4300D counterbalance setting

 If your finding that the wheels are spinning a little on hills you can control how much deck pressure there is by doing this .

Find theses wires in the arm console . With the machine off

you can unhook them and put the two ends together for adjustment . turn the key to the on position ( not start) and by activating the raise / lower lever you can get three different settings . For each setting the light will flash 1...2...or 3 times . 1 most pressure and 3 is the least . After setting it to where you want turn key to the off position and put the wires back to the way they where .

Just a small video to show how quick and easy it is to do . If your course is dry and pretty flat you could run #1 setting  or if your very hilly and wet and are having traction problems ( spin marks ) try #3  setting . At least there is an option for change with this Toro unit .

New Flex 21 First Spin Grind

 In the past I have only worked on PGMs where I have to lift the entire machine to grind . Just a few picks of how easy it is to remove the reel head .

 Removing the reel drive took a second .

Loosen of the 2 bolts on the front frame .

 And your ready to put it on the work bench . Might take 15 seconds . Then less than 5 minutes to remove the bedbar .

 I was very glad that I didn't have to take the shield of to grind .My 3150 Q involves a lot more work and many more wrenches for bedknife and shield removal . Spin grinding on a Foley 630. Very light grind  .  The front roller holders just fit in . The bungee cored I attached to the frame bolts to keep them off the reel for grinding .

 These are the frame pieces that where hitting the reel .Red section .

They set up pretty quickly for a spin grind . Ground the bedknives on the 660 Foley while the reel was spinning .

My over all experience found it very easy to remove tear down and set up to grind .

Toro 1250 Sprayer Damper Diaphram Replacement

 If you have a pump running unusually rough then check the coupler to the electric clutch and if everything's OK you can take the valve cover off and push on the stem if liquid comes out the diaphram is ruptured .

The diaphram takes air 15 psi roughly or 1/3 the pump pressure . You should check before using your sprayer along with the tires . Check psi and only takes a very quick shot of air . The repair is very simple just remove all the nuts and bolts and pull the diaphram out and replace it with a new one .

Pick of the diaphram

The dark blue area in center of pick is a hole .Without the counter air pressure to off set the pump operation it will run noticeably rougher and should be taken to the mechanic right away . The extra vibration will wear out hoses against the frame really quick. 

Club Car starter/generator brushes

 The starter / generator has a dual purpose . It generates power to charge the battery and run accessories . It is also used to start the engine when the accelerator is pressed down. .Have you ever had a cart that randomly dies after stopping and when you turn the drive clutch a little or push it ahead and it will go again as if nothing happened for days ? The brushes may need  to be replaced.Also there are 2 micro switches that activate this circuit . One is on the forward / reverse lever and the other is in the black box under the drive seat side .

Very easy to remove and the wiring pretty much keep their shape for easy assembly . If the white wire is loose it may do the same thing as bad brushes .

 There are 4 rubber plugs so you can clean and inspect the brushes for wear .

Disconnect the battery before you start.

Use a 2 - 9/16th wrenches to loosen bolts holding it the engine bracket  and then the 1/2" wrench to loosen the adjustment nut then remove the belt off the generator pulley .Remove wires off the generator keeping track were they go, If it's your first time you can right on the generator the colors of the wires removed Y,W,B,G . Remove the bolts and lift out .  

I buff a little area off and mark a line to help line it up later . There are notches that let you know if it's line up right anyway but it makes good practice when disassembling multiple parts to mark them .

Surprisingly the brushes where in good shape and not to the wear limit yet . There is a good 1200 hrs. on them . Once a year I will pull the rubber plugs and spray the brush area with contact cleaner then blow it out with a little compressed air .

The center one in the pic had little spring tension on the brush and might have been the cause to the problem . It's fixed in the pic , I just wound it around a half turn to get the spring tension back on . It must have been not assemble right last time I replaced them .

 Putting it in a vice helps to make it easier to work on .
I cleaned of the armature and other parts before assembly .Check the bearings and replace if needed .

If you had to replace the brushes they will come as a kit and you just screw them in place . To get the top back on with the brushes in you will have to push the brushes out of the holder till the spring sits on the side. Line your marks on all the parts and install the 2 long bolts that hold it all together. Push the brushes into the holders making sure the spring sets squarely on top .

Clean up all the wiring and contact areas . I coat them with die-electric grease

You can re install all the rubber plugs . The vented one goes on the A2 brush which is the bottom one when it's all installed . Re install in reverse order and clean up the rest of the wiring connections .

This will work most of the time if it doesn't then there may be a problem with the armature which involves some tools not usually found in our shops . We have and alternator shop nearby that can refurbish them for around $100.00 .

Backlapping Flex 21

Backlapping : Mostly used to touch up edges on bedknives and reels by spinning the reel backwards and applying grinding compound . Grinding is a preferred method but some courses may be limited by their resources and backlapping may be the cost effective option . Also grinding is time consuming to do especially if your the only mechanic .  I'm lucky to have grinders to use if needed but have to plan my time wisely to do it . But I will still backlap on occasion to touch edges up . In the past years courses have been more aggressive on applying top dress to greens/tees/fairways causing rapid wear on reels and bedknives . I know for us techs it can get to be labour intensive at times but our job is to maintain the cutting equipment to the best of our time and resources . A lot of the time I can get away with facing the bedknife and backlapping the reel to bedknife surfaces.

                                                                                       

I'm using the Neary backlap machine here . If you don't have a backlapper I have done it with a large gear driven drill . Just make sure you don't go to fast . Most machines have an area to attach a socket on the reel . On this machine I slid the drive cog off to lessen some drag . Triplexes /fairway mowers have on board back lap systems and you should be able to find instructions on them in the operators manual . Most  run at idle while back lapping.

 I'm applying backlap compound while the reel is spinning up and away from me . I use a paint brush but you should be using a long handle brush . I only backlap for 30 seconds to a couple of minutes . If you can't get the cut back try front facing the bedknife . If you backlap for more than five minutes it's time to grind .

 Afer a rinse and slight adjustment to light contact ( my preference )It should easily cut news print . A sharp front faced bedknife really makes a difference . You almost have to think of the reel as a paddle picking up the grass and passing across the bedknife were all the cutting is being done .

 

This is what it cut like before I backlapped . Notice the ragged edges and tears . It does the same to the grass .  

This kind of cut leads to healthier grass with less chance for disease.

A little video of the sites and sounds . The water is to rinse / spread the backlap compoud and you should clean or wipe of the reel lands the best you can before checking the cut . I had a comment on you tube stating the reel is going the wrong way but if you watch the coupler which is directly attached to the reel is going in reverse . I think we are seeing an optical illusion .

Before back lapping ,the cut strip ( newsprint ) should just pinch in between the reel and bedknife . You don't want to be to tight . After your done lapping you may have to readjust cut .

Toro Sidewinder Spindle rebuild

 I noticed a little more play than usual on the rear spindle . There is a little play when you move the blades on the ends but this time I noticed a lot of up and down movement . I may have gotten away with it for a lot more mows but would rather repair while there was a little down time . Also if you can rebuild it early your spindle housing may not get ruined .

 Removal is pretty easy a couple of allen head bolts takes the hydro motor off .

 There was some wear on the races and bearings where pretty floppy .

 I ordered the parts for repair . The bearing and spacers come as set so the clearances are right .

 I laid everything out on the bench while waiting for the parts to come in .

 The big snap ring can stay in . It is almost impossible to remove with out the proper tool . The instructions will say to leave it in unless it's broken .

 While the machine is laid up I remove the key , put the engine compartment in the open position and leave a note on the steering wheel and on my service board . Over kill ....YES ...but when it's a much used machine I don't think twice about someone coming in your shop and taking it out to mow . I've heard of equipment being pulled out with out asking the mechanic first while it's in the middle of an oil change . Always pull the key just in case you get pulled away for some emergency out on the course .

 This is the top side . On the bottom side you can install the race . We do not have a press but have the basic tools to install races without a problem . 

 Make sure the race is up against the snap ring .

 Load the bearing up with grease .

 Put a little grease on the seal lip and install.

 I made sure there were no burrs on the seal surfaces just up from my thumb . and greased the spindle and installed it. Now I just move it over to the vice and hold it in there by the blade mount for the rest .

 The big spacer slides in on the top side against the retaning ring  , In the instructions it says to press it in ? mine seemed to go right in with zero effort . This gives you the spacing and a landing point for the top side RACE . Slide the other snap ring over the spindle shaft then the spacer for the ( inside part ) bearing to ride on .

 Installed the race till it bottoms out on spacer and I had to use the 2" socket to install the seal .

 The large nut goes on next , also check the seal surface on the nut for burrs .

 Torque nut to 145 ft.lbs.

After it's all done reinstall on machine in reverse order . I have an old hydraulic cap to protect the splines . Only took less than 10 minutes form here on in to get it out the door .

  

Toro Sidewider front gear case pulley seal

Our sidewinder developed a leak behind the drive pulley for the alternator ( on engine) .It wasn't dripping but while running the force of the fan would blow the seeping oil all over the rear and bottom of engine . After talking to the dealer I found out it could be replaced on the machine . I little tight but do able . I would suggest removing the lower part of the radiator fan shroud .

You will need a way to stop the engine from turning over . I'm sure there is a special tool for this but this worked very well . I let the pry bar go up against the frame either on top or under depending if it being removed or tightening the nut . The nut was torqued on pretty good , took a power bar and a foot long piece of pipe for more leverage to get it off . Watch out for hoses,cables etc. so that they don't get pinched . 

 See the alignment punch marks . The pully is a balanced with the crankshaft . It has to go back on the exact same way .

Getting the old seal out wasn't to much of an issue . After putting some grease on the seal lip I installed the new seal . I didn't have the proper tool to get the new one in and it is in an awkward spot . I hunted around the shop and found a piece of irrigation pipe that did the job perfectly . There are many times we have to think of a way to get the job done even if you have to make your own tools . A little side note : getting the pulley back on was a bit of a choir . My machine is a 2008 and the interference fit is next to zero of these two parts (second pic ) . I had to heat the gear up with a propane torch to get it on . Line the punch marks up and make sure you feel the splines line up and give it light taps with a rubber hammer . If your not lined up and mess up the splines you will have a real big problem getting it on .  Once it starts just let it sit there to cool off a bit . Slide it on the rest of the way and torque ( in my case )the nut to 170 ft.lbs.