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#1
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
Just wondering. I got a push mower with a bent crankshaft. The mower
starts on one pull and runs great except it vibrates so bad that it's near impossible to hold it for more than a few minutes. I heard they have some sort of jig to straighten them, but also heard about doing it with a hammer and wood block. Is this really possible? If yes, where does one get a jig, or what is the method with the hammer? I dont need to get it 100% accurate, but right now it's beyond using as it is. It's just an old beater so I am not willing to buy a new crank unless I happen across a cheap used one. But if I can straighten it for a few bucks, I'll give it a try. The worse I can do is destroy it, and it's junk right now unless I get it straighter. By the way, it's s 3.5hp Tecumseh Mark |
#2
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
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#3
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
Have you tried a new blade
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#4
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
Did that when I was a teenager. Hit a softball when cutting high grass.
Just lay motor over, BE SURE to disconnect plug wire. Take off blade, figure out direction shaft is bent, the beat with hammer, be sure not to hit threads etc. Worse case buy a new mower. wrote in message ... Just wondering. I got a push mower with a bent crankshaft. The mower starts on one pull and runs great except it vibrates so bad that it's near impossible to hold it for more than a few minutes. I heard they have some sort of jig to straighten them, but also heard about doing it with a hammer and wood block. Is this really possible? If yes, where does one get a jig, or what is the method with the hammer? I dont need to get it 100% accurate, but right now it's beyond using as it is. It's just an old beater so I am not willing to buy a new crank unless I happen across a cheap used one. But if I can straighten it for a few bucks, I'll give it a try. The worse I can do is destroy it, and it's junk right now unless I get it straighter. By the way, it's s 3.5hp Tecumseh Mark |
#6
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
All he has to do is check the runout w/ the blade off to verify it is
the shaft. If i has run any length of time that way the bearings quite possibly are also gone... I Italian wrote: As suggested below first I would try a new blade or balance the one you have if its not to far gone..if it still vibrates you know it is the shaft.... wrote: Just wondering. I got a push mower with a bent crankshaft. The mower starts on one pull and runs great except it vibrates so bad that it's near impossible to hold it for more than a few minutes. I heard they have some sort of jig to straighten them, but also heard about doing it with a hammer and wood block. Is this really possible? If yes, where does one get a jig, or what is the method with the hammer? I dont need to get it 100% accurate, but right now it's beyond using as it is. It's just an old beater so I am not willing to buy a new crank unless I happen across a cheap used one. But if I can straighten it for a few bucks, I'll give it a try. The worse I can do is destroy it, and it's junk right now unless I get it straighter. By the way, it's s 3.5hp Tecumseh Mark |
#7
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
wrote in message
... Just wondering. I got a push mower with a bent crankshaft. The mower starts on one pull and runs great except it vibrates so bad that it's near impossible to hold it for more than a few minutes. I heard they have some sort of jig to straighten them, but also heard about doing it with a hammer and wood block. Is this really possible? If yes, where does one get a jig, or what is the method with the hammer? I dont need to get it 100% accurate, but right now it's beyond using as it is. It's just an old beater so I am not willing to buy a new crank unless I happen across a cheap used one. But if I can straighten it for a few bucks, I'll give it a try. The worse I can do is destroy it, and it's junk right now unless I get it straighter. By the way, it's s 3.5hp Tecumseh Mark Pick up a DVD of "The African Queen." Pay special attention to the part where Humphrey Bogart straightens out the bent drive shaft of the boat using nothing but a sledge hammer and a scrap-wood fire. Inspirational!! |
#8
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
If you really like this mower, and it ran OK right up until the 'event',
your best bet is to find a brand new short block. Google is your friend here. Compare its cost to that of a new mower with a warranty. At best, your basketcase will run for a while before destroying itself. At worst, it will injure you when it happens. wrote: Just wondering. I got a push mower with a bent crankshaft. The mower starts on one pull and runs great except it vibrates so bad that it's near impossible to hold it for more than a few minutes. I heard they have some sort of jig to straighten them, but also heard about doing it with a hammer and wood block. Is this really possible? If yes, where does one get a jig, or what is the method with the hammer? I dont need to get it 100% accurate, but right now it's beyond using as it is. It's just an old beater so I am not willing to buy a new crank unless I happen across a cheap used one. But if I can straighten it for a few bucks, I'll give it a try. The worse I can do is destroy it, and it's junk right now unless I get it straighter. By the way, it's s 3.5hp Tecumseh Mark |
#9
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
wrote in message ... Just wondering. I got a push mower with a bent crankshaft. The mower starts on one pull and runs great except it vibrates so bad that it's near impossible to hold it for more than a few minutes. I heard they have some sort of jig to straighten them, but also heard about doing it with a hammer and wood block. Is this really possible? If yes, where does one get a jig, or what is the method with the hammer? I dont need to get it 100% accurate, but right now it's beyond using as it is. It's just an old beater so I am not willing to buy a new crank unless I happen across a cheap used one. But if I can straighten it for a few bucks, I'll give it a try. The worse I can do is destroy it, and it's junk right now unless I get it straighter. By the way, it's s 3.5hp Tecumseh Mark Some mower shops have in-the-motor crankshaft straightening jigs even though no manufacturer recommends doing so. I have successfully straightened them using a long heavy pipe over the shaft and a heavy hammer. The last one was a 5HP Tecumseh which has been run hard for about three years since and is still going. The hardest part is holding the motor securely enough. You need some sort of indicator to tell how much and in what direction the bend is and how your straightening is coming along. That is definitely not considered good practice as it is hard on the bearing and the shaft may crack, but it definitely is possible. Don Young |
#10
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
Could also very easily be a blade out of balance. Much easier to fix
the blade. -- Christopher A. Young You can't shout down a troll. You have to starve them. .. "Tony Hwang" wrote in message news:y9vqg.117037$iF6.67590@pd7tw2no... wrote: Just wondering. I got a push mower with a bent crankshaft. The mower starts on one pull and runs great except it vibrates so bad that it's near impossible to hold it for more than a few minutes. I heard they have some sort of jig to straighten them, but also heard about doing it with a hammer and wood block. Is this really possible? If yes, where does one get a jig, or what is the method with the hammer? I dont need to get it 100% accurate, but right now it's beyond using as it is. It's just an old beater so I am not willing to buy a new crank unless I happen across a cheap used one. But if I can straighten it for a few bucks, I'll give it a try. The worse I can do is destroy it, and it's junk right now unless I get it straighter. By the way, it's s 3.5hp Tecumseh Mark Hi, Think it's time for new mower if shaft is really bent. |
#11
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
On Tue, 4 Jul 2006 21:57:26 -0500, "Don Young"
wrote: wrote in message .. . Just wondering. I got a push mower with a bent crankshaft. The mower starts on one pull and runs great except it vibrates so bad that it's near impossible to hold it for more than a few minutes. I heard they have some sort of jig to straighten them, but also heard about doing it with a hammer and wood block. Is this really possible? If yes, where does one get a jig, or what is the method with the hammer? I dont need to get it 100% accurate, but right now it's beyond using as it is. It's just an old beater so I am not willing to buy a new crank unless I happen across a cheap used one. But if I can straighten it for a few bucks, I'll give it a try. The worse I can do is destroy it, and it's junk right now unless I get it straighter. By the way, it's s 3.5hp Tecumseh Mark Some mower shops have in-the-motor crankshaft straightening jigs even though no manufacturer recommends doing so. I have successfully straightened them using a long heavy pipe over the shaft and a heavy hammer. The last one was a 5HP Tecumseh which has been run hard for about three years since and is still going. The hardest part is holding the motor securely enough. You need some sort of indicator to tell how much and in what direction the bend is and how your straightening is coming along. That is definitely not considered good practice as it is hard on the bearing and the shaft may crack, but it definitely is possible. Don Young OK, that's what I wanted to know. I will see what the local shops can do, or try it myself if too costly. If I wreck it, it's already junk the way it is anyhow. The shaft is definately bent. I can see it. It's VERY bent. The blade even chopped the tip off one of the bolts that hold the handle to the frame. It vibrates so much it creeps across the lawn by itself if I let go. My hands can not take the vibration for more than a few minutes. But I do like the mower. It's always been reliable and it's lightweight and simple, unlike most of the newer ones. So, if I do wreck it, I may check into a short block. And there are always used mowers too taht I can strip the engine block from. I'd say the shaft is 1/4" off center, as I turn it. |
#12
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
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#13
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Straighten Bent Crankshaft on Mower
On Wed, 05 Jul 2006 16:48:44 -0500, Andy Asberry
wrote: On Tue, 04 Jul 2006 08:12:44 -0500, wrote: Just wondering. I got a push mower with a bent crankshaft. The mower starts on one pull and runs great except it vibrates so bad that it's near impossible to hold it for more than a few minutes. I heard they have some sort of jig to straighten them, but also heard about doing it with a hammer and wood block. Is this really possible? If yes, where does one get a jig, or what is the method with the hammer? I dont need to get it 100% accurate, but right now it's beyond using as it is. It's just an old beater so I am not willing to buy a new crank unless I happen across a cheap used one. But if I can straighten it for a few bucks, I'll give it a try. The worse I can do is destroy it, and it's junk right now unless I get it straighter. You'd want to anneal it first, hammer it to shape, and then harden it again. If you know what your doing (which I don't) it shouldn't be hard. If you don't know what you're doing, then you'll have metal fatigue around the bend, which means (as another poster pointed out) that the shaft will shatter at some random time, at which point the blade will turn into a propeller, and chop you off at the ankles. |
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