Re: (ET) info/help needed

["David Roden (Akron, Ohio, USA)" <roden ald net>]

> But I also noticed my electric front lift motor was
> unplugged and also the wires going to it had faulty connectors. I 
> replaced
> the connectors but still the lift motor won't work, I've got the 18 volts
> going to it from the lift switch. I could just replace the lift motor, I
> guess. Any ideas?

If by "faulty" you mean they show signs of excessive heat, maybe the lift 
motor drew too much current and was disconnected.

Use an ohmmeter to measure resistance across the lift motor (I don't 
remember which terminals are which -- there is a common, and up, and a 
down; measure from common to up and common to down).  You should read a 
good fraction of an ohm or so, maybe half an ohm (guessing).  If it's 
zero ohms or nearly so, could be a shorted armature.  If it's infinite or 
very high, the motor is burned out (or brushes are bad).  You might also 
take the lift assembly out, dismantle it, and see if the motor runs when 
connected to a 12v battery.  Grease the gears lightly before you 
reassemble it.

Someone said the lift motor can be replaced with an early Chevrolet 
Corvette power window motor.  Probably other stout power window motors 
from GM products would work.  Take the motor to a parts store or to the 
junkyard for a matchup.

I know naught of the Wheel Horse models, so your best bet with the 
reverse problem is to follow the troubleshooting procedures in the manual 
(if you have it) -- otherwise just good common sense voltage and 
continuity checks through the circuit.  If your WH is like the early ET 
large frame models, and has a wound field motor, reverse is done by 
reversing the field, not the armature polarity.  If it's a PM motor, the 
armature polarity would have to be reversed.

Another wild guess:  If you have heat on the mower motor cable, maybe the 
bad insulation is allowing the wires to touch and short-circuit from time 
to time.  That would certainly use lots of power, but I'd expect them to 
eventually be touching long enough to burn out.  Or is the frayed section 
just at the terminal lug?

Make sure your brake is releasing.  If it drags, it can eat up energy 
quickly.

If you have glazed belts I'd expect them to slip in D2 before they'd slip 
in LL, if the load on the tractor were the same.

Hope some of my random rambling helps.  Good luck!


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA
1991 Solectria Force 144vac
1979 General Engines ElectroPed 24vdc
1974 Honda Civic 96vdc
1970 GE Elec-trak 36 vdc