Forum

About the Landscape Juice Network

Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.

LJN's professional business forum is unrivalled and open to anyone within within the UK landscape industry

LJN's Business Objectives Group (BOG) is for any Pro serious about building their business.

For the researching visitor there's a wealth of landscaping ideas, garden design ideas, lawn advice tips and advice about garden maintenance.

Possible bent crankshaft?

Posted by Steve on April 30, 2014 at 3:24pm in Machinery
Hi,Was cutting a lawn yesterday. Grass was long and hit a submerged tree stump that stopped the mower. The mower started again but was vibrating and making a hell of a noise.Do you think it could be a bent crank shaft? I took the blade off today but the blade looks ok and measures true.The lawnmower is a honda hr1950. It's been a good reliable mower to me.Are there any tips to find out if it's the crankshaft or flywheel?CheersSteve
Views: 324

You need to be a member of Landscape Juice Network to add comments!

Join Landscape Juice Network

★
★
★
★
★
Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –
Follow

Replies

  • PRO
    Seth Burgess April 30, 2014 at 7:26pm

    If the crank is bent then the nut on the centre of the blade will move around in a small circle, instead of staying central, you can tell if you push it around with your hand.

    Also the gap between the blade and the deck remains the same as you push the blades around (so each blade is 5mm or whatever from the inside of the deck)

  • PRO
    Andy April 30, 2014 at 7:55pm
    Did the same myself on a hatter classic. Made a gawd awful racket. Turned out to be a bent shaft however my mower repair chap had a look and managed to fix the problem. Not 100% sure what he did but the shaft is bent but now no noise and cuts well. Suspect he realigned it in some way. (can you tell I am of the I bend'em you mend'em school)
  • Steve April 30, 2014 at 8:54pm
    Ok, I've unplugged the spark plug and pushed the blade around by hand the nut in the centre is staying central and the blades have equal clearance between the deck.

    The blade is also true.

    It's vibrating and making a right racket but starts ok.
  • Paul McNulty April 30, 2014 at 9:15pm

    If it's vibrating, then something isn't straight!

    I can't believe a blade would be balanced after hitting a stump hard enough to stop the machine?

    The inmpact would have to go somewhere: If the blade was so tough it didn't even dent, then the next link in the chain would take the damage.

    When you say it measures "true", what have you measured? I'm no mechanic, but does the mower run fine with no blade? I guess that the vibration will show without the blade fitted if it's the crank?

    If it is terminal engine damage, would a GXV160 engine fit? They are easy to buy, as they are unbreakable, and most Pro machines are scrapped due to the rollers failing. I have one sitting on a scrap Kaaz you can have for nothing if it's of any use? A couple of years of commercial use, but the oil changed every two weeks when busy. I can't be messing with couriers etc., but you're welcome to collect it if it gets you out of a hole.

  • Steve April 30, 2014 at 9:34pm
    I measured the blade on a surface table with a height gauge too see if it was running true and seemed ok. I have not run the machine without the blade in yet so will try this again in the morning.

    Thank you for your engine offer, I'm not sure on size and if it will fit but will look into it and may take you up on the offer. Thank you.

    I'm working to a local lawnmower repair centre tomorrow so might get them to check it over and give me an idea on the damage.
  • Steve May 1, 2014 at 9:23pm
    Just an update. Had a bit more time this afternoon to check out my mower. Took the blade off and started the mower and it ran perfect. Put the blade on a lathe to run and blades were 1mm out across the cutting edges. Even though was a mm out was enough to through out of balance.

    Ordered a couple of new spare blades now and hopefully mower will be back up and running. I've learnt a lesson to have a walk and check the lawn before starting any cutting.
  • PRO
    Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd May 1, 2014 at 9:33pm
    Sounds like you are lucky!
  • Simon Smith May 2, 2014 at 10:37pm

    I bent the crank on my hrx537 and it was 280 quid to replace...

  • Steve May 3, 2014 at 7:44am
    Expensive job!!
This reply was deleted.

Hot Discussions

Leading contributors

Featured Discussions

Trade green waste centres

<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-WQ68WVXQ8K"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-WQ68WVXQ8K'); </script>

LJN Sponsor

Advertising

Blogs

More on LJN

Featured business articles

About LJN