Front axle bushing

[StarTech]

It usually help to know which country someone is in too if recommending sources. One USA source has 25 of them in stock. Even my distributor has 9 of them in warehouse 7 under the older PN. The problem is I am assigned Warehouse 2, just my luck as they want an extra shipping charge to send from that warehouse.

 

[CLStout]

Thanks folks, I really appreciate it.

 

[bertsmobile1]

I don't know how you searched for the bush but Jacks Small Engines has them listed under the ariens part number and the husqvarna parts numbers
Interesting that under each different brand, the price is different
For small engine parts it is always best to go to a small engine specialists like Jacks, Parts tree , Messecks, Small Engine Warehouse , Small Engine Supplies , Proparts Direct etc etc etc
Doing a google search or Amazon just does not cut the mustard .
I put in a dummy order on Jacks for 10 & it went through so they have plenty on hand .

 

[CLStout]

Apparently you're correct. I would think that at least some of those you mentioned would have come up in a search. I will look into those sites. Thanks

 

[bertsmobile1]

Ammo Zone & Evil Pay and Google all work on the lazyness or ignorance of the people looking for whatever
It is all done with things called meta tags which are just key words
Because of the way search engines search, they do not go through the on line catalogues of specialist suppliers so by and large they do not appear in searches
Thus google will always send you to multiple Ammmo zone listings, evilpay listings even Craigs List listing before it sends you to the right place to look for a specific part, unless thousands of others have also been looking for the same part.
So in your case, your search should have been "Ariens mower parts"
That should bring up every supplier that sells Ariens mower parts , including Ariens themselves
You then ignore Ammo zone , Evil Pay, Ali-Baba and all the index sites , "Best buys" "go Low " etc and look at the names that are small engine specific .
And this is before you take into account all of the businesses who pay Google to make sure they get listed on the first page and the businesses who pay IT people in third world countries to manipulate the system so they appear at the top of the first Google page .

So you are in fact being trained to search in a particular way that benefits criminals like Bezos just like you train a dog .

 

[CLStout]

Well heck, that ain't right!

I need some more info, if possible. I just jacked up the front of the tractor and checked the play in the axle. It easily moves back and forth in the portion of the frame where it sits. It moves enough to make contact with the frame on both sides. Can I assume that this is too much play?

 

[bertsmobile1]

No Idea
It has to have good running clearance
Sliding back & forth should not be a problem
Twisting on the pivot is
THe bush is top hat style so the flange would normally be running against a plate fairly closely otherwise there is no point of it being a top hat bush .
Time for some photos
FRomthe IPL there does not appear to be any adjustment unless the front plate has slots so it can be moved back & forth .
OTOH this is an old mower so there could be a lot of wear in there if it has never been serviced properly ( lubricated )

 

[CLStout]

Well, I can tell you that the axle pivot bushings have not been serviced. I only service what the manual says to service. I'm the original owner, so the bushings are original. The axle does pivot up and down, but it also moves forward and backward and contacts the frame when it does. I'm not a mechanic, but that seems to me like it's too much play.

 

[StarTech]

Slide back and forth will affect toe in/out. Not so much on this system but on NZTR steering a lot.

 

[CLStout]

But shouldn't it be tighter? It's definitely moving at the pivot bushings, and not just up and down, but back and forth, also. Makes a lot of noise when it contacts the frame.