this post was submitted on 05 Oct 2024

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Anybody here who knows about lawnmowers? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by BigDanishGuy to c/[email protected]

18 comments fedilink hide all child comments

In search of a dedicated small engine community I come here.

I have an older husqvarna frontrider with a hydrostatic transmission. While checking the transmission oil I noticed that the fan had broken of most of the blades.

Looking at the transmission cover I can see that it has been grazed by the blades, suggesting that the fan has been pulled sideways.

The oil check was part of a small service, that I was doing since I had to replace both belts going to the cutting deck as well as the belt in the deck. Those belts died when the belt tensioner, in middle of the mower, came loose and dangled beneath the mower.

My questions are these:

WTF?
If the belts have pulled that much in the engine driveshaft, as to do this, what else would you look for before starting the mower again?
Given that it's about 10°C outside, would you run the mower without a fully functioning fan?
Have I missed something? Any wisdom you wish to impart?

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

I don't think the hub of the fan was pulled over to make those grazes, I think it's more likely those happened when blades broke off or something went into the fan and was dragged over the transmission case.

As for running without, that fan is partly there for direct cooling, partly to keep grass clippings from collecting on top. Even in cooler temps, a blanket of clippings could make it get hotter than it should be.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

This is the right answer. The fan should be easy enough to fix since it’s held in with a clip, and a quick search for that fan shows they’re less than $20 in the US.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

In addition to getting hotter than it should be, the grass could catch on fire and make for a very bad day.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Crazy to me there's no guard on that fan. Even one with large openings, chicken-wire type (but stronger) would've prevented whatever got in there to cause the blades to break.

[–] BigDanishGuy 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You mean besides the cover? Nothing should be able to get in there that could do this.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It probably happened when the tensioner failed and the belt flew off.

[–] BigDanishGuy 1 points 2 months ago

I thought the same, but it would have had to be another time, because the only belt in reach didn't snap and fly off, it stayed in place but was shredded so the inner stands were exposed.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If you can, I recommend waiting until you can replace the fan. Maybe this fits?:

https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-Fan-black-1a646083070-Replaces-414415-583350101/dp/B00TD59K9K/

Have you discovered why the tensioner failed?

If you haven't already, considered getting new belts.

[–] BigDanishGuy 7 points 2 months ago

If you can, I recommend waiting until you can replace the fan. Maybe this fits?:

https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-Fan-black-1a646083070-Replaces-414415-583350101/dp/B00TD59K9K/

Thanks, I've already found a local source though. I'm in Denmark and much of the stuff on Amazon doesn't ship here. It does look exactly like the one I need. The part number in my manual is 5069868-01

Have you discovered why the tensioner failed?

My theory is that I attempted to cut too much too fast. Normally I'll just rip belt #2 in the picture below. This time shaft #14 came loose from bolt #15 so the entire assembly dangled below the mower. The tensioner pulley #25 may have gotten stuck, because it was demolished in the process. Part of a parts diagram for a Husqvarna rider r16c

If you haven't already, considered getting new belts.

Oh, I have. I replaced belt #3, as well as pulley #25 and the belt in the cutting deck. Belt #3 and the cutting deck belt was ripped, while I belt #2 seems ok. I did order a replacement for #2 though. Just kinda annoyed that I didn't notice the fan issue earlier, because I was really planning on giving the garden an autumn mowing this weekend.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

When your finally able to start the mower please update this thread! I have to know.

[–] BigDanishGuy 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I was able to get it to run. There, updated :)

I'll elaborate.

What I ended up doing was:

I replaced the fan, only to find that the battery was dead.
Yelled at a tree
Rejuvenate the battery by popping the caps off this "service free" sealed lead acid battery, and filling it back up with water from the clothes dryer (because why by demineralized water, especially when all the shops are closed)
Repair the caps because some broke during their removal.
Charge the battery

As you can see, that list took a fair bit of time. Could have been done faster by not repeating #2 so much. But in the end the mower works, and there's no indication of further defects in relation to the fan.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

It will reduce the lifespan but not kill the transmission to run it without the fan- especially because you said it's 10C.

As you can see the fan is held on with a clip and easy to replace- unlike my zero turn.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Is there any play in the fan when you take the belt off?

[–] BigDanishGuy 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'll have to investigate that, but there wasn't any play with the belt on.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Could you have possibly run over some brush that could have made it's way into the engine compartment?

[–] BigDanishGuy 2 points 2 months ago

Maybe, but that fan sits pretty well protected. The only two things I can come up with is either something got on top of the cover and forced it down, which doesn't seem likely as there's almost no space there, or the fan shaft got pulled so much that the blades hit the cover. Neither scenario seems likely, so that's why I'm at a loss.

But seeing as a local reseller has the part in store, I guess that it has happened before.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Time for a new lawnmower

[–] BigDanishGuy 4 points 2 months ago

You sound like the mrs... But a new, comparable, mower is about 5000€ and I have a too close and personal relationship with my money to part with that much money for when a 25€ part might do the trick.