not kidding anyone. I did look it up. This is a 22" electric start rear wheel drive personal pace recycler with the Tecumseh engine. Also looked up the ratings on the new TOROs that are similar, quite poor compared to the older models. Lots of used ones but they will have similar problems. The first question I asked in this thread was about replacing the Toro wheels @ $55 each plus tax. As to the axle play, it is not mentioned in the manual, I looked again. Nor can I find it by comparing the dimensions on new bearings and bushings. The frame is not tweaked either. I've run out of parts where it could be.
Also the axle floats inside the ball bearings that go into the bushings. There is no stop on the inside. The new driven key is rectangular where as the old key is half moon - don't know it that matters as to the gear drive when I get to that point of the repair.
The local mower shop is one of two Toro shops in the area. Both are large shops. The one towards downtown had their mechanic retire, the one here lost theirs as he passed away recently. The counter people don't know where the play is either, and they see a lot of units. All the parts are there with equal thickness more or less to the originals. How we got that much play is beyond me. If no one here knows if this play is normal, and they are guessing like everyone else, maybe I will just use the old thrust washers to take part of it up. I don't know. Nor do I feel like bantering with anyone. My closest cousin passed away this morning after a battle with her COPD and the smoke on the east coast. I'd like to get this mower fixed and back to my neighbor. And yes, he would rather spend the money to fix it than spend double or more that on a new one. We are both in our 70's and would not get the full benefit of a new mower. I'm sure if we were in our 50's we would just buy a new mower.
