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Hi all, just stumbled onto this forum, seems to be the most popular one I could find. So hopefully you can answer a few of my questions.

To start I have a freedom Z (unsure of year, bought used) with about 1000 hrs, was repowered with a 27hp briggs at about 750hrs.

Three things I have questions about.

1. I have what looks to be a tensioner pulley, right under the seat that is just barely bouncing and rubbing on the metal under the seat. Not sure what to do about it short of replacing it. But that looks to be awfully difficult. It rubs the metal and the sound is pretty loud and annoying, but doesn't really affect the function of the mower. But I'd like to get it fixed before the pulley wears through the sheet metal.

2. I'm pretty sure that the engine should charge the battery while running, correct? Mine doesn't seem to charge. I have a few LED lights I use for mowing after dark, and they can kill the battery, and no amount of running the mower will recharge it. Battery is brand new this spring. Same for using a sprayer, it'll kill the battery eventually and the mower won't charge it. Where do I start troubleshooting?

3. Hydro adjustments? The left hydro will slow to a stop when you let off the handle, right side will maintain current speed when you let off the handle. Also the right hydro goes a bit faster in revers than the left. Is there any adjustments that can be done at home?

I'm a pretty competent mechanic, so if any of this can be done without major disassembly or any specialty tools, I'm all for giving it a shot. Do have a Scag dealer nearby if necessary.

:welcome:

To give you quality relevant answers we need the model numbers from your mower.

1) the pulley or the pulley are pivot will need to be replaced.
Buy the parts , check them against the originals then put them aside for a few months so you can do it in the off season.

2) Kohler mounts the rectifier on the blower housing , which is insulated from the engine, thus no ground.
They run a ground strap from a blower housing bolt to the regulator mounting screw, which regularly breaks.
I make up a pair of wires to make a ground connection to each of the mounting screws ( belts & braces ).
At full speed the alternator should be putting out 30V AC min at the two outside regulator terminals and 14 V DC from the centre terminal.

3) going to need the make & model of the hydros to answer that.

bertsmobile1 said:

:welcome:

To give you quality relevant answers we need the model numbers from your mower.

1) the pulley or the pulley are pivot will need to be replaced.
Buy the parts , check them against the originals then put them aside for a few months so you can do it in the off season.

2) Kohler mounts the rectifier on the blower housing , which is insulated from the engine, thus no ground.
They run a ground strap from a blower housing bolt to the regulator mounting screw, which regularly breaks.
I make up a pair of wires to make a ground connection to each of the mounting screws ( belts & braces ).
At full speed the alternator should be putting out 30V AC min at the two outside regulator terminals and 14 V DC from the centre terminal.

3) going to need the make & model of the hydros to answer that.

Click to expand...

I'll get the model asap, probably tomorrow.

Figured it'd probably be a R&R deal for the pulley, didn't know if it was a common thing or not.

My mower has a 27hp briggs, any idea if it's a similar setup? I'm pretty familiar with cars and trucks, but not so much with how the charging on a small engine works.

And as for hydros, I believe my unit has the ZT3100 hydros on it. I read how to adjust for speed variation and if one side or the other creeps forward when it should be stopped. The manual didn't mention anything about whether the handles should stay where they are when you let go of them, or if they should slow down and return to the stop position. It's weird that one of mine stays put when you let go, and one slows down.

Sorry, I did not read your post properly.
The rectifrier will be the same.
It will have 3 or 4 wires.
The 3 wires use the body as the ground and the 4 wire obviously have a + & -.
The two wires that are the same colour are the AC feed and the numbers are the same regardless of rectifrier fitted.
I don't get many problems with the bigger B & S electrics but check the AC wires near the stator as they tend to break there.
Permenant magnet alternator, same as old cars before they went to field energised alternators, except backwards , magnets rotating around the outside of the winding in place of magnets running inside windings.