Dumb move of the day...

[DIYDAVE]

Had the new mower, out today. mowed 3 lawns, with it, for those who are not familiar, I have another thread on it, see https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/i-think-i-found-my-new-lawnmower.74654/

Not to hype that thread, but onto the dumb move... Was on the second lawn, now this mower has 2 gas tanks, each with its own gauge, so there's no excuse, other than unfamiliarity. Has a hose switch teed into bottom of 1 tank, that you can set to left, right, or off. On the old Dixie Chopper, was no such thing, hadda vacuum valve, on each gas gauge, that you could use, kinda, to select tanks (the tank with the open valve would draw out, first, but they would eventually equalize...) Anyway, I knew the right tank was on empty, , so I sez to myself, I'll go another round, and switch over, cause I wanted to get a whole can of gas into the empty tank, with no leftovers. You guessed it, ran it out of gas. Tried to reach that valve, behind the seat, and under the tank, but no dice. Anyway, tried a re-start, no dice... Red light on the electronic hourmeter sez something is wrong. Kinda scratched my head, looked at the fuses on the kohler 33 efi motor, scratches head again, then sheepishly goes over and switches the electronic PTO switch to OFF, and she starts right up...

 

[Ronsii]

Don't you hate it when the safety features screw with ya'....


Just reminded me of a 'dumb move' I did a year or so ago.... So I drive into the neighbors with my noisy powerstroke... I see him out in the parking lot with a horse so I figure I'll put it into neutral and coast the rest of the way bout an hour later I go to leave and it won't start... DOH!!! first thought... must be the solenoid I've had trouble with it before... no prob I'll just jump it!!! So in a hurry I pop the hood jump out and grab my linemans and promptly reach in and give er' a short...bbrrrrpprpp she fires right up and then starts to go forward with me in front of it!!!! (oh shoot!!) so I only got about fifty feet before it would hit the brand new cummins dually!!! So I'm diggin in trying to slow it while getting around to open the drivers door... and reach the brake pedal... made it with 10 feet to spare. whew.... lesson learned make sure you put it in neutral!!!! or better yet park

 

[rondig]

Crap i would write something..but the moderators would tell me to get my own forum lol....everyday it seems myself or one of the guys does something stupid...

 

[DIYDAVE]

Got the old dixie chopper out, today, mothballed since the fall. Man what a difference that new on is, over the DC! Kinda like drivin a volkswagon, after drivin a caddilac! DC is much lighter, and easier to maneuver, but 100% BUMPIER, on rough ground. I'd say the new one is faster on the straightaways, but a tad slower, to do a 180º turn, than the DC, without scarring the turf. Add that to the hillside stability of the tracks, and its overall better. I didn't repeat the mistake of yesterday, though, dumped a can of gas in the DC, before starting to mow!

 

[DIYDAVE]

Well I hadda open my mouth! Saturday, was mowin wif the new one, and found a belt, after backin up, just layin in the grass. Thought that it was an old discard, from the old DC mower, that maybe I had hit, when mowing near the retaining wall, where I sometimes work on it, cause its real convenient to stand up, while working on stuff, there. Figgered it mighta been caught in the deck, and just fell out, cause I backed up. Mowed all the steep stuff, that the new one excels at. parked it on the ramp, where I change blades, as it was due for a blade change. Was underneath the front, finished changin the blades, was lookin fer other stuff to do, while I was on the ground, happened to see that the new one has 2 B-69 belts that drives the hydros. Only problem was, now there is only 1! I immediately took it down to the shop, where I have a serious set of ramps, backed it on 'em, and began the dis-assembly. Now its Easter Sunday Morning, I have the heat shield offa the mower, but I hadn't ordered belts fer it, cause, seriously its only got like 20 hrs on it! Hadda Dr appt this AM, so I called the local auto parts place, and ordered them, while waiting in the exam room. They said they should have 'em by 10-10:30, so I ate me a big 9AM brunch, at Bobs, went to the parts store, they lied, again, due in 1-1:30. went out and mowed 4-5 acres, wif the old DC, and then picked up the belts.

Got back about 3. took a lil nap, and said wth, might as well start on re-assembly. Man what a rubick's cube of a head scratcher, tryin to gets them 2 belts back on! Only took about 45 minutes of trying this then that, assembling, taking back off, putting back on, the right way, etc. Was only about 15 minutes of actual wrenchin, iff'n I did right, the first time! Anyway its all back together with the new belts on, all but the heat shield back on. Gonna re-check tomorry mornin, just to make sure, hadda walk away, at 5, don't wanna mess nuthin up, tryin to do it fast!

 

[DIYDAVE]

Got it all back together, this AM, no apparent errors... Should also have about a hundred bucks worth of various V-belts, here by next week, so it don't happen, agin...

 

[mowingman]

Did the original belts have Kevlar in them? A lot of time, the ones you purchase at the parts store do not, then people wonder why belts do not last long on their mower. Just something to check on.

 

[kshansen]

Dave,
On the chance this repair lasts a long time if it was me I'd do a nice detailed write-up explaining the procedure that you finally came up with that worked best.

Then print out a couple copies and stick one in each sleeve the new belts come in for future reference along with a copy in the owners manual. No sense in having to learn it all over 5 years from now!

 

[DIYDAVE]

Already wrote it in the copied operators manual, I keep in the shop... As for the kevlar belts, gots 4 coming in the belt order. I think that the one that broke was just put on old, or defective, lessn my nemesis, a gumball got sucked in, between the belt, and sheave, breaking the belt. First thing I checked for, did find a halfa one, as I was working , don't know if it was the culprit, but it is a possibility... If I had my druthers, I'd druther have a banded double belt, driving the hydros, but there's just not enough space, to put one in!