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Hi, new to the forum, looking for a little information. I have a vanguard 16hp. The ring gear on the flywheel is about half stripped of its teeth. The replacement ring gear for this flywheel is no longer available, as is the flywheel, but there is a kit with a new flywheel and a different cover. It is very pricey for a 21 yr old mower. Not worth the investment at that price. My other option is to install a flywheel I have from a vanguard 18hp engine. It is the type with the bolt on fins. It does bolt to the engine, and the driveshaft coupler will attach to it. I'd have to modify a few things on the cover, but that part isn't a big deal. My question is are these flywheels zero balanced, or do they act as a counter balance to the crankshaft? If they are zero balanced than I should be fine, but if balanced to the weight of the rotating assembly I'd probably throw things out of balance. Anyone on here have any expierence with this? I currently have the flywheel installed on the 16hp engine, but don't want to start it if it will throw the engine out of balance.

Very good question.
If it is any help I fit different flywheels all the time to old engines.
Never noticed any difference in the amount of vibrations and no one has brought one back.
But it would be good to know.

I agree with Bert........... There is one issue though... The 16 hp stator / alternator might be a lower amperage than the 18 hp.....

Magnets would be different on the 18 hp flywheel.... I don't thing you would a issue with that...... As long as they are both the same size I would fire it up and check for vibration... If it does vibrate then kill the engine..... As long as your coupler fits you should be good to go.......

Bert knows more than I do about the Magnets and stators.... I usually look that stuff up but we don't have your model numbers ~!~!

Let us know Mon Ami ~!~!

Boudreaux In Eunice La. said:

I agree with Bert........... There is one issue though... The 16 hp stator / alternator might be a lower amperage than the 18 hp.....

Magnets would be different on the 18 hp flywheel.... I don't thing you would a issue with that...... As long as they are both the same size I would fire it up and check for vibration... If it does vibrate then kill the engine..... As long as your coupler fits you should be good to go.......

Bert knows more than I do about the Magnets and stators.... I usually look that stuff up but we don't have your model numbers ~!~!

Let us know Mon Ami ~!~!

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I have it bolted up right now with out the fan drive shaft, or cover bolted to it, basically would have to hook a few wires back up and bolt the header back on. I had planned if I couldn't find any information to fire it up for a second and see how it feels. Definitely want to do that before bolting everything back together. I have the complete 18 horse engine so I will use the flywheel cover and screen for that as the 18hp flywheel with fan blades bolted to it is thicker and won't fit in the old cover. I am hoping to find some parts for the 18hp and get it freshened up to I can swap it on, as this thing could use a little more power with the 48" deck. Need to get the old 16 horse running for another cut or 2 though. For reference the model number of my 16hp is 303447. The 18hp is 356447. I'd also be interested to know a little about the amperage output of the stator. They look pretty much identical to each other, but I'd like to use which ever is higher output.

The stators are color coded........... Both models will come with different ones depending on what application they are used for .......

I could look yours up and it will show different ones.......

Bryanw said:

I have it bolted up right now with out the fan drive shaft, or cover bolted to it, basically would have to hook a few wires back up and bolt the header back on. I had planned if I couldn't find any information to fire it up for a second and see how it feels. Definitely want to do that before bolting everything back together. I have the complete 18 horse engine so I will use the flywheel cover and screen for that as the 18hp flywheel with fan blades bolted to it is thicker and won't fit in the old cover. I am hoping to find some parts for the 18hp and get it freshened up to I can swap it on, as this thing could use a little more power with the 48" deck. Need to get the old 16 horse running for another cut or 2 though. For reference the model number of my 16hp is 303447. The 18hp is 356447. I'd also be interested to know a little about the amperage output of the stator. They look pretty much identical to each other, but I'd like to use which ever is higher output.

Click to expand...

I swap a lot of alternators and most of the B & S ones seem in interchange without problems.
Kohler seem to all be the same with the exception of the magnet size & the crankshaft hole
vanguards have been a bit problematic as flywheels from engine with different starter mountings do not seem to interchange.
However we get Japanese & American Vanguards down here

Boudreaux In Eunice La. said:

The stators are color coded........... Both models will come with different ones depending on what application they are used for .......

I could look yours up and it will show different ones.......

Click to expand...

It would seem an impedance test on the stator would be a pretty good indication of which is higher output, or if they are the same as well. More windings, higher impedance, higher output. For now I will just use what's on the engine, as I have the flywheel on and torqued down already, and it charges well. I would like to add some higher output lights, so higher amperage would be nice when I swap the 18hp on to it.

Got a little free time today and went ahead and just hooked the wiring back up and fired it up. Seem to run fine, and no odd vibrations. The steel teeth mesh very well with my metal teeth starter which is likely what killed the aluminum ring gear on the old flywheel. Got tired of eating plastic starter drives and gears and put the 18 hp starter on it a few years ago which has the steel teeth. Got a few seasons out of it that way. Going to put it back together with the fan and flywheel cover from the 18hp. A lot bigger fan with this setup is a bonus I guess. Help keep this thing a little as cooler as they run hot stuck in these enclosed cub cadet engine bays. Now to weld some new mounting studs to the muffler. Broke the last 2 remaining studs pulling it off. Not spending 200 bucks on a new one of those.

Bryanw said:

Got a little free time today and went ahead and just hooked the wiring back up and fired it up. Seem to run fine, and no odd vibrations. The steel teeth mesh very well with my metal teeth starter which is likely what killed the aluminum ring gear on the old flywheel. Got tired of eating plastic starter drives and gears and put the 18 hp starter on it a few years ago which has the steel teeth. Got a few seasons out of it that way. Going to put it back together with the fan and flywheel cover from the 18hp. A lot bigger fan with this setup is a bonus I guess. Help keep this thing a little as cooler as they run hot stuck in these enclosed cub cadet engine bays. Now to weld some new mounting studs to the muffler. Broke the last 2 remaining studs pulling it off. Not spending 200 bucks on a new one of those.

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I figured you had a Cubby since you mentioned a shaft drive............ I have a 16 HP I / C Briggs vertical shaft and it also has a cast iron flywheel with the bolt on fins.......

The engine came off a Craftsman rider with the regular pulley for the deck instead of a electric pto clutch... Any engine, MOST of time that uses an electric clutch will have the higher amp stator. The lights and the clutch uses more amps.....

Plus Tard Mon Ami ~!~!

BTW did you by chance look at the magnets on both flywheels ????

Boudreaux In Eunice La. said:

BTW did you by chance look at the magnets on both flywheels ????

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The 18hp has a metal sleeve covering the magnets, I really want to bother trying to take that out to look as it might not stay when I put it back in. Seems like a good idea that they used that though as it keeps debris out of the magnets, and keeps them in place if they come loose and you don't destroy your stator. I also compared stators side by side, both identical, both i assume 20 amp as that is what my engine came with. And they appear to have the same gauge wire and number of windings.

Bryanw said:

The 18hp has a metal sleeve covering the magnets, I really want to bother trying to take that out to look as it might not stay when I put it back in. Seems like a good idea that they used that though as it keeps debris out of the magnets, and keeps them in place if they come loose and you don't destroy your stator. I also compared stators side by side, both identical, both i assume 20 amp as that is what my engine came with. And they appear to have the same gauge wire and number of windings.

Click to expand...

Well then do like Bert said in his post...... Run it you are good to go..... All you need is a 16 amp to use the electric PTO clutch..... So you are fine with the 18 HP flywheel ....

Plus Tard Mon Ami ~!~!

Got the fan and covers bolted back on and everything hooked back up. Had to cut down the plastic piece that goes between the flywheel cover and firewall a little bit as the 18hp flywheel with the plastic fan is about an inch and a half thicker than the old one. It all fit together well though. Wasn't able to get my muffler messed with today as it was raining, and couldnt get the welder out.