Mower Deck Help

[BHpa 6]

Hey all, 

 

I apologize if this is the wrong place/thread, but I need to pick the brains of some folks who know wheel horses.  I have a 1990 310-8 tractor that I use to mow my lawn.  I have a 36" rear discharge mower deck that was obtained separately from the tractor.  The issue I have is that the rear wheels of the deck keep coming off as I mow.  I'm not super mechanically inclined, but I've tried everything I know to do.  Is there some sort of secret here?  If I tighten them too much the wheels don't spin, so I tighten them as tight as I can while still letting them spin.  What am I missing?  

 

Thanks for you help!

 

BH

[peter lena 8,589]

@BHpahttps://www.bing.com/search?q=wheel+horse+lawn+mower+wheels+%2C+axel+bolts&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&lq=0&pq=wheel+horse+lawn+mower+wheels+% first thought , do you have the correct axels on those wheels ? the shoulder area , is designed to allow the wheel spin , while the thread area is separate and inside the deck . also what condition are the wheels ? 

[pfrederi 17,685]

Welcome!!!

 

 

Bolt should look like these.  Note how the unthreaded shoulder slightly protrudes from the hub.  That lets you get the bolt really tight and let the wheel still spin freely

 

 

[tunahead72 2,411]

Welcome aboard, fellow Phoenixville-ian! 

 

Peter and Paul have you on the right track, do your wheels look like the ones in Paul's photo?  There should be a lock nut or something similar on the threaded end.

 

Let me know if you don't get it straightened out, I may be able to come by and take a look.

 

 

 

[peter lena 8,589]

@tunahead72 like that idea , if you are close , your insight and wealth of experience will be a wake up call to BH .  pete

[BHpa 6]

Thanks to all for the help!  I'll do some checking to make sure I have the right axels for the wheels.  I've grown up with nothing but Wheel Horses, but this deck came via second/third hand folks, so I have no clue if things were parted out.  From putting the wheel back on (mid-mow) yesterday, things look right, but I'll have to do some double checking either tonight or at week's end.  The wheels are in OK shape, not brand new, but in good shape. 

 

One question, and I apologize if it is a stupid one.  Are you supposed to use a washer with the axel bolt (on the outer side of the wheel)?  The deck wheels had them, so I've always just put them back on, but am wondering if that shortens it enough that it makes it too snug to spin.  

 

@tunahead72 I have to say I'm surprised to find anyone from Phoenixville on there.  Small world!  

 

 

[lynnmor 7,302]

53 minutes ago, BHpa said:

One question, and I apologize if it is a stupid one.  Are you supposed to use a washer with the axel bolt (on the outer side of the wheel)?  The deck wheels had them, so I've always just put them back on, but am wondering if that shortens it enough that it makes it too snug to spin.  

 

@tunahead72

Right there is the answer, if you use a washer there it must have a hole that is the same size as the threads.

A used deck can have cheap lawn mower wheels that are too light duty for your deck, so check that.  Wheel Horse wheels usually have a grease fitting, pump grease in there often till it comes out at the axle.

[tunahead72 2,411]

 

4 hours ago, BHpa said:

... One question, and I apologize if it is a stupid one.  Are you supposed to use a washer with the axel bolt (on the outer side of the wheel)?  The deck wheels had them, so I've always just put them back on, but am wondering if that shortens it enough that it makes it too snug to spin.

 

I was wondering about this myself recently.  I'm only really familiar with the 42" side discharge decks, but I've been working on the one on my C-105 the last couple of days, and both wheels had a washer on the inside of the tab, so between the tab and the nut on the end of the axle.  They've been like that forever, but they weren't the right size to do what I felt like they should do -- the inside diameter was too large for the nut to sit squarely against the washer.  The wheels rolled okay, with a little side-to-side movement that I've always thought was normal (but I could be wrong).  I played around with different configurations of the washers, and finally settled on removing the washers completely -- the wheels still roll nicely, and still have a little side-to-side movement, but the nuts now sit squarely against the tab.

 

I checked every parts list that I could find for the 42" side discharge mowers, and they show one of two arrangements -- either no washer at all, or one or two washers between the inside of the wheel and the outside of the tab.  I thought this might be due to different axles, but as near as I can tell, they're all using the same shoulder bolt #5188.  And I don't know what the dimensions of the washers are supposed to be, or the shoulder bolt either for that matter.

 

@BHpa  If you feel like doing some research, see if you can find a parts list (IPL or TIPL) for your deck in the manuals here on the forum, and see what it shows for those wheel assemblies.  Or just play around with the washers and see what works best.

 

[Rick3478 428]

22 hours ago, BHpa said:

One question, and I apologize if it is a stupid one.  Are you supposed to use a washer with the axel bolt (on the outer side of the wheel)?  The deck wheels had them, so I've always just put them back on, but am wondering if that shortens it enough that it makes it too snug to spin.  

 

 

I think you've just put your finger on the problem.  The shoulder bolts are the right length to use the OEM wheels without washers, and if you add a washer there will make it too tight.  Some of us use third party wheels, and you're on your own to figure out optimum mounting in that case.

[BHpa 6]

Sorry for the delay in response to this was busy with Easter stuff then was a bit under the weather.  It looks like the wheels are original wheel horse wheels so I removed the washer and it looks like it may have resolved the problem.  I'll know for sure after another mow or two.  Thank you all for you helpful insight!