Jacobsen Greens King IV under mount mower lift stops

I have to mention these stops . I've been around these machines as an operator and technician for 18 + years . The Greens King IV gave our courses a great cut for many years and I think we have the last one here at the course . I have sold off a few of them in the past and have 3 sets of reels to use on the 2001 model we have left . The newer model must have been a custom order because the reels are very heavy duty and look more like the fairway  3400 reels . The lift frame was a bit different and the hooks have to be removed to get them on the machine ..unlike the old style where you could maneuver them in place . On GolfTechs site the guys where talking about these under mount lift stops . I decided to purchase a set and it is the perfect solution to the problem I was having . Liked them so much I purchased a second set . Now I can change the reels around as need in a lot less time . 

Part number . They are 22 $ each Canadian . A good heavy duty quality . 

Old style hook . Sorry about the pic but it's still ridiculously freezing in the shop . 

In the R+R catalog it shows them this way for the GK V and works great on the GK IV in the same position .  ( shows the other way in R+R) These are the OEM ones . The steel is almost twice as thick as the old ones and so easy to switch out reels now .

Accue Gauge shortened up

We have this Toro 3150 Q for a few seasons now . Great machine but adjusting HOC is a reel nuisance .I have tried everything but nothing to no avail . Our other course has quit a few of them and their tech shortened his gauge to speed things up . I did the same today , Enough was enough . Now it is a breeze to check and adjust the HOC. 

Using a cut of wheel I was able to shorten it a little past the wear marks on the bottom of gauge .

Re-drilled the hole .

Now the adjustments can be made without the lift and or bucket roller being in the way.

I don't like to alter this type of tool but I'm glad I finally did .

After use the gauges are put away hanging in my office . Safest place , that way they won't accidentally get kicked or knocked over .

Rewinding pull cords before they are a problem

This is the time of year that I go over all the small engines . I check every machine for frayed / worn pull cords .

Fraying up by pull handle . Will it last the season . No .

At the other end it's pretty much gone . The young guys like to pull on them to the very end . If you have a couple of tall guys then they will rip them out because of their extra reach . 

They best thing I have found so far is a furniture clamp with the padded rubber jaws . Pull the cord out all the way and clamp . I mount it in the vice to make it even easier . 

Small straight pick pulls the knot out easily . 

Snip the knot off . I was surprise to see just a single knot . Usually it's a figure eight type looped through the openings . Not much room for that type of knot .

Lay out the new line beside the old and cut it off a little longer . 

Seal up the ends with a torch to keep from fraying . 

Slides right back in , if not guide it with the straight pick . 

Pull a good length out  

Then knot it .. I use a pair of needle nose pliers to slide up against knot and pull tight . 

Tuck in the loose end and pull new pull cord till it's in all the way.

Nice and clean . I like to spray some dry graphite for lubrication.  

Same idea for the handle . This is a Stihl back pack blower pull cord mechanism .But my holder will work on most anything you come across . One more thing If you scrap equipment keep the pull cords and string them up new and hang them up . It's a big time saver when your up to your ears in work and one comes in with the  cord ripped out of it . Also train the staff not to pull them to the end stop.

Club Car wheel bearings

This process is pretty much the same for most wheel bearings .  

There are special tools to remove the dust covers but this works fine . Work your way around till its off , 

Removing the cotter pin I find a pair of side cutters works best . I'm using the hub for leverage . No need to try to straighten it out ..it will pull through . Then throw it away . Cotter pins are to be replaced new when removed . 

Pull the hub off the spindle 

If you see a rusty race than the bearing and race should both be replaced . Keep track which bearing goes with which race if they are fine . Mismatched parts will wear a little faster . Always replace the bearing and race together . Don't take the EASY route and throw a bearing in an call it a day . 

The hub felt fine before removal and wheel spun very well ... to well . It may have not lasted the season if I hadn't pulled it apart .The seal was bad letting water and debris in flushing out the grease . 

Races are easily tapped out with a punch and hammer tap lightly and work 180 degrees direction to tap them out  

Your pressing a steel race into an aluminium hub so don't over do it . Light pressure and check to see if it is seated properly 

Loading up the bearing with grease . A few pumps of grease on the palm of your hand works best for me .

Work grease in from this side of the bearing . Scrape and press the grease into the bearing and work your way around it . 

It should look like this when your done .

Do the inside one first . Be sure to install a new seal .

Press it in till level with hub . 

Rub some grease on seal lip.

Clean up the spindle and the area where the seal sits with a fine emery cloth and grease it  . Most likely there will be a bit of a groove but it should seal the dirt out OK. 

Slide the hub and bearing on spindle .

This is the most important part . You want to snug (1/32 to 1/16th of a turn)then rotate hub forwards and backwards a few revolutions to set the bearing and grease . There are INCH pound torque specks if your not sure . Most bearings I done have been between 10 and 25 inch pounds . Not finished yet here comes the most important part.... back off again and loosely goes to the nearest castle nut groove to cotter pin hole in spindle . Finger tight basically.

New cotter pin installed. I cut the back one flush and wrap the other one in front of bearing adjustment nut .

Busy today .Finished this Club Car that we have set up for irrigation work then the flexes came back in to set HOC lower and install the front whillie rollers . Next week the rest of the snow gear will get cleaned up and put away . 2 more gas fleet carts and on to small engines . Approach mower went out to clean up any long grass around the greens . 

  

Of to the races

Finally Spring has sprung . I think this is one of the longest winters so far . Some of the seasonal full time are trickling in . First job is to get the breathable tarps and ice shields off the greens . Greens look pretty good and should bounce back OK with + temperatures .

Winters over but the salter and plow will wait till after Easter to get cleaned and serviced before putting storage 

I serviced the blower we use around the club house today . Gas treatment put in and run . axles were starting to rust to shafts . Removing the wheels and cleaning them up then used never seize on them . 

Belts check for wear and adjustment

Also cleaned up the gear box and lubed as needed .Now it's ready for next year when we need it .

After Superintendent checked the greens with our prism it was time to get our Toro Flex 2100 set up for the first cut . These mowers have been out of service since November . I ran them with gas treatment and drained the tanks . After fueling them up the new Subaru engines started right up first pull .When you do regular service and put machines to bed properly this is the kind of results you can expect.

Just knocking a little fluff of the top . It will take a little while for them to acclimatize.

This has to be the best part of the job seeing your equipment back out and check your work .

Windfoil spray system tilting back problem

We have the Windfoil spray system on the newer 1250 Toro sprayer . This gives us to ability to spray when we want and not have to rely to much on how windy it is on the course . Our course is pretty breezy most days . Last summer while making my rounds checking cuts and talking to the staff I noticed the greens where looking stripey. It wasn't the first time I've seen these wide lines . On the way back to the shop I watched the sprayer in action and noticed that quit often the center boom was tilted back and the flap was dragging in the turf . The operator cannot see the tilt angle of the booms and they will tilt to far back . The manual doesn't show any adjustments for this and after checking the rams I couldn't see any adjustments to make .  Also some of our greens have grades and undulations causing drag to . The spray tech tried to solve the problem by lifting the boom wings a little which does work but the center boom rides on 2 wheels and doesn't lift and floats following the ground . Personally I think the center boom should have 4 wheels that might keep the entire boom level . 

Windfoil on Toro 1250 sprayer .It's pretty big .

I call it the" USS Enterprise "

To solve our problem the design has to allow the entire boom to float and go up and down independently . 

A picture of the swing like connection that floats the boom system .

Problem solving took a little while ..there was a lot of things going on to consider . 

Mocking up some set ups till it's figured out . Things to deal with . up and down movement . independent movement of either side . Will it be affected in transport or wings lifting / lowering action. It also tilts forward too. . 

 Taking some measurements .

Made up brackets to wrap around the aluminium framing of center boom . I doubled up these little rollers that have been in the shop forever . Drilled a hole in angle iron to mount wheels .

 

After tilting  the booms to find the center boom level I took some measurements to transfer here . This wheel will ride on a rail .

Looking straight down you can see how the rail is going to be mounted . 

The bottom extends below the lower steel framing on machine .Weld some extra supports on bottom that will be welded onto lower steel frame section ..you can use angle iron ..I just use what I have around to keep cost down . Since the boom basically float it will roll up and down the rails keeping the booms level .  

Welded bolts to the outside of brackets to bolt around aluminum framing .

Welded all together 

a few 1" tacs will hold the lower section of rail.

 Get the rail level vertically . It will be welded to top and bottom steel framing on machine . 

Getting it lined up .( looking down on it )

Bolting the rollers on gives me room to adjust side to side if needed to line things up. 

Next bunch of picture will give you the idea oh how it works . The extra strength on the bottom welded in was to support the booms level when it's on the lift . I don't think it will fit on our lift with the booms tilted forward . It's pretty tight .  

Now when it drives around the course it should remain level plus the spray tech will not have to guess on the angle .  

Tipping it forward pulls rollers away from rail . 

All painted up and ready to go .

 Waiting on spring .It looks like winter out here .