Lawn Mower Question

Clocker

Golden Member
Sep 17, 2000
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I hit a rock and now my lawn mower excessively vibrates. I thought the blade could be warpred and I changed out the blade. That did not fix the problems. Any suggestions ard are there any sites for lawn mover rebuild and repair someone in this forum can reccommend.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
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You bent your crankshaft.

Congratulations, you have a large, greasy paperweight.
 

mwmorph

Diamond Member
Dec 27, 2004
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Originally posted by: Ornery
You bent the crank shaft, so it's now scrap. An engine would cost as much, or more than a replacement mower. Buy a cheap, $125 unit, at Sears or Home Depot and get back to work!

qft. same happened to my former 2 month old mower.
 

Clocker

Golden Member
Sep 17, 2000
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what a freakin bummer. I wonder how much it would cost to replace the crankshaft. FOOK IT i think i could learn how to rebuild one of those things. It might be a good learning experience.

 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: Clocker
what a freakin bummer. I wonder how much it would cost to replace the crankshaft. FOOK IT i think i could learn how to rebuild one of those things. It might be a good learning experience.
A new crankshaft retail will be almost as much as a new mower, about 100$.
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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When I'm mowing over treacherous terrain, I run at much slower RPMs. As long as grass is being lopped off and spit out the discharge chute, there's no reason to have the engine screaming. If I do happen to hit a stump or rock, it stalls without serious damage. Only takes a second to restart, which is far preferable to a bent shaft!
 

mchammer

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2000
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How do you hit a rock while mowing? Seems unlikely. Wouldn't you see a rock big enough to do damage, and why would there be rocks in your lawn?
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
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Can tell I'm not used to having yards tiny enough to use a push mower. My first thought was that he probably just bent the spindle for the blade and that at worst he'd have to replace the deck, but probably just need a new pulley and spindle for the blade.

ZV
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
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81
Tall grass can hide that kind of thing. Setting the mower too low can leave it vulnerable to hitting tree roots, as well as rocks and property stakes, etc.


...probably just bent the spindle for the blade...

That's exactly what he did, which is usually fatal to the engine, but hell, why not try beating it back straight with a hammer? Take off the blade, put the nut back on to protect the threads, and beat it straight again. It would be nice to have an indicator to check runout, but he should be able to eyeball it closer than it currently is.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
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Could it ever bend a crankshaft if I mow over some wood/woodchips accidentally ? It's pretty loud when it happens... at least now I know never to even try mowing over concrete/stone, as small as it may be.
 

vegetation

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2001
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Originally posted by: mchammer
How do you hit a rock while mowing? Seems unlikely. Wouldn't you see a rock big enough to do damage, and why would there be rocks in your lawn?

Guess you don't mow grass? Tall grass conceals a lot of things. As far as why rocks suddenly appear, one way is asshats (usually kids) who throw things. Another is during rain storms,

 

cavemanmoron

Lifer
Mar 13, 2001
13,664
28
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repost

sometimes there is a crank key that gets bent,and it only costs like $25-30 to fix.

If your lucky.

Take to local True Value for estimate.
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
36
91
Originally posted by: Ornery
...probably just bent the spindle for the blade...

That's exactly what he did, which is usually fatal to the engine, but hell, why not try beating it back straight with a hammer? Take off the blade, put the nut back on to protect the threads, and beat it straight again. It would be nice to have an indicator to check runout, but he should be able to eyeball it closer than it currently is.
Yeah, but it's a little easier to do when you're talking about the spindles in the deck of a lawn or garden tractor where they aren't one and the same as the crankshaft. :p

ZV
 

Clocker

Golden Member
Sep 17, 2000
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well i have a cheap push mower btw and i ran over a stone. i think someone might have threw it in my yard.