GT2544...Rear wheels loose?

[Bucky_O]

Hello, all...

Just getting everything settled for the winter this afternoon, mounting my 341 snow blower on the 2544. You should see the rust on this 3 year-old snow blower...THANKS FOR THE "NO PRIMER" PAINT JOB, CUB CADET!!!!! That's for another post...

Anyway, my question is that when I jacked up the rear end to mount the chains, I noticed that BOTH rear wheels have some "wiggle" to them; you can shake them ever so slightly when they are off the ground. The play seems to be coming from the hub/axle joint, and not at the hub/wheel area (lug nuts are tight). Is this normal??? Both wheels do this...
For the record, the machine has only 11 hours on it.

Thanks for any info.

Regards,

 

[JTKub]

Yes, mine does this too. I think what it is- is the wheel mounting flange is not welded or cast solid to the axle. The axle ends are splined, as is the bore on the wheel mounting flange. The play is in that splined fit. I bet that's an area that could use alittle grease or never-seize. Once dirt & corrosion set in, you'd probably never get it apart if you needed to!
G/luck
Joel

 

[CubTech]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( THANKS FOR THE "NO PRIMER" PAINT JOB, CUB CADET!!!!! )</font>

Well, the paint job is called "Powder Coating" and it works just as well.

But when you have salt and moisture and cold temps and the damage snow and ice causes against the paint job... you will see the paint job possibly fail. Also, occasionally people like to run over rocks and stones, etc.

Plus you put the snow thrower away wet...which causes the paint job to fail.

Do you have an air hose in your garage? Blow the thrower housing out before you store it. (SAFETY) Shut the tractor down first.. and possibly the inside of the housing out with a rag or wisk broom. This will free a lot of snow, ice... moisture.


About the play in your rear wheels... it's normal. Unless it is really EXCESSIVE. I know.. most people are picky and would like to see a sturdy design. But the slight play/wiggle is normal and it is needed for turning.

If it is excessive you need to see the Cub Dealer and have them check the transmission and hubs. They might need to be replaced.

 

[Bucky_O]

Cub Tech,

Thanks for the info on the rear wheels. Definitely puts my mind at ease.

I do, however, have to differ with you on the paint issue. My equipment is kept in meticulous condition, and in a heated garage all year round. The snowblower is cleaned and maintained regularly. It is not an uncommon fact that Cub does not use primer on anything, and as far as powdercoating, the finish on my blower looks alot like a "paint job"...not powdercoating.

I'm slowly covering up the rust spots with POR-15 (great stuff for rust) and repainting. Sad, though, that the blower looks like it's 10 years old.

Thanks for your response.

 

[EuropaChris]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It is not an uncommon fact that Cub does not use primer on anything, and as far as powdercoating, the finish on my blower looks alot like a "paint job"...not powdercoating.
)</font>

It's also possible that Cub is using some other sort of primer such as an iron phosphate dip wash and paint designed for being applied directly over that. Paint technology has come a long way in the past 20 years.

On that same note, my father-in-law has an 80's vintage Simplicity snowthrower, which is has a wet-coat paint. It was almost unused when he bought it 5 or 6 years ago, and now looks like it's 100 years old. Everything is rusty on it.

I have a Troy-Bilt snowblower of similar vintage, and of the old Bolens design before Troy-Bilt went bankrupt and bought out by MTD (Troy-Bilt bought Bolens some years ago). My snowblower is all powder coated, and aside from a few areas in the housing where it was chipped off or otherwise damaged, the machine still looks new.

You would be hard-pressed to find a coating more durable than powder coat. Even baked-on wet finishes are not as durable.

Chris

 

[wojnaroski]

I understand your frustation. My tractor and mower are less than a year old. Mower deck has paint chipping off of parts that are attached to the deck shell, and the underside of the shell is rusting. There are a few places on the tractor frame that are rusting as well. I was wondering why there was no primer. Cub Tech, thanks for the info about the powder coat.

I wish that the paint on the attachments as well as the tractor would hold up better. However, I doubt that this problem is limited to Cub Cadet.

I keep a can of satin black and Cub yellow for touchups. With any type of machinery there will always be maintenance.

Alan