BX24 - "The Nut that holds the throttle..."

[diggindoc]

When people ask me what's wrong with their computers, I sometimes say, "well, there's this nut that holds the keyboard? there's your problem" and then I hustle away before the meaning sinks in.

So maybe some karma is coming back to hit me. My BX24 has a problem, and darned if it isn't "the Nut that holds the throttle". But how to fix it right?

The BX24's a year old, and the problem just started now. When you let go of the hand throttle lever, the engine throttle spring pulls the throttle lever back up, and the RPMs go down, all the way to idle. Not enough friction. So I took off the housing and it was obvious that the nut on the throttle lever was loose. But after tightening it to the point where the throttle was pretty stiff, it quickly works loose again -- the action of the throttle is like ratchet wrench on it.

I found a second nut lying on the floormat in there, so I thought maybe the two nuts should be tightened against each other, but that doesn't provide enough resistance to self-loosening either. I'm wondering if another part was in there that was lost. Assembly order: the throttle shaft, which goes through a chassis mount, then two stacked cup washers, then a flat washer, then the nut (and maybe 2nd nut). Can anybody look at theirs and see if there are other parts in that stack, and what order they go?

Thanks in advance!

DigginDoc

[Sen8or]

The linkage on my BX24, 18 months old has two washers, one balck, one gold held on with two gold nuts backed up to each other. I would take a picture but I don't have camera with me. I'll try to post one tomorrow.

[klrobert]

The same thing happened to my BX2350 yesterday. It has two nuts on there and they worked loose. I tightened them and that correctoed the problem. I am sure this will happen again. I think the next time I have to tighten it, I will use some loctite on the threads to hold it in place.

[diggindoc]

Thanks for the feedback. I went ahead and put the first nut on, adjusted for the right amount of friction, then tightened the second nut on. Things still tended to work loose, so I added some "removable" grade Loctite. My wife mowed all day (you all get your wives to mow for you, don't you?) and said the throttle doesn't fade out any more. So maybe that did it. If it works loose again though, I might grind a little flat spot on the throttle shaft's threads and place a locking collar w/setscrew on there.

[LBrown59]

Originally Posted by diggindo

My wife mowed all day
* (you all get your wives to mow for you, don't you?

My wife mows with me sometimes:
Me on>this


Her on this one

[Harry c]

Originally Posted by diggindoc

I went ahead and put the first nut on, adjusted for the right amount of friction, then tightened the second nut on. Things still tended to work loose,

It takes 2 wrenches. After you've done as you described, hold the first nut with a wrench to prevent it from turning and changing your adjustment. Use another wrench to tighten the second nut hard against the first. If you get the "jam nut" tight enough, it won't work loose.

[C6rider]

Probably could just as easily use a nylon locknut and washer.