Einhell petrol mower GC-PM 46/3 S drive

[JohnW2]

We also had a problem with drive belts on a ride on mower .... But what we found was there are a lot of imitation belts on the market, they look the part, but will either come off, or break

Thanks eric but, as you can see above, my problem is not with the belt itself but the (current) absence of anything to keep the belt tensioned. The fact that the belt is currently 'coming off' is therefore not the belt's fault!

There must have previously been something keeping the belt tensioned, so something has obviously 'come off', but I have so far totally failed in attempts to work out what or where that was. I therefore ideally need someone with an identical mower who can look and see, and then tell me what is meant to be there!

 

[jj4091]

That appears to be the return spring on the lever on the gearbox which is operated by the clutch cable- and that spring is still present.


Kindest Regards, John

Will the adjustment of the clutch cable not determine the positioning of the gearbox then

 

[JohnW2]

Will the adjustment of the clutch cable not determine the positioning of the gearbox then

The clutch cable limits the extent to which the gearbox can 'rotate' (on the axle) in the direction which would tighten the belt,but does nothing to prevent it rotating in the other direction (loosening the belt), which is the problem I have.

 

[Burnerman]

John, is the spring mentioned by jj exactly the same as the one on your machine - in length particularly?
John

 

[JohnW2]

Maybe, that spring in Einhell's list is just over 9 cm long, and I would have guessed that the one on my machine was probably 7 or 8 cm. However, I'll have a go at actually measuring it tomorrow, and will report back.

Looking again at Eihhell's illustration, that replacement spring is actually about 10 cm long. I've just measured the one on the back of my machine's gearbox, and it's roughly 10.1 cm long, and of the same 'shape' as in Einhell's illustration, so I'm pretty confident that's what it is - leaving us with the fact that Einhell's list of parts (and exploded diagram) does not seem to include a 'belt tensioning spring'

 

[JohnW2]

John, is the spring mentioned by jj exactly the same as the one on your machine - in length particularly?
John

You posted that whilst I was typing the answer ... see what I posted a minute or two ago!

 

[Burnerman]

Dammit - another non starter!
Unless, that spring is also used to tension the axle as well somehow - it seems a bit overkill to use it as a clutch lever return.......the usual method is a small torsion spring around the pivot.
John

 

[JohnW2]

Dammit - another non starter! Unless, that spring is also used to tension the axle as well somehow - it seems a bit overkill to use it as a clutch lever return.......the usual method is a small torsion spring around the pivot.

You were 'slightly right' but, unfortunately, it doesn't help us!

I decided to dismantle the machine (since I suspected that other things might be going on), which was a bit of a mission. Firstly, I was wrong in what I recently wrote about the length of the spring on my machine - what I thought was the 'bottom end' of it actually was not, and the spring is only about 50mm long, with nearly all of its length 'being spring', hence appreciably different from the spring in the parts list. However, it is very much connected to the clutch lever (and the other end to the body of the gearbox, so clearly nothing to do with tensioning the axle/belt.

In fact, it's rather odd. You are 'slightly right' in that, if I detach that spring, there is some other spring (which I can't see) holding the clutch in the 'engaged' (i.e. 'wheels turning') position. The visible spring we have been talking about is very much stronger and holds the clutch is the 'disengaged position. In fact, although it is easy enough to overcome that spring via the 'operating handle' (and cable) itis so strong that it is very hard to move the lever to the engaged position 'by hand'....

There is really nothing on the back of the gearbox which could be an attachment for an axle/belt tensioing spring, so we're not really any further forwards! There is one 'lug' on the back of the gearbox casing,but I imagine that is a 'stop' for the clutch lever, and certainly shows no signs of being suitable for attaching a spring ...

As for "other things might be going on", my dismantling and inspection indicated that the clutch cable is on its very last legs and at least one of the wheels has a crack and will soon need replacing ()and the others don't look too good) At some point I'm therefore going to have to start wondering whether, despite its relative youth (and generally 'OK' condition) how much it's worth spending on parts (as well as 'bodging' the belt tensioning issue) to repair it!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Burnerman]

Hmmm the plot thickens.......!
I'm wondering now where jj's spring is actually used - unless its for a different model of course! I would think that any replacement axle would come complete with the clutch releasing spring, but not the other.
I see the little post on the last pic and that doesn't look suitable and the only thing I can think of now is that the missing spring hooks in the same area as your rusted one?
Anyway, it keeps the grey matter from solidifying but it would be good to see an identical machine, and I can't help there.
Personally I wouldn't spend a fortune on this and it's dead easy to get carried away, but good luck with what ever you decide!
Regards
John

 

[JohnW2]

Hmmm the plot thickens.......! I'm wondering now where jj's spring is actually used - unless its for a different model of course!

Quite so - although that list of parts certainly claims to be for the right model.

I would think that any replacement axle would come complete with the clutch releasing spring, but not the other.

It does come with the clutch springs (presumably two, per what I have), as you can see from this (poor) picture of a replacement axle/gearbox (£58). It also shows how I got confused about the length of the spring, since I thought that the line indicated here with red arrow was a continuation of the spring ...

I see the little post on the last pic and that doesn't look suitable and the only thing I can think of now is that the missing spring hooks in the same area as your rusted one?

Indeed, and that's one of the possible bodges I was contemplating. This pic shows the idea, although that spring would obviously not be man enough for the job. However, in terms of what was originally there, it remains the case that there is no evidence of anywhere that the other end of such a spring could have been 'attached' - so the mystery persists!!

Anyway, it keeps the grey matter from solidifying but it would be good to see an identical machine, and I can't help there.

Quite so.

Personally I wouldn't spend a fortune on this and it's dead easy to get carried away, but good luck with what ever you decide!

Yes, financially it might start becoming questionable. I've already bought a new belt, and jus a new cable and one wheel would cost around £40 (plus shipping), and I suspect that the need for other wheels (if nothing moire) will not be too far away!. The problem is that it has now become somewhat of an 'intellectual challenge', which will probably make it difficult for me to 'give up', even if I should

Kind Regards, John

 

[jj4091]

Perhaps a silly question but when the clutch assembly body is held against the shaft below it are the pulleys aligned horizontally. I am just wondering if the belt actually needs tensioning and if the new belt you have been supplied with is just too long.

 

[JohnW2]

Perhaps a silly question but when the clutch assembly body is held against the shaft below it are the pulleys aligned horizontally. I am just wondering if the belt actually needs tensioning and if the new belt you have been supplied with is just too long.

That 'shaft below it' moves up and down according the the 'cutting height setting'. When it's at it's highest, it is very close to the gearbox, but doesn't quite touch it (and doesn't stop the gearbox rotating a fair way in the 'belt-loosening direction). In fact, a sort-of bodge I attempted (which worked for a bit!) was to jamb the gearbox onto that 'shaft' with a jubilee clip! ....

The problem arose with the old belt, which was 'intact', but starting to get a little 'chewed around the edges' due to repatedly coming off and hence doing battle with the mower's blade. The replacement one is identical in length.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

I've found an old mower wheel in my cellar which seems to fit, thereby appreciably reducing (by over £20) the cost of 'investment in parts' if I insist on 'pressing on' with trying to repair it. I therefore think I'm going to buy a new clutch cable (I'm surprised the present one is working at all!), fit it, and then improvise some bodge to address the belt tensioning issue - and see where that leaves us!

In the meantime, our lives would obviously have been much easier if Einhell's 'exploded diagram' had been clearer (both in terms of resolution and layout). As you can see here, the spring which jj found appears at the extreme right of the image (part 043), in the vicinity of the 'rear axle plate' (part 049) (which holds the gearbox end of the axle to the deck - but there is absolutely no evidence on the machine that there ever was, or could have been, any spring attached in the vicinity of that 'axle plate'.

Having had no luck so far in getting useful information, I'm going to try asking Einhell what may be a simpler question for them - referring to that spring by part (and exploded diagram) number and asking them 'where it goes'. I'm not going to hold by breath, but it's just possible that they will answer that one. I'll keep you posted, both about my efforts and anything I hear from Einhell!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Eureka (I think) ! It seems that jj was right.

Burnerman and myself had both noticed the 'unexplained hole' in the gearbox casing (ringed in white in photo below) , but I pointed out that there was not really any usable route from there to the chassis/deck of the machine (because of pulley and belt), not to mention the fact that there was no evidence of any attachment for the far end of a spring from there. However, what neither of us paid any attention tio was the hole in the end of an extension of the bit to which the clutch cable was attached (ringed in yellow in photo) ....

Furthermore, it was not until I remove the entire axis assembly, and got things cleaned up, that I found a hole in side of the deck, way 'behind' ('above' when machine is standing) the gearbox ....

I therefore created mock-up of the spring which jj found (about 11.5 cm long, to allow for a bit of stretching) ...

... and it seems to fit perfectly between the hole near the bottom (in photo) of the gearbox casing and that hole in the side of the deck.

It could be that patience, and seeing properly what one is looking at, eventually pay off (with some help from jj !)

Kind Regards, John

 

[Burnerman]

Excellent! Always gives you a buzz when you persevere and solve the problem!
John