Riding Mower Repair

"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
08/24/2015 at 10:28 • Filed to: MOWER, MOWERLOPNIK, CRAFTSMAN, REPAIR, AXLE

So this is what my Craftsman mower is SUPPOSED to look like.

But I took the whole thing apart this weekend, because the Axle blew out on the...hmm...well it would be the “driver’s side” on a US LHD car...let’s call it the non-bagger-chute side, haha.

One of these things is not like the other:

Kind of glad this thing only goes 5 mph or so, at 40 mph this would have been a very bad scenario haha.

So, I found out this is a pretty common problem on these little tractors, they’re designed as 2 pieces for the axle and their is just a little welded bead put down the middle where they meet. As you can see the weld eventually breaks. Now my mower was built in 1999 (I bought it this summer used on CL) so it lasted 16 years. If I drive this thing for another 10 years I shouldn’t have any problems.

When the axle went, it also bent the tie rod and the drag link. I replaced all of those as well as new bushings, etc.

Here it is all taken apart, the axle swap went shockingly smooth despite the mower deck being a massive pain in the ass to get back on (MontegoWoman aka Project IceBox driver even tried to help!). So it just needs the hood re attached and I’m all set.

That being said I don’t have any power tools and my solution to get it up on the jack stands is basically to just pick the damn thing up. I hurt everywhere.

DISCUSSION (28)

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 10:32

The first time I worked until 4am at my kitchen job I was so tired that I couldnt verbalize how much my feet hurt. All that could come out of my mouth was “Alot Feet Pain Hurt”. In other words; I feel your pain

BigBlock440 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 10:38

I love that there’s a push bar on it, the hell with getting off the mower to move things. The front end of my mower would be in significantly better shape had someone thought to install a push bar years ago.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/24/2015 at 10:43

I did warrior dash 3 weeks ago.

I’m more sore from the mower repair.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > BigBlock440
08/24/2015 at 10:46

Hahaha. I’ve seriously thought about taking it off, but it’s helpful as hell for repairs because getting this thing up in the air without it, would have put a jack or jack stands completely in the way of what I was doing.

It gets in the way in tight spaces, like I can’t nose in somewhere as close as I’d like to sometimes.

Helpful as all hell right now though.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 10:59

We had an older Craftsman rear-engine model that dated from probably the early 90s, and its trans unit on the rear axle was made by Spicer. The selector slide wore out, IIRC. I don’t think we’ve ever had one with a front sleeve failure like this, but we have had front wheel bearing failures and such (on a wide range of older machines). We mow with junk at my house.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/24/2015 at 11:04

hahaha.

I wanted one of the smaller rear engine ones, I have a bit less than a half acre so I didn’t really need a full size with a 42” deck on it lol, but it was the right price at the right time.

Unfortunately my $500 mower turned into a $700 mower with these parts.

I looked around for a parts mower to buy and scavenge parts off of, but they all cost the same as the brand new parts, around 200 bucks.

Sam > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/24/2015 at 11:14

Hey, you’re back.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 13:04

Your mower looks semi-identical to the one at my inlaws, which I plan on taking once I get a way to transport it. Mine has the battery and gas in different places than yours.

How many horses does yours have?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
08/24/2015 at 13:19

17hp.

And with me and the full 3 bucket bagger system on it, it hauls ass around the yard in top gear. I can’t even keep it in high gear all that long because it’s quick haha.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 13:28

Mines 21 hp, I think the one at the inlaws is 13hp. I just have a 42” deck blade on it. :)

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
08/24/2015 at 13:33

I have a 42” too. I’m not sure how your “blow out the side” mower deck attachment fits on, maybe you can grab me some pics of the way it attaches, I have that piece too if I wanted to swap it on.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 13:45

Lucky you, I'm working from home today, and coworkers aren't responding to me. Hope this helps.

Kinja'd!!!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
08/24/2015 at 13:46

Haha. Interesting. I think he gave me the big black plastic piece, but not the hard mount portion that bolts to the deck to attach the hinge.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 13:49

It might already be attached, how is the current setup attached?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
08/24/2015 at 13:54

It has little rubber band-ish clips that act like bungie cords.

I’m not at home so working with pics I have haha.

You can see part of one right here in the red box:

Kinja'd!!!

There’s one for the front and one for the rear of it.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 13:59

Mmmm, maybe try a small engine repair shop for the part? I got a couple of ones for mine from the local one near me. Though, I'm still waiting for the shifter to come in......

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
08/24/2015 at 14:02

I used Amazon for all the parts so far. I look them up on the sears website then use their part numbers to search on amazon. I get free shipping because a friend added me to his prime account lol.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 14:07

As opposed to me who has to drive 20 minutes to town on a Saturday morning before 12, to ask nicely if they have it, lol.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
08/24/2015 at 14:21

Haha, you could always call them...

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 14:24

Too easy, I like the challenge. Besides, I'm usually up anyways..... -_-

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
08/24/2015 at 14:29

Haha.

I may hit up Lingenfelter C&C this weekend if you want to go btw

shop-teacher > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 16:40

This makes me so happy that I ditched my Craftsman riding mower last year. It was an ‘05, but the front end was completely shot and it was already starting to rust. It didn’t help that I had a plow on it. I sold it to some sucker I mean some pain in the ass guy who paid me market value despite his repeated attempts to renegotiate.

I’ve only got 1/4 acre, so I never really needed a rider. My dad straight traded it to me for a snow blower, so I said what the hell. I got tired of fixing it and having it in my way in the garage. The only thing I miss was sucking up the leaves with it in the fall. That part was pretty sweet.

By the way, if you’re thinking of getting one of the plows, don’t. They’re too small to move any decent amount of snow. I went from the 42” blade to a 20” Toro single stage snowblower, and it takes me about half the time to do my driveway and sidewalks now. Also, if you think the deck is a pain to attach and remove, that’s nothing compared to putting on the blade. Every time I put it on was hours of pain and cursing in the freezing cold.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/24/2015 at 19:12

I can’t go, i really want to but money is a bit tight right now,* big frowny face*, :(

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Sam
08/24/2015 at 19:14

Sorta

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > shop-teacher
08/25/2015 at 09:56

Yeah I have a 20” single stage craftsman blower that handles my ridiculous amount of sidewalk and small driveway in about 30 minutes. Putting a plow on it would only add to the work load. No interest.

With this upgrade it should run perfectly fine for the next 15 years, this axle is better build than the original, 2 welds instead of 1. Oh and mine has always been stored indoors with no snow plow duties, so zero rust. I’m surprised how little rust there is honestly. It’s hard to believe it’s from ‘99.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
08/25/2015 at 09:57

Oh I hear you, this is the only show I’m going to make it to all year so I’m pushing the budget to use 94 gallons of gas to drive 25 minutes in the Montego haha.

shop-teacher > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/25/2015 at 11:23

Good! I hope my comment didn’t come off as shitting on your mower. It just reminded me of mine, and how not worth the trouble it was for me.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > shop-teacher
08/25/2015 at 11:58

Hahaha it’s fine. It came off a little that way, but I knew it was more about your specific mower than all craftsman mowers.

I basically rebuilt the entire front end with brand new parts, it should be rocking for a long time now.

Oh, and I only paid $500 bucks for it with the triple bagger system, extra blades, and chutes.

Now that I just put another 200 into it, it better run for another 10 years with only minimal issues haha. My less than 1/2 half acre shouldn’t push it too hard. I may try the leaf suck up this fall though, that sounds useful as hell.