Mowing BX1500 mower noise

[coveredbridge]

First time out with the 48"mmm late yesterday. I noticed when I engaged the pto there was what seemed like a lot of rattles and clanks coming from the deck, especially at lower rpm. Actually, when rpm was increased the noises pretty much stopped. Of course I couldn't get off the tractor to try to isolate the sounds, and there wasn't anyone else around at the time to sit on the tractor while I checked.

It sounded like a guard or some other metal part was loose and rattling, but everything seems tight, and since it went away at higher rpm, I'm thinking that maybe it was the belt hitting the guards. I know from observing belts on other equipment that they can vibrate quite a bit at lower rpm.

Has anyone else had this experience? Is there something in particular I should be looking for? I don't recall seeing anything in the manual about self adjusting tensioners for the belt, but I'm assuming there is at least one. Will this resolve itself as the mower is used and the tensioners adjust or is there some adjustment I need to make? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[kevinj]

I think you pretty much have it figured out, the little two banger causes some strange harmonics at low rpm. It should be very smooth at half throttle or above. Check the u-joints and belt condition to be sure.

 

[MF1160]

My BX1500 w-48" mower does the same thing, the lower the rpm's the more I can hear it. It does not always do make the noise however.

 

[LBrown59]

Have you checked to be sure there aren't any rocks sticks or other objects around the belt and pulleys?

 

[coveredbridge]

Good point. I did check the surface of the deck for loose guards, linkage, etc., but I didn't look in places like inside the guards for an obstruction, I guess because I had assumed, based on the sounds I was hearing, that something was loose (and because the mower was new and hadn't been operated before). I will do that today, though. Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[coveredbridge]

Welcome to TBN, MF1160! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Thanks for the info. How long have you had your BX1500?

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Good point. I did check the surface of the deck for loose guards, linkage, etc., but
1*I didn't look in places like inside the guards for an obstruction, I guess because I had assumed, based on the sounds I was hearing, that something was loose (and because the mower was new and hadn't been operated before). I will do that today, though. Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )</font>
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1*I would not have thought of suggesting that you look there if the fillowing had not happened to me yesterday.

<font color="#666666"> Found a piece of slag about the size of a pencil eraser embedded in the belt.
It cut about half way through from the outside in.
Wonder what effect if any that will have on the life of the belt?


</font>