should be able to find the spot being hit by the blade. All other areas will have a coating of old clipping debris but the contact point will be "scraped to bare metal". You might have to "wipe off" the fresh cuttings to locate the bare spot but it will be there somewhere.
rcmoser
15 years ago
i would also check Baffle welds, known to rust and break. if one is cracked and loose just take it out don't do much anyway. Agree with above it you didn't keep the top of the deck clean then it may have rusted through. Any wobble in the spindles would cause the vib and the blade not running true IMO.
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One problem with the preceding message. "Drill a hole in wall, insert nail, hang blade from nail--will be able to see which end is too long or too heavy! Oh yeah?? Hang the blade on a nail (how thick is a nail?) Then spin the blade! Or hang the blade from the nail! Won't the blade be off center, hanging on the nail? What is really needed is a round shaft that just fits the center hole, and allows the blade to spin freely, until it stops spinning, whereupon you would be able to determine which end is heavier than the other. I've sharpened a lot of my blades by using my bench grinder, and i get no vibration! Now, if i would grind off a half inch from one end--then yes i'd get vibration. One time, i didn't have a blade in my stock, to fit a mower, so i carefully measured the end that would allow it to clear, marked both ends, cut off the outer ends with an air grinder, file the edge a bit, hung it back on the machine, and felt on vibrations!
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rdaystrom
15 years ago
Spindle bearing most likely are shot. But like Mownie said it could be something else. I've seen the spindle itself get loose but that's easy to see when you grab the blade and move it back and forth. If the movement is internal then it's the bearings that are shot. You may need a new spindle assembly or rebuild it if you know how.

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