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Expert Advice

#1

S

Saito2

I have a Grasshopper G2 Model 727K2 with a Kohler CH740S engine. The electric PTO clutch went out and I purchased a new clutch. I asked a local mechanic to replace for me. After removing the old clutch from crankshaft, he declare the crankshaft was ruined because the old clutch bearings wore a groove in crankshaft. I am no mechanic, but the groove he is referring to seems to have been machined into crank. Also when I examined the old clutch, I see nothing inside that could have cut a groove in the crankshaft. Can anyone help clear this up for me. I do not want to buy a new engine for the old mower. Thanks in advance.


#2

R

Rivets

Could be, but I’d like to see the shaft and clutch before calling any one a liar. Most clutches are keyed to the shaft and the bearing is inside the clutch. I would get a second opinion before proceeding.


#3

S

Saito2

Rivets said:
Could be, but I’d like to see the shaft and clutch before calling any one a liar. Most clutches are keyed to the shaft and the bearing is inside the clutch. I would get a second opinion before proceeding.
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#4

S

Saito2

I have tried to attach a picture but keep getting message file too large. I resized all the way down to thumbnail and still too large.


#5

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

Saito2 said:
I have tried to attach a picture but keep getting message file too large. I resized all the way down to thumbnail and still too large.
Click to expand...
I resize my pics with the Window's Paint program.


#6

B

bertsmobile1

Open the photos in any photo app you like
Hit the resize and change it to 10" x 8"
Then go down a bit and change the RESOULTION to 72 dpi .
If you don't do that many of them just change the display size and not the actual file size.
If it has more options then JPEG for file type as it uses about 1/3 the space that RAW format does
ANd a quality of 75% is fine for viewing on a screen.


#7

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

I guess I've just gotten used to paint. My phone pics are HUGE, for some reason. Even on the lowest setting. So everything I post here has to be downloaded onto my computer first, then resized.


#8

cpurvis

cpurvis

Saito2 said:
The electric PTO clutch went out and I purchased a new clutch. I asked a local mechanic to replace for me. After removing the old clutch from crankshaft, he declare the crankshaft was ruined because the old clutch bearings wore a groove in crankshaft. I am no mechanic,
Click to expand...

Do you take raw food to a restaurant and ask them to cook it for you?

If you are 'no mechanic' why did you buy the new PTO clutch?

Part of the mechanic's income comes from the markup on parts. If you were to ask me to use the parts you brought in, I would figure the markup and add that to the labor bill.


#9

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

cpurvis said:
Do you take raw food to a restaurant and ask them to cook it for you?

If you are 'no mechanic' why did you buy the new PTO clutch?

Part of the mechanic's income comes from the markup on parts. If you were to ask me to use the parts you brought in, I would figure the markup and add that to the labor bill.
Click to expand...

Replacing a PTO doesn't take a mechanic. But knowing why the new one won't work, does. I doubt the man knew about the grove before he bought the PTO.

I wouldn't charge extra if a customer brought his own parts with him. How can you mark up something he didn't put anything into. As in looking up part numbers, ordering & paying for etc etc


#10

B

bertsmobile1

I charge $ 20 Aus to replace any part the customer supplies, I call it a fitting fee and it is listed as a separate line item on the invoice.
No one ever challenges this as it makes sense to them .
Probably around a dozen times a season I will get a call out because the owner bought something that he can not work out how to fit or pulled apart to fit something & cannot work out how to put everything back together properly.
Regarding the clutch from Saltos post like some others I can not see how this can happen as the clutch inner is keyed to the shaft and turns with it.
Even if the bolt was loose it could still not wear a groove on the crankshaft.
Now if the key was broken some how then it would but without photos I am loathed to condem another techs work or word but I rather fear Salto is having his leg pulled.


#11

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

bertsmobile1 said:
I charge $ 20 Aus to replace any part the customer supplies, I call it a fitting fee and it is listed as a separate line item on the invoice.
No one ever challenges this as it makes sense to them .
Click to expand...

$20 plus labor?


#12

B

bertsmobile1

Yes
So say for a full service where they bought "bargan blades" from ebay the bill will show
Full service tractor style mower $ 240
Fitting fee for supplied blades $ 20
And if they supplied a transmission belt then I would add another $ 20
Fitting fee for supplied transmission belt $ 20

Some will ask what the total would be if I supplied all of the parts & they get an honest answer which is always lower because the ebay parts are usually the same part I use and they have the ebay vendors profit + ebay cost + freight included.
Generally they don't bother trying to do it again.
Now you have your Stens account you should see roughly what the mark ups the on line vendors are running at.
Not hard to at least match those prices or in my case go $ 1 under .

And I frgot to add thatis just the labout part of the bill ( 4 hrs @ $ 60 /hr ) the parts fitted would be on top of that
A full service usually runs around $ 400 ( Aust ) when you include the parts.

The yardman that just finally left the shop went out at $ 999.65 of which $ 300 was labour and remember these are $ AUS not greenbacks.
Yardman


#13

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

I have no problem fitting customer supplied parts but i charge $40 an hour to do it. Usually it is a belt they bought but decided it was too much for them. You would be suprised how many times they get the wrong belt too. What i won't install is a used K46 diff off ebay.


#14

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

bertsmobile1 said:
Yes
So say for a full service where they bought "bargan blades" from ebay the bill will show
Full service tractor style mower $ 240
Fitting fee for supplied blades $ 20
And if they supplied a transmission belt then I would add another $ 20
Fitting fee for supplied transmission belt $ 20

Some will ask what the total would be if I supplied all of the parts & they get an honest answer which is always lower because the ebay parts are usually the same part I use and they have the ebay vendors profit + ebay cost + freight included.
Generally they don't bother trying to do it again.
Now you have your Stens account you should see roughly what the mark ups the on line vendors are running at.
Not hard to at least match those prices or in my case go $ 1 under .
Click to expand...
Yeah, usually my cost for a part even with my small markup is cheaper than the customer gets off Amazon or the like.


#15

G

gsim

PTO sheave attached to crank via square key. If key not sheared, no such proelem. My 930 D Hopper has removable stub shaft that bolts to back of flywheel. 4 bolts thru flange that attacnes to center of flywheel. If your mower has that, then you are either being scammed, or mechanic ignorant of your layout.


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