[daveneo]

extracted this guy from beneath the center of the LT1000...idler pulley for engine drive belt. Needed 3 hands for this operation so took a while with two. To install new one had to glue the nut into a box wrench so I could hold it in place and push bolt with pulley on it up from underneath and get it threaded on the nut. Not really anything easy to take out to give better access. Anyway it's done and all is working OK again. This is what happens when the bearing seizes and you don't know about for a few months...

 

[My craftsman 917.27308]

extracted this guy from beneath the center of the LT1000...idler pulley for engine drive belt. Needed 3 hands for this operation so took a while with two. To install new one had to glue the nut into a box wrench so I could hold it in place and push bolt with pulley on it up from underneath and get it threaded on the nut. Not really anything easy to take out to give better access. Anyway it's done and all is working OK again. This is what happens when the bearing seizes and you don't know about for a few months...



View attachment 2486097

That happen to mine this past spring. Sears was out of stock on that particular one and I forgot what I ended up using. I ordered the parts ahead of Sears coming out to fix it for me and they ask if I could help them that it takes three or four hands.

 

[ECONORAM]

Wow! Hope I don't have to wrestle that type of pulley...
Here's what I did this morning with the 27038:
And then rolled some snowmen.

 

[mikeinri]

Glued the nut to a wrench? I've never heard of that, sounds interesting. Vice grips wouldn't work???

I pulled the deck off my GS6500 today, and cleaned it up. I'd held off, planning to use it one more time with the Trac Vac, after running the dethatcher to pull up clumps of leaves and acorns. The Trac Vac has been out of commission, so I decided to move on and deal with the lawn again in the spring.

The bottom of the deck was spotless after late season leaf duty (that always seems to knock out any grass).

The top was a mess. Although I always clear it off with a leaf blower after each use, the spindle covers are impossible to really clean under them. Plus, acorns always seem to find a way to get lodged in the spindle vents, which just allow the grass and leaves to pile up.

It's due for a new belt. I'll run this one until it breaks.

Anyway, it's off and I then spent some quality time with the boys, moving and stacking 3 loads of firewood with the 10 cuft cart. I let the 14-year-old do the driving...

Mike

 

[ECONORAM]

I've not tried to glue a nut into a wrench, but I have numerous times either wrapped the nut with a piece of electrical tape, or wrapped once around the box end of the wrench with electrical tape then wedge the nut in. This also works to hold an apex bit in a 1/4" wrench end.
<edit> I've also hammered a washer onto an apex to keep it from slipping all the way into the socket. Not to mention tying a wax string to wrenches to keep them from falling into a bad spot...

 

[mikeinri]

Good point. I've used masking tape to wedge a nut into a socket, just never thought about using glue. Sounds like a good trick if you can clean it out well afterwards.

Mike

 

[daveneo]

there was just 0 space to slide anything else in there but a flat box wrench.. the nut sat under the steering gear....

 

[B440]

...the spindle covers are impossible to really clean under them. Plus, acorns always seem to find a way to get lodged in the spindle vents, which just allow the grass and leaves to pile up.

You should cut some of the bottom away from the guards. The plastic guards only keep loose objects from getting caught in the belt.

I did this to my YTS4500 and need to repeat those cutouts on the GT6000.

 

[RedOctobyr]

Hmm, that's an interesting idea, thanks! I think I'm fairly successful blowing mine out with the leaf blower after mowing, but I'll bet it would be more effective if I opened things up a bit. And I know not to stick my fingers in there while it's running.

 

[mikeinri]

there was just 0 space to slide anything else in there but a flat box wrench.. the nut sat under the steering gear....

Wow, that sounds like a suck-tastic design. Honestly, I'm glad to have learned a new trick from you (one can never have too many).

You should cut some of the bottom away from the guards. The plastic guards only keep loose objects from getting caught in the belt.

I did this to my YTS4500 and need to repeat those cutouts on the GT6000.

Thanks for those pics! That's a great idea! I won't leave the covers off completely like others have suggested, but this looks like a great compromise.

Mike

 

[My craftsman 917.27308]

Leaves and grass do get caked up in there. I always use a screwdriver with a leaf blower.

 

[BigToe]

Got the email from Canadian Tire that a pair of HI-RUN 18x9.50-8 turf tires are ready for curb-side pickup.. Ordered them the week prior to Christmas, and were scheduled to arrive first week of January.. It all happened as planned, and got them mounted up today on the wife's DGS3500, ready for spring, about 4 months from now.. Next, figure out what else can be done during this lock down... arg..

 

[mikeinri]

More tug duty for the GS6500 today. Didn't get many pics of the process, and none of the tractor, but we moved 3 carts (2 10 cuft and the 17 cuft) stuffed full of pine that we'd split in the fall, over to a newly refreshed set of storage racks (made from free pallets).

Also pulled the Trac Vac 880 around to clean up some leaves that were still in place back there since the fall. Still have a ways to go with that in other parts of the backyard, but it's not a huge priority.

Pic is the end product of about 4.5 hours of work with the boys (not including football and snack breaks, of course)...

Mike

 

[My craftsman 917.27308]

I found this video of a homemade grass and leaf collector. It may interest some people.

 

[mikeinri]

Interesting, but there's no way you're repeatedly lifting a 44-gallon bucket, full of wet leaves, up and out of there. No... Way...

Mike

 

[My craftsman 917.27308]

I don't even think it can suck up wet leaves with that high of a climb. But your right, you have to left it up a foot or more to empty it. Maybe drill some quarter inch holes on the bottom to drain the water out.

 

[daveneo]

listed it in the for sale forum today.

 

[B440]

I pulled the Kohler Command engine from this older LT2000. It is a 17.5hp.

It's going into this 2006 Husqvarna YTH20F42. Not quite a Craftsman, but was the parent company building them for a long time. Got it all cleaned up using a pressure washer so I don't have to work in the dirty, oily mess that the Kohler Courage single left behind.

Should be an easy swap. Hopefully the Hydro Gear transaxle is ok. I won't know until the engine is completely installed and operational. The only custom item will be adding a vacuum port for the fuel pump. Initially I'm thinking a hole in the valve cover would work.

 

[Ken22]

I also have a 2006 YTH20F42. It’s on it's 3rd engine. Dad cut about 3 acres with it until I inherited it. It's retired now relegated to light duty. My neighbor gave me two Craftsman mowers this fall that run fine but don't move. I will look into the next summer.

 

[dave_r]

What's up with the engines? 3 engines in 15 years seems high (I would expect the first to last the whole time, perhaps needing replacement due to a random early parts failure).