One wheel dragging again on mower

[ipbr21054]

I have a Champion mower SP484.
It has self propell BUT no roller & no electrics etc.

The other day i noticed when pushing the mower to the trailer the left wheel would drag or show signs of a stutter in that it moved / stopped / dragged etc.
I removed the wheel & could see fine white dust on the backplate so i looked at the white Nylon geared cog that sits over the wheels internal spines & could see that one one edge it had started to wear on an angle.
I could spin the metal cog so so but i removed the metal cog & sprayed it with carb cleaner, then put it back together.
I didnt do the nut up on the wheel all the was so i could see what happened when i then tried to spin the wheel.
Sometimes forward it would start / stop motion but when i tried to spin it backwards it locked up.

The opposit side is fine & can spin it with ease.
So i swapped the good wheel & its white Nylon geared cog to the side with the issue & it did the same as the other.
So this should say the wheel & Nylon geared cog isnt the issue, I then refitted it bacl to the side it came from.

Now to ask what could the issue be ?
Last time this happened which was say 2 years ago i had a complete axle assembly so i just swapped the holw thing out & problem solved until now.

In the attached photo can you advise what im expecting to replace please.
Im looking at 402 or 405 but think 405 might be a metal bearing as i dont see how else the item would spin true.

 

[Burnerman]

The gears 404 and 401 are getting out of alignment, it would seem.
401 is actually connected to the wheel and it's my guess that the wheel bush is worn to cause this.
John

 

[ipbr21054]

I mentioned i swapped the good working one from the other side to the problem side & issue still happening.

You say wheel bush but which is that please

 

[Burnerman]

The bush is the centre of the wheel where the screw is......very prone to wear.
If you can waggle the wheel(s) from side to side with the machine lifted up it's not a great sign.
John

 

[ipbr21054]

Ah so you are refering to the 2 top hat nylon bushes that fit either side in the wheel center.
I did think that but i ruled it out as the other wheel was fine the other side & then trying it on the problem side caused the same issue.
Meaning if the bushes were worn in the good wheel the problem would also be on the other side but as its fine that is why i ruled it out.

Can the metal shaft that passes through these bushes we are talking about have an effect for what ever reason ?
If it was a metal shaft passing through a metal metal then maybe some rust etc but as its a metal shaft & a nylon bush im not sure if the drag is going to happen or not

 

[Burnerman]

Plastic bushes are what they are - cheap and nasty but we are stuck with them!
Something is binding here - so it's either bush / spindle wear, maybe the fit of 404 on the axle shaft.
Spin 404 - if it free wheels in one direction that's fine, but make sure that pin 416 is free in its hole, and 404 has clean grease in there.
John

 

[ipbr21054]

Ok thanks, job for tomorrow when rain stops.

I will report back when what i find.

 

[ipbr21054]

Started early

 

[Burnerman]

Wow, that one has done some work.....the deck is meant to be red!
Why not look around for a Honda Izy, replace the deck if it’s rusty (it will be) and become bored with it’s reliability?
A good winter project!
John

 

[ipbr21054]

I’m looking for a mower now

 

[Burnerman]

Your choice of course but the Izy is one hell of a machine - rusty deck excepted!
I have 6, some of them on hire, 16”, 18” and 21” cut. The 21” has grass deflecting under deck blades which are even more prone to rust ( that one is being held in a bankruptcy case so I doubt if I’ll see that one again).
The earliest engine is 2002,the newest 2005, all going as if they were new.
All start first pull and burn no oil.
John

 

[ipbr21054]

I have taken the wheels, plastic white gear, metal her cog all off & give it all a very good clean. I then started to put it back together a piece at a time then trying the wheel to pin point the issue.

So one side is perfect still but the other locks up or stutters.

The reason that I see is the bracket between the mower & back of the wheel.

Placing a screwdriver in the so it pushes out the bracket a touch allows the wheel to spin perfect. Screwdriver removed & issue is back. Bushes are fine & it’s this bracket. I’m going to place a 1/4 inch piece of wood in there & see how it goes.
When moving the screwdriver in the gap you can see the wheel straighten up & this is why the plastic gear is worn slightly on one edge.