Craigslist 8400 Commercial Score

RC ALLOYS · Jan 30, 2009

Ok, decided to start a new thread since I've got this thing now. Found on Craigs here in St.Louis, about 2 miles from my house. Posted here asking if it was worth dragging home. After a few replies saying GO GET IT, I did.......... in the snow storm! Anyway, it is a decent piece and fairly complete. Just needs some basic pieces to make it go. LF tire is toast so need one of them. Missing the on/off/kill switch assembly as well. Needs a complete recoil rebuild as it is trashed due to spring coming apart. Shroud has been hacked for some reason, have NO clue why. Basic thing is to get it put back together and running then decide if it is getting a restore. Was family owned since new and came with all paperwork. Overall for $40 I suppose it was a good investment. Sort of would like to restore but thinking that might be quite costly. We shall see.

Currently making parts list and checking on rcpw.com for prices and avail. Wondering if you can purchase directly from them, or it's just a place to base pricing on and if parts are still available. I've got 2 or 3 Lawn-Boy dealers around here that are pretty big so I may have luck in getting the basic parts. Always wanted an older commercial model and nooooooooow I have one, self propel even. I'll kinda post updates as I learn more about parts availability and how the project is coming along.

Annnnnnnnd for grins, my 5022 bricktop. Older pics, I have since installed the nicer air filter set up.

es_bob · Jan 30, 2009

Wish I could find an 8400 or something of the like in my area and for what you paid. Good score, the brick doesn't look bad either.

imaLawnBoyFreak · Jan 30, 2009

Very nice find. I wonder what they were thinking when the cut that shroud. Looks like that commercial is in nice shape. Nice bricktop!

timberwolf1224 · Jan 30, 2009

Great score!:thThumbsU

Brad · Jan 31, 2009

Looks good! You didn't go wrong there.

grn68rt · Jan 31, 2009

I'm starting to get emotional over my 8401 I sold... :thSick:

RC ALLOYS · Jan 31, 2009

Found Cracks!

Welp, pulled the engine off the deck today. After doing so a crack revealed itself to me in the deck! Couldn't see it with the bagger chute and engine on the deck. Deck also has some holes where rocks blasted through it. Guess I'll have to fire the TIG up. I need a really trashed deck to practice on though. Oh well, nothing I can't fix.

Also nosed around on the engine a bit more. Reed plate looks pretty nice and clean, carb too (inside). Haven't had a chance to pop the muffler off to get a peek at the exhaust side of the engine. Will do that maybe tomorrow, blade plate is stuck on the crank. Will require a bit of noise to remove and the wife and kid are sleeping now. Then probably will just go ahead and split the engine and look around in there. Crank has a bit of end play in it, more than I'd like. Rough numbers say .040 to .056 up/down. Side to side it rattles a little which I will assume is bearings and seals. Flywheel side looks a bit gooey so it probably would be wise to do bearings and seals eh? Anyway, shot some pics of the cracked deck and the gooey engine.

imaLawnBoyFreak · Jan 31, 2009

Sorry to hear about the deck. THat little hole could be patched up with jb weld. THanks for the pictures of the clean up process

eric67m · Jan 31, 2009

A few questions.....

What filler metal do you use to TIG weld cracked deck? I mainly use 5356 at my work but want to see what other people have used successfully.

What size drive roll diameter are on your mower. My 8401 has the 1.12's on it.

Your gas tank looks like it sits how mine did, back in the path of the airflow in the bag. Some people said that I had the wrong chute or bag on it, and now I see that it is just like yours. I had problems with clogging (auto mulch) in our damp grass of the pacific northwest. I ended up making a bracket to move my tank up and forward about 4". I couldn't find any pictures right now but I will post some later. It seemed to greatly reduce the clogging problem.

tgore3 · Jan 31, 2009

LB manual tells you what to use as far as filler.

4043 on aluminum, pure mag on mag

RC ALLOYS · Jan 31, 2009

This is going to be a first on repairing a deck for me. Seems 4043 works on quite a bit of different series aluminum. I assume that would be safe, especially if Lawn-Boy manuals suggest it. We shall see. Meanwhile, going to TRY to get the engine further apart this evening after my helper (1yr old Son) goes nite nite. Found a full rebuild kit from Stens for the F-Series. Std. size rings, piston, gaskets, seals, etc. Wonder if it's worth doing that on this old guy.

grn68rt · Jan 31, 2009

RC ALLOYS said:
This is going to be a first on repairing a deck for me. Seems 4043 works on quite a bit of different series aluminum. I assume that would be safe, especially if Lawn-Boy manuals suggest it. We shall see. Meanwhile, going to TRY to get the engine further apart this evening after my helper (1yr old Son) goes nite nite. Found a full rebuild kit from Stens for the F-Series. Std. size rings, piston, gaskets, seals, etc. Wonder if it's worth doing that on this old guy.

Nope. Put him in box and send him to WI! :thThumbsU

tgore3 · Jan 31, 2009

I've bought several Stens kits from TEW. Good kits, an old LB could always use some new rings and seals.

RC ALLOYS · Jan 31, 2009

grn68rt said:
Nope. Put him in box and send him to WI! :thThumbsU

Ok, only if in return you send the Commercial Lawn-Boy in your avatar :fing32:

RC ALLOYS · Feb 1, 2009

Alrighty, nearly 10pm and I've got the engine stripped down. Cleaned the best I could with what I had around here (Purple Power). However it is pretty gunked up and will require a bit more scrubbing and detailing. Least I can touch it now without having to take a shower. Anyway, not much to report other than it's a bit cleaner and easier to work with. By the looks of the exhaust port and piston it will get a Stens rebuild kit, just for poops and giggles. Piston has some carbon build up on it and just makes sense to go through the engine and freshen it up. Few pics from tonite's adventures. As you can see, I didn't get to the carb. It's going to work with me to get cleaned next week. Nasty little booger ain't he :eck16:

Meanwhile, any suggestions how to clean the exhaust port out and make it look new again? It's got quite a bit of carbon grown in there. Any nifty chemicals anyone uses to break the carbon down? Guess I could carefully chip and clean it out then ever so gently sand blast it? Was actually thinking about blasting the muffler plate and the entire engine. Would be at low PSI, just to clean it up and give it a nice soft, new finish. Hmmmmmm.

tgore3 · Feb 1, 2009

I use the purple stuff too. Cleaning is the worst part of redoing LB's. That burt on stuff is just evil, I've been cooking it off on the grille. Looks like it's coming along. Thanks for the pics, pics are always good.

Sure looks like it could use some seals.

Indy452 · Feb 1, 2009

When you tear the engine down, I use a small rotary wire brush and zip it a few times with the brush on my drill. Cleans the exhaust ports and chamber nice.

Nice little project you have there.

Neal

johnsonmk · Feb 1, 2009

eric67m said:
A few questions.....

What filler metal do you use to TIG weld cracked deck? I mainly use 5356 at my work but want to see what other people have used successfully.

What size drive roll diameter are on your mower. My 8401 has the 1.12's on it.

Your gas tank looks like it sits how mine did, back in the path of the airflow in the bag. Some people said that I had the wrong chute or bag on it, and now I see that it is just like yours. I had problems with clogging (auto mulch) in our damp grass of the pacific northwest. I ended up making a bracket to move my tank up and forward about 4". I couldn't find any pictures right now but I will post some later. It seemed to greatly reduce the clogging problem.

Here is the information you need for the deck...
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=73275

tgore3 · Feb 1, 2009

johnsonmk said:
Here is the information you need for the deck...
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=73275

Well, that doesn't match up at all with what's in the LAWN-BOY SERVICE MANUAL 1950-88 (FORM 492-4608, INTERNET REVISION)

BROKEN OR CRACKED HOUSING
Housing breakage is never covered under
warranty except when a definite flaw is
found in the metal. However, broken housings
can be welded.

NOTE
For welding of the aluminum or magnesium
housings, an experienced welder is
recommended.

A Heliarc Welder using alternating current
(AC) will weld both aluminum and
magnesium housings.

NOTE
Do not attempt to weld these housings in
the Direct Current (DC) mode.
To Weld Aluminum Housings
Use the Heliarc Welder in AC mode with 40-43 aluminum
rod.

To Weld Magnesium Housings
Use the Heliarc Welder in AC mode with pure
magnesium rod.

SAFETY WARNING
WELDING MAGNESIUM HOUSINGS
WITH AN ACETYLENE TORCH IS
NOT RECOMMENDED. A POSSIBILITY
OF A FIRE AND/OR AN EXPLOSION
WILL EXIST.

NOTE
All magnesium decks have the word
"MAGNESIUM" cast-in place on the
left side near "PLACE FOOT HERE
WHEN STARTING."

tgore3 · Feb 1, 2009

Indy452 said:
When you tear the engine down, I use a small rotary wire brush and zip it a few times with the brush on my drill. Cleans the exhaust ports and chamber nice.

Nice little project you have there.

Neal

You stole that from me, lol. I use a 1/2" plumber's fitting brush, handle cut off, and in my drill. Mmmm, clean ports.

Craigslist 8400 Commercial Score

RC ALLOYS

es_bob

imaLawnBoyFreak

timberwolf1224

Brad

grn68rt

RC ALLOYS

imaLawnBoyFreak

eric67m

tgore3

RC ALLOYS

grn68rt

tgore3

RC ALLOYS

RC ALLOYS

tgore3

Indy452

johnsonmk

tgore3

tgore3

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