The Daily Yardman Thread

[bertsmobile1]

Re: MTD Yardman Transaxle Rebuild

You have not had good Maine lobster then. It is amazing. We had some flown in for a Christmas party. It was delish. Best part of the meal. I so crave a good lobster. Missouri is not known for its seafood. So wish it was. Down in the southern part of Missouri we are know for Springfield style Cashew chicken and catfish. I do not eat catfish.

But apparently some of them get big enough to eat you.
Now you need to hop over here and try some Tasmanian lobster or King island Abalone.
You won't want to go back home and I have not started on the cheeses or wines.

 

[BlazNT]

Re: MTD Yardman Transaxle Rebuild

Austraila is on my bucket list. One of these days.

 

[primerbulb120]

Re: MTD Yardman Transaxle Rebuild

EEEEEeeiiiiiiiiiiiiii CHI-WA-WA ...
First it's a go-around with James Lewcious (primer) over string trimmer useage

It's Clyde, not James.

 

[Boobala]

Re: MTD Yardman Transaxle Rebuild

It's Clyde, not James.

CLOSE ENOUGH !! ...( LOL ) ..Clyde !! U put that wheeeelbarrrowww DOWN !! ... Yu know verrrrry welll you don't know nuthin
bout sheeenereeee !!!

 

[Roger B]

Various Seafoods and other comments

Let's see now... First Boo,

I have eaten my share of langouste or spiny lobsters and it took me a while to learn how to cook the buggers (bugs), but once I got the hang of it, I'll admit, they are pretty dang good. Not as sweet or as tender as Maine lobsters, especially shedders which we should start picking up by next month. I found that steaming langouste with just enough cider vinegar in fresh water to barely color it and then squeezing fresh lemon and fresh ground pepper into your melted butter, made them taste best.

One mistake "folks from away" make when cooking Maine lobsters is they don't remove the elastic bands on their claws before cooking and they cook them in too much fresh water. You only need maybe 3/4" of water in the bottom of a large kettle and then salt it so that it tastes like ocean water before boiling them. Once the water is boiling, toss them in and time them for 15 minutes after the water starts boiling again. The elastics make the shells taste bitter and you're always getting the shells in your mouth. Nasty rubber taste!! Yuck...

Bert,

I'd love to be able to come to Australia or even better New Zealand! I almost made it to Australia back in 1970, but the submarine I was serving on blew an engine and we had to go into the yards in Japan to have it replaced. That took up the time we could have headed down under. (Two months.) Bummer...

Clyde,

Keep after him! He'll get it right one of these days!!

Bert,

I've had abalone, and if it isn't pounded half-to-death, a fella could wear out a set of chompers trying to eat one of them! Kinda like conch... tasty but chewy... I'll stick to soft-shelled, long-neck clams...

All Hands! I am proud to report that although we discovered two traps that seals had tried to open when we went out this morning, they were still tightly closed! Clipping the bungee cord clamps to the trap wire prevented them from being able to gain access! Now I just have to figure out how to quickly remove the carabiners when tending the traps so I don't slow down the process..

As an aside.. Chuck (BlazNT) answered my belt problem plea on the Troy-Bilt forum, agreeing that I need to determine if the pulleys are properly aligned. I picked up the tiller today and will do just that, but intend to spend some more time reading the manual first.. There is always an answer to every problem, just got to find it..

Today must be the first day of Summer, right? Or maybe the first day of Winter down Bert's way... Sorry Bert.. It's actually nice here today.. I'm going to enjoy it.

Ta-Ta,

Rog

 

[BlazNT]

Re: MTD Yardman Transaxle Rebuild

Yes, an answer is always available. This reminds me of my John Deere F925. I got it running and thought I was done. I replaced the indicator light bulbs and low and behold the relay that was plugged into that circuit started acting up again. I got out the wiring diagram and the relay that is in the starter relay spot was not the correct relay. It was the glow plug relay. I tested the wiring and it was no way correct. I could not for the life of me figure out why a relay would be wired that way. Come to find out it is not a relay at all but a controller box for the glow plugs. $67.00 later I put the ligh bulb back in and replace the relay with the controller and all the little problems are gone. The fools that had this before me did not know how to read a wiring diagram. Now that all the fluids are topped off it is running like a dream. I tested the speed and it is a fast mower. They say it will do 10 mph but I have not tested that yet. All I can say is wow that thing can move. I put the deck on and ran out of day light. I guess I will get on that tomorrow. Time to level the deck and get ready for mowing.

 

[Roger B]

Re: MTD Yardman Transaxle Rebuild

Yes, an answer is always available. This reminds me of my John Deere F925. I got it running and thought I was done. I replaced the indicator light bulbs and low and behold the relay that was plugged into that circuit started acting up again. I got out the wiring diagram and the relay that is in the starter relay spot was not the correct relay. It was the glow plug relay. I tested the wiring and it was no way correct. I could not for the life of me figure out why a relay would be wired that way. Come to find out it is not a relay at all but a controller box for the glow plugs. $67.00 later I put the ligh bulb back in and replace the relay with the controller and all the little problems are gone. The fools that had this before me did not know how to read a wiring diagram. Now that all the fluids are topped off it is running like a dream. I tested the speed and it is a fast mower. They say it will do 10 mph but I have not tested that yet. All I can say is wow that thing can move. I put the deck on and ran out of day light. I guess I will get on that tomorrow. Time to level the deck and get ready for mowing.

Chuck,

You are a mowing madman! I couldn't get a machine that big into my driveway, never mind my back yard!

I'll attach a picture of what my back yard looks like.

Roger

 

[Boobala]

Re: MTD Yardman Transaxle Rebuild

Rog , IF you can get the wifey to install more flowers and shrubbery you could sell the mowers ( LOL )

Chuck , in case you did'nt know ... way back when NASA had the BIG budget cuts and let a bunch of
engineers out the door, many went to automotive companies hence all those wonderful distracting
gidgee-gadgets you see incorporated in todays transportation. I think a few ELECTRICAL engineers found a home at John Deere . Yes, a nice machine , older models were built like tanks from what I'm told , the newer models since these OVER-engineers got on-board require all the bells and whistles these engineers designed for the SHUTTLE !! They simply DON'T understand it's a lawnmower !! why all the (in my opinion) "extras" ... it used to be the average "Chuck" could just take a look at his problem.. look it up in a SIMPLE to use manual and fix the damn thing . As far as those manuals go, I think everything (except brooms & mops) should come with an owners guide, in EASY to read ENGLISH , with pictures, and popcorn N soda too !! ( LOL ) Shop service manuals could remain available for purchase ( like the old Motors & Chiltons auto manuals we used ) Do we REALLY need ELECTRIC pto's ?? Life should be made more simple and NOT requireing an engineer to usethe simple everyday items we use in our lives .

 

[Roger B]

Re: MTD Yardman Transaxle Rebuild

Rog , IF you can get the wifey to install more flowers and shrubbery you could sell the mowers ( LOL )

Boo,

I'll have you knw that I was involved in planting all that crap! We never get any real sunlight down in here. so all we can grow are shade loving plants, like the hosta and European ginger you can see in the background.

That building is part of my shop which is attached to the back of the garage. I'll hook on another picture that shows the whole shop. (Just to make you jealous as I know you do all your work outside under a palm tree!)

Rog

 

[Roger B]

It was all a matter of alignment!!

Here's the straight-skinny on the Troy-Bilt pulleys.

I very carefully checked and sure enough, if I really paid attention and look carefully, I could see that the pulleys were not exactly aligned one set above the other. In fact some careful measurements indicated that they were off by 3/16"! In this case the pulley need to be 3/16" further away from the motor. As I found five shims on the shaft of the Tecumseh engine, I measured three of the thickest ones and found they were 1/16" each, so I put all three on the shaft of the Predator. Then I put on the extra two belts I had ordered for the 1976 Tiller and put everything back together. A little tension readjustment for both the belts and the reversing wheel and it ran great!

I drained the break-in oil and refilled the Predator crankcase with a good 10W-30 oil and hopefully it will now work fine. When I finish refurbishing and repowering the 1976 Troy-Bilt, I can assure you that I will pay far closer attention to the pulley alignment.. I've always said, "If you don't screw-up once and a while, you aren't really working!" In my case I always seem to be working!!

I just ordered two new Kevlar belts using the same supplier but the other Troy-Bilt number. There is a GW-9245 and a GW-1128, I want to see if there is any difference between them.

I 'think' we're good to go with it now.

Roger