Archive through March 25, 2012

[tzingleman]

Here is a Youtube link to a video of the problem:

http://youtu.be/N1rhk7EGsWg

There is a pully on the front of the engine that I guess would run to the front PTO, but the mower deck has been removed from my tractor. There is nothing attached to this pully. Could this be the cause of the noise? It sounds like it's coming from the front of the engine.

 

[hydroharry]

Norm B - that is a really great looking 14hp K341AQS. I certainly can appreciate the way you did it up. From what I can see it looks exactly as it should with a nice satin black finish. I see the coil and condenser mounted correctly, which is not an easy task the way Kohler set it up on that tin shield. I see the spark plug wire routed correctly from the coil to plug, aligned across the hanger bracket. And I especially like to see the rubber grommet on the spark plug, critical to keeping the air flow across the fins on the head. I can't tell you how many AQS engines I've seen without that rubber grommet. It's the 1st indication to me whether the engine has had proper maintenance or not. Really glad to see it.
Great Job!!!

Dave Kirk - Oh Great One of the Killer Kohler - we have a problem. I believe I mentioned the left arm is "supposed" to be slightly out of alignment (lower) than the right arm. Now you've gone and aligned them exactly. That means you'll likely have to do less leveling and aligning once you have it in place, which is sounds as tho you do. Why did IH have the left slightly lower than the right? I don't know, but every QL I've seen, and even xx8/xx9 had the left slightly lower. Of course my method of checking the alignment could have been off. All I would do is manually rotate both lift arms up against the frame cross-member, and the right one would touch it but the left one would be close, usually within 1/16 to 1/8 of touching the frame cross-member. It was just one of my initial test methods to see if there was any issue with these lift arms. And then I would hold one to see if the other had any play and vice versa. Oh well, now you'll be the only one with your lift arms in perfect alignment. I wanted to mention this so everyone wouldn't go thinking these arms have to be perfectly aligned. It's nice they are but I don't think IH did it. I guess we could ask all the QL and xx8/xx9 guys to let us know if their arem both hit the frame cross-member.

Tim Z Z Z Z Z Z - I have to agree with Jeff B. With your engine shut off you should be able to see the flywheel screen and if it is broke loose you would be able to just spin it around by hand. If by chance it does not rotate freely from being broke away from the flywheel cup, then another possibility may be the PTO clutch on the other side of the engine. Without a belt it can spin freely, but I don't think it would spin on it's own for about 30 seconds. You could leave your PTO lever engaged so the clutch is engaged and then the PTO will stop when the engine rotation stops. I still believe it's probably your flywheel screen since you mentioned the flywheel rotating, but thought I'd pass this possibility along.

Hydro Harry
Old Cubs Never Die (especially like a 1450 in Arlington, TX)

 

[hydroharry]

Tim Z Z Z Z Z Z - it's pretty late down in GA to be running your 124. Hope your neighbors don't live close. That pulley rotating is your PTO clutch on the front of the engine. I'm not sure if the bearing it rides on has gone bad, or if it's not fully releasing, or if it's rubbing on something. Your U-tube video is a little dark. I suggest you engage your PTO lever to see if the clutch will engage. Then when you shut the engine off the PTO clutch will not rotate.

Hydro Harry
Old Cubs Never Die (even being worked on late at night)

 

[kmcconaughey]

Tim Z., as you theorized and as Hydro suggested, it appears that your PTO is what is spinning. Move the lever to engage it and it should stop with the engine.

Under edit: Hydro beat me to the post...

 

[pfitzwater]

Hey guys, been awhile. Mowed the grass the first time this year and afterwords decided to take the deck off and take the little guys for a ride and I noticed the clutch slipping when I was taking it back in the shed. Brakes not stoping like it should and hard to get it in gear. It seemed to get worst the longer I was driving it. Could the mower deck put more weight and give it more friction? or is this just coincidence and the clutch friction plate Finely give out? I have been wanting to tear it down and repair it all anyway, just hoping to get a few more cuts in before.

 

[hydroharry]

Kraig - Oh Great One Keeper of the Photos - you're up really late for the east coast as well. Are you making a U-tube video like Tim Z Z Z Z Z Z?

Tim - just to add to my info, I recognize the sound your PTO clutch is making but honestly it's been so long since I've been into a PTO clutch I just can't recall what exactly is making that noise. It's a common noise and something is just not fully releasing. Hopefully the other guys will view your U-tube video and tell you right off the bat.

Patrick F - sounds like your clutch has gone out of adjustment since you don't have the braking you used to and it's hard shifting (I assume you're not shifting on the fly). You may get away with tightening the adjusting nut and give yourself a couple more mows, and it could fix your problem fully, but I have some feeling you're really due for a clutch rebuild. You may have broken the main clutch spring which would reduce the amount your clutch engages, or even broke the teaser spring so you don't have the same release range. I don't think it would be the pressure plates or disc. I'd have a good hard look at the entire clutch and drive shaft and the coupling to make sure you don't have something else going wrong, and so you catch it before the whole thing flys apart, which may tear up alot of things. Hopefully it's just a little tightening on the adjuting nut. Let us know what you determine.

Hydro Harry
Old Cubs Never Die (and GD's do get out of whack)

 

[tzingleman]

Thanks guys, the neighbors were partying in the garage next door, so I went ahead and cranked it up. I'll try engaging the PTO tomorrow and I'll see what happens.

My primary concern was not doing any permanent damage to the machine.

 

[dross]

Tim, I don't know why it is but that front clutch pulley should not be doing that. I didn't see any of the arm that throws it in and out of gear so it should be engaged (locked to the crank). Your original question was, "Is something wrong?" Yes. If you remove the front clutch you can leave the basket and driven pulley for the starter generator in place to use it for pulling a trailer. A guess would be the 3 bolts that hold the clutch pressure plate were not set up right or has come loose.

 

[dtanner]

Tim Zingleman
I would bet the PTO basket has broken loose from the drive pulley and shaft.I have the reverse problem here with the same part. My Cub won`t start because the pulley has broken loose from the centre shaft. As Denny suggested I will weld it on the back. You have the problem of the PTO basket has broken clear from the starter pulley and will need to be removed and welded also. No big deal , just pull the Pto and have a look in the PTO basket and you will see where its broken free. I will be doing that repair today and will post a few pictures. Later Don T

 

[dtanner]

Oh Tim I would say you are babying that Cub with such a small load , My 129 loader has loaded tires and I have added plastic 75 lb weights to the wheels and a set of IH 25 lb weights plus a weight box with 175 lbs in that. Now add my 240 lbs to the tractor . I have no problems moving with a full bucket of stone. so 400 lbs would be not much of a job for a 12 hp Cub . Stopping is your biggest problem because the load will push you down grades.With the loader and a full bucket I just drop the bucket to the ground when the cub runs away on me from lack of traction.If you are towing a trailer on level ground , I would not worry pulling 1000 lbs, just plan your stops and go SLOW. Be safe !

 

[dfrisk]

TIM Z. - To add to what DON T & all the others have said, you'll break your cart L-O-N-G before you'll break your 124 from hauling too big a load of dirt. You will be TRACTION limited in what you can pull and stop with. Wet grass, mud, loose rock, etc will decrease what available power you can put to the ground, both pulling and stopping. Going up and especially down steep hills you have to be careful to not run out of power or traction. But on good footing, level terrain you can pull whatever you can fit into your cart, and you can heap it up too. A good running 12 HP GD Cub Cadet should spin-out from lack of traction easily in 2nd gear on grass and dirt unless you have lugged tires and lots of weight on the drive wheels. Even with maximum traction on dry concrete you should be able to spin both rear tires easily in 1st gear.

I've moved L-O-T-S of dirt & rock with carts behind Cub Cadets, both GD & Hydro's, and I always load the carts up full when I need to. My current cart I pull behind my 982 has a gross capacity of 3000 pounds which lets me haul about 2500# of dirt/rock, here's a pic, Mine has six inch tall sideboards on top of the steel sides; http://www.solexcorp.com/productfiles/pronovost/503.html I moved about 15,000 pounds of dirt one afternoon in three hours with my 982 & cart, five heaping loads, couple of which I could barely dump, normally at idle I can dump a level to the top of the sides load of rock.

DAVE K. - I was going to suggest TIG welding those worn holes closed, much more focused heat with TIG. I found out the hard way about 6-8 yrs ago that there's a BIG difference between a drill press and a MILL when it comes to boring precision holes. My project, cutting four 5/8" wide slots about 2 inches long in some 1/2" thk steel plate turned out O-K, but it wasn't pretty getting there! A Bridgeport would have been the right tool for THAT job!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Tim Z., now that I have re-watched your video with fully awake eyes,

I see that Dave is correct, the PTO should already be engaged as there is no engagement/disengagement mechanism anywhere in sight. Just curious, how long has it been doing this? It isn't really going to hurt anything as it is just the PTO pulley continuing to spin on it's bearing. However, the PTO is definitely in need of a rebuild. And, where are the PTO engagement lever parts?

 

[messary]

Picked up my $10 loader this weekend, well turned out to be free. His wife even thanked me for taking it! It definately needs some work, but I was able to get it running and moving. The steering column was busted, so I put one I had in. Not sure what it came from, but, after installing it, it seems a little longer. The motor runs pretty good for sitting as long as it has. I did not realize the muffler was full of water unitl it started though. I now have an orange wall in my garage! All in all, it's actually in pretty good shape. It has an issue with the hydro though. I have to push the lever way up to get it to move forward, but reverse seems fine. Seems to move fine, just the lever needs to be moved up too far. It's like it has a very wide neutral zone. Any ideas? Anyhow, here's a couple pics of it running yesterday.
Mike

 

[jbaker]

Tim Z the others may be correct about the front pto, but it still sounds like the flywheel screen rubbing on the engine housing.

one other thing that popped in my mind is the bolt that holds the starter generator braket to the engine may have backed out and is rubbing on the front pto.

turn that engine by hand and see if you can locate the noise that way.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Mike E., WOW!

I wish I could find a $10 deal like that one. Nicely done!

 

[jbaker]

Mike, shame on that cub for staining your wall

. I tell you what give me an address and I will come pick up that naughty cub and punish it here at my home for misbehaven cubs.

 

[stanner]

Nice find Mike!!!

And to think all this time, I though Charlie had the monopoly on finding these things....

 

[nbartee]

Thanks Marlin & Harry, for the encouraging words

 

[dtanner]

mike essary
What a score you made!
I think the left valve looking down at them from you seat is the forward hydro valve. Do you have a spare ? I was just emptying and looking for a Cub part Today . I need something better than these boxes (3).

How do you all keep your spare parts orgined?

Wow FREE, My Loader standes me over 3 big ones

Now to haul the 12 K back out of the 125 again lol.

 

[thoffman]

It was in the 80's pretty much all week so I thought is was time run up Ol' Glory for the season.