Help! - Bent shaft on walk-behind mower

tillboy2001 · Sep 11, 2004

I have a Craftsman 6HP (Briggs & Stratton) mower. I hit a pipe with it today and instead of bending the blade, it actually bent the shaft the blade attaches to, which I believe goes up into the engine and is NOT as easy fix. Has anyone had this happen and have you had it easily repaired?...and how much? The mower is only a couple years old, stays in my basement and rarely gets used. So it's pretty much in new condition. I can live without it, but it would be nice to know what the cost and labor issues are to repair it. I can do it myself, but if it involves tearing apart the engine, I think that's a good excuse for me to get a new mower /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Bird · Sep 11, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( if it involves tearing apart the engine )</font>

Sounds like a bent crankshaft, and if, it does involve tearing down the engine. As for cost, I don't know. The only time I did that was 50 years ago on a Clinton engine, and for a teenager at that time, it seemed quite expensive. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Of course, if I did it now, I'd probably tear it down myself and save the labor costs at least.

gugy · Sep 11, 2004

When I'm at my Upstate house I hang out with my friend that runs the transfer station(Dumps) I've seen alot of craftsman push mowers come in with bent crank shafts. If you can find a replacement engine Cheap or in the trash thats the way to go or you just found the excuse you needed to buy a new machine.The cost out weights the price of a new one.
Gugy

ThistleKop · Sep 12, 2004

Many small engine repair shops advertise straightening crankshafts. I'm unsure if the crankshaft has to be removed from the engine,however, if it does they will do that. In my area this work is not that expensive. I would certainly check it out.

rsislo · Sep 13, 2004

One of my neighbors is a retired teacher who taught small engine repair at a local high school vo-tech. He showed me how he straightens bent shafts with a jig he has. Start calling small engine repair shops and ask about the straightening the shaft. Most of them should have the same jig as my neighbor. The engine will need to be removed from the mower first.

Roger

tillboy2001 · Sep 13, 2004

This is pretty much what I suspected would be involved. It's a shame because the engine is in perfect condition otherwise. It's always in my basement and isn't used much. Oh well. Rather than fixing it, I might use this as an excuse to get a new mower. This one is self-propelled, but it's belt driven and it hasn't worked right since the day I bought it. It slips and won't pull hard. I live on a hill and I need self-propelled. Only thing is I just hate to spend the money on it. Would rather be saving for a new New Holland TZ24DA or Kubota BX2300 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ledgemere Farm · Sep 23, 2004

I bent the shaft on my JD JS63. It cost me $125 for parts & labor to put a new shaft on it. Usually, they just stall or bend th blade. Sometimes, you really break something. Bummer. Still, $125 was cheaper than $400+ for a new mower. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

RebelYell · Sep 24, 2004

I had this happen on my new Cub Cadet with caster wheels. The wheel and caster fell off and went under the mower which bent the shaft, guess shear pins are not in their vocabulary. I told the dealer if the casters were put on woth cotter pins anstead of cheap push/clip rings then this wouldn't have happened. We had an arguement which turned to screaming and almost blows. He said he would talk to the Cub Cadet rep and get back to me. I called him back 2 days later, he was replacing the shaft and when I got the mower back he had drilled holes and installed cotter pins. I don't know how much it costed. BTW, the motor blew 2 weeks later, the deck is now sitting on his front desk after going through the store window. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Nah, he repaired this also and apologized.

tillboy2001 · Sep 24, 2004

I'll just buy a new one - somewhere in the $250 range. I don't need anything elaborate for as little as I use a push mower. Most of my mowing is with the rider.

What do you think I should ask for the damaged mower if I sell it? $40? It's in excellent condition otherwise and has a rear bagger.

tillboy2001 · Sep 26, 2004

Well, I got a small bonus from work and I decided to go ahead and buy a new mower. I settled on the Troy-Bilt mower. http://www.troybilt.com/servlet/BrandProductDetail?ID=973&CAT=1&SUB=36#

Cost about $300 and meets my needs. I like it better than the Craftsman it replaced. Only thing I wish was different is - I wish it was rear-wheel drive (I mow on slopes). Should last forever since I don't need to use it much /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif