CV23s: Worth it or not?

[bertsmobile1]

Whoa...seriously? I thought I had read (yeah I know the internet..rolling eyes) that 1000-1200 hours is about tops. Seems like when I tell someone it has over six hundred hours (dealer) the say "that's allot". I figure I put 30-40 hours max a year on it but I have never paid attention to the hour meter until this year. Where I lack routine is they say your supposed to change the oil before storage. I usually do an oil change about mid season so that means I have 20 hours on it before storage. But man, If I can get 1800 to 2000 hours it should last me the rest of my life as long as I keep doing what I am doing and a bit of luck. Well, my winter storage is crap. It sits outside all winter (Idaho) with a tarp over it. If I sell the Harley I can park it in the garage but I am not ready to give up the bike yet. And I totally agree with your opening paragraph which is why I was thinking about doing it now, before it shows signs of problems. I just finished replacing main drive belt and idler pulley's, pinion and sector gear, and of course the bushings. Next up are front wheel bushings and axle pivot bushings. Need tires too, bad.

Tou should get that from a residential ( Courage ) engine
Down here, 2 hours a mow x 50 mows a year ( Hollywood climate ) so 100 hrs a year
Commercial 4 hours a day x 5 days a week x 50 weeks = 1000 hrs/y
Most companies give a 3 to 5 year warranty so they expect those engines to go 3000 to 5000 hrs.
Governed engines should just about run forever as they are not under very much stress so it is just wear of the alloy cases by the crankshaft and wear on the alloy rod by the big end journal.
So keep the air clean and you are laughing
It is no accident that commercial mowers come with canister filters .

 

[Gibson2]

Salesmen...pffft.

I spoke with a guy in the JD service department yesterday. I wanted to know what is "acceptable" play in the front axle pivot bushing. He walked me out back to a mower exactly like mine where they had just rebuilt the front end. The customer, reportedly, bought from them when it was new (2004) and has brought his mower in for regular service ever since. He turned the key and showed me 3000+ hours on it. He said he is not sure if that is accurate or not "but there you go". That was the good news, the bad new, my pivot bushings show more play then I am comfortable with. Oh well, I have replaced everything else on the front end and the steering system this year might as well do that and be done with it.

Hey...I really appreciate all the advice, links etc.!

 

[hlw49]

An engine that was completely worn out, meaning it would need bored, oversized pistons, undersized rods, valve guides reamed and oversized valves and probably a new carb would definitely not be worth rebuilding.

I would add that depending on how the engine is cared for and maintained and stored, if you have only put 632 hours on it in 20 years I'd say you have about 60 years left on that engine at that same hour rate. 2500 hours is very doable for a Command twin that has had the dirt kept out of it and good clean oil kept in it.

I have seen Kohler CV engines with thousands of hours on them. Have a friend with one on a Dixie Chopper and he swares it has at least 8,000 hours on it. Ony thing it has had done is intake manifold gaskets. Still does not use oil. Know a guy with an old Dixie Chopper with a Generac on it and says it has 11,000 hours on it.