Search results

Where does the mower deck go?

I have a chunk of steel that is way too big, a chunk of some kind of brass that is a bit less too big, a Southbend Heavy 10 with banana shaped ways and a spindle that chatters, a completely unidentifiable Rong Fu RF-something clone mill drill that is also wore slap out, and very nearly zero...

I called PT for the replacement part. $275. No, not $2.75. Yeeeoow! Keith was unsurprised when I didn't buy it. There's still some drag interfering with the spool returning to center, so I have more work to do. I may try to make a new piece. It's not terribly complicated, I've got a lathe, a...

Thanks! I don't think it's quite centered. There's some drag that keeps the spool from snapping back to the neutral position. I'll have to see if I can adjust that out. But I was able to do my mowing before the rain chances increase this afternoon, which would have been a problem without working...

My PT425 started having weirdness with joystick operation and float a couple of days ago. On inspection, the housing that the float detent is in had broken off. It's held on by screws through two ears, both of which had broken off. I performed a "field expedient" repair today and got it working...

Tire update: we had a couple inches of snow. Plowing snow straight ahead on the driveway, these tires did not slip on the asphalt when the pile of snow in front got pretty big. I'd say they did somewhat better than the All Trails, although it wasn't much of a test. They definitely have more...

I think a 2425 is quite different from my somewhat modified 435. But I have had tires stiff enough to drive on for a bit. These may be stiff enough for that.

Tire review after a few weeks: They do better out on the wooded hillsides than anything else I've tried. Think loose rocks on soft soil under a thick layer of dead leaves, going up slopes that challenge the wheel motors and sometimes win. They leave more visible tracks on the lawn than any other...

I may not have been thinking only about about mobile equipment.

I have found quite a few better lubricants, depending on where it's being applied. But that one may be particularly good for the ball linkages on our PTs

Also, after doing the tire change, I have vowed that I will never again liquid fill tires. What a freakin' mess! I did it with a Harbor Freight changer for the experience, but I'd be a lot less sore if I'd had it done with a real tire machine.

I found it interesting that the tires are also labeled with an automotive size. They ride noticeably stiffer than the All Trails, despite both being 4-ply.

My wife had similar issues and had to go through the same sort of time wasting nonsense. But about 6 months ago she had back surgery with decompression and fusion. It was very successful and the leg pain is completely gone.

Somebody with a 3D printer might be able to help you if there is appropriate filament available.

Oldish thread, but have you considered mechanically attaching a flange, somewhat like the way the filler neck is attached? Or a metal bulkhead fitting with Viton seal?

I know it's an old thread, but there is (or at least was) a heavy-duty starter for the 25hp Robin. It made a noticeable but not dramatic improvement in cold weather starting. That was probably 15 years ago, so I couldn't say what the part number was.

I ended up with Carlisle Tru-power lug tires. After lots of googling, I came to the conclusion that they should be the second most aggressive lug tire in my size. The reproduction Firestones are #1, but they would cost $1000 for a set with shipping from Miller Tire, where the Tru Powers were...

That looks like it could work. Unfortunately, they don't appear to be available in a 23-10.50-12 size.

I've been thinking lately about doing something similar for some steep banks. I already have the Ryobi 18 volt hedge trimmer. Just need to figure out a mount to use with a 2 inch square extension tube and my trailer hitch receiver plate.

Yes, but it's just two bolts and nuts after the belt covers are off. Easy-peasy.

I find that in hot weather taking a 15 minute hydration/cool-off break every hour or so helps both me and the PT do better. I'm doing that right now.

Thanks, guys. I'm currently running Carlisle All Trail HDAP tires, which wear like iron. They are aging out with cracks in the rubber, slow leaks and other deterioration, but the knobs are still probably 75% of new height. I'd say they had significantly more traction than the Turf Savers...

If you are having traction issues, I suggest the more expensive chains - 2 link, diamond pattern, studded, etc. And expect significant turf damage, but it may not be as much as spinning turf tires. Over 20 years in, I'm still trying to figure out the best tires for my application. And my steep...

Bert, do I understand correctly that you've just had your PT for a few days? It doesn't sound like it's working right. Tomorrow is Monday. I suggest that you call 1-800-THE-YARD (Power-Trac's 800 number) and talk to Terry. I think he is option 2 or 3 on the main menu. That said, a 422 will...

Do you have a link or contact info for the knockoffs? I've resealed/rebuilt all of my motors at least once, nd had to replace the axle shaft on one last year because of excessive wear where the needle bearings run on it. I think I got the last shaft that was still at the old price, and the new...

Long time no talk. My Subaru Robin EH90 (aka Generac GTH990-ish) engine swap in my 2006 PT425 is still going about 8 years later. But the Carlisle All Trail tires that I bought a number of years ago are coming apart. The tread knobs are barely worn down at all. But on two of the tires, cracks...

If I had good pneumatic tires, that might have been an option, but they were the originals from 2004 and quite deteriorated. Also, I wanted to switch to a smooth tire with rounded shoulders that might not tear up the yard as much as the sawtooth treads with sharp shoulders.

Update: I bought these - Amazon.com They are much heavier and more solid than anything I found locally. They have roller bearings instead of bronze bushings, and they are about an inch smaller in diameter, which adds up to one height spacer to get the deck back to the same height as with the...

I didn't see any mention of the set screw through the side of the hub. I hope that wasn't the cause of the broken shaft.

I can't exactly answer your question because mine is really old and came with a Char-Lynn motor (I bought mine well-used from davesisk a long time ago). But I can tell you that replacing the original motor with one of a larger displacement one made the whole thing work better. I can also tell...

Also, those have a 1/2" bearing bore where we need 5/8". I wouldn't be confident that they could be converted successfully.

I don't think construction spray foam is suitable. Tire foam seems to be a heavy, high density urethane foam.

PT has switched to solid polyurethane at $98 each. I'm going to look for suitable options. Carlisle makes a 9 inch smooth tire for mowers that looks like it would work pretty well, in place of the original 10 inch sawtooth tread tires. I wouldn't be surprised if they are what PT is using. As...

I haven't tried Surplus Center, but I will now. I believe TSC has solid polyurethane tires, which I suspect (without any solid evidence whatsoever) would be less durable than my old ones, which were regular tires filled with foam. I wouldn't be surprised if PT has them filled by whatever company...

Hey all, A year or so after I got my PT (so around 2007) I got tired of the front tires on the mower deck constantly going flat and breaking the beads loose, so I bought the foam-filled Carlisle tires from PT. They finally came apart at the end of the season last year which was a pretty amazing...

I was able to notch the two covers where they meet at the joint and use a 45 degree grease fitting. Eliminated removing covers.

Just a suggestion for anyone who has to do this repair: Rather than grinding, I was able to use a hole saw that just fit over the projecting stubs. I removed the pilot drill, spun the hole saw rather slowly, and used cutting oil and heavy pressure. I had previously done grinding when those welds...

Hey folks, I haven't been around much for quite a while, but a recent thread reminded me of a problem I solved quite a few years ago: The dreaded backfire a few seconds after shutdown. Maybe somebody else already did this, but I'll go ahead anyway. It occurred to me that turning off the...

I think it's actually a German product sold as Hondabond, Yamahabond, Suzukibond, etc. You get the idea.

I know from hard experience that an amazingly small rock can do that if it's wedged into something solid like clay or a mass of bigger rocks. I have sometimes had to spend too many hours to dig out tons of soil and rocks to make a hole just where it *had* to be, because a rock the size of my...

I used Hondabond instead of a gasket between the tank & filler neck about 15 years ago. It still doesn't leak. I also made a cap gasket out off the thick, stiff green fiber gasket material. It didn't leak as much as the original cracked cap gasket. I eventually had Terry send me a new upgraded...

Hopefully this will explain the modification. The new bolt circle is larger and unevenly spaced, while the new pilot is smaller.

First pix.

Today hasn't been one of my happier ones lately. I could use some cheering up. Anybody got a good (non-political) joke?

Cue Western movie theme: Cowboy#1 "Quiet night" (Crickets chirping. Coyotes howl in the distance.) Cowboy #2 "Yeah...too quiet"... Cue attack from hostile natives or critters... Well, maybe not. I guess we're all too busy catching up from winter and trying to get ready for spring. I...

After 5 years and approaching 600 hours of hard use and abuse, along with several catastrophic air filter failures in extremely dusty conditions, the Robin EH72D 720cc/25hp engine in my PT425 has just about had enough. The blow-by is now overwhelming the additional crankcase breather...

I made a trip to Tazewell today. I came back with one of the new 33 inch grapples and a trencher. There are plenty of reports about the trencher, so I'll stick with the grapple. Sorry, no pix yet. I've only had a couple of hours to play with it, but I'm pretty pleased with the grapple so far...

As promised, here's my experiment with exhaust modification on my PT 425 with the Robin engine. I don't have a very good photo of the original exhaust. Here's what I do have. It was taken to show the proximity of the muffler to the engine cover where the fuel pump used to reside.

At long last, I’m going to try to post some of the stuff I’ve done to “Kermit”, my PT-425. (I wrote most of this before I downloaded the digital photos, and I'm too lazy to figure out how to tie them in at the appropriate points. I'll just attach them all at the end.) I’ll begin with my...

Kermit is our PT425. We picked him up just before last Thanksgiving. After playing...umm...working with him for a few hours, we were sitting back looking at him. We realized that: He's small, green, bugeyed, and cute, like a certain famous frog. What else could we call him? We have one of his...