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Re: (ET) d'oh - did I hook something up wrong?
Here was Larry's design change to the lift strap.
Dennis
Elsberry, MO
simple and USEFUL customization!
The deck is heavy. Sure, the springs and the lift CAN lift it, but
would
you like a simple improvement?
No wiring necessary, and the lift will work better too.
The normal way of positioning the lift strap is fine but marginal. If
you
look at the page SteveS pointed us
to with the manual, looking at Figure 4, you have the normal webbing
mount. If you go down to a good hardware
(finding a good hardware is probably the handiest ET thing you can do)
you
can buy a 5/16" x 2" long hitch pin
with a small head. You can also get a 5/16" ID x 1" bronze bushing, and
a
couple of 5/16" ID by small OD stainless flat washers. You also need a
5/16" x 1-1/2" stainless bolt and locking nut. Replace the old
pin/bolt on the deck with the new hitch pin, using the bronze bushing
and
2 stainless washers and pass the
lift strap UNDER the bushing doubling back up to the lift bracket. Use
another hole on the tractor lift
bracket to mount the new stainless bolt in the loop of the lift strap.
You have just made a "poor-man's"
block and tackle. This is much the way the tiller lift is set up, and
it
works very well. If the old lift
procedure lifted say 150 lbs. 6" in 10 seconds, the new will use 12" of
strap to lift the same 150 lbs in 20
seconds; you are lifting a LITTLE slower, but you won't really notice.
To
be honest, the only down side I
know is that you may have the lift power to pull the lift pin right off
the deck if it's too rusty. If you
are real ambitious, you could add a SECOND pulley on the lift bracket of
the tractor and add another mount
to the deck and you will lift easier still.
Larry Elie
-----Original Message-----
From: elec-trak-bounces cosmos phy tufts edu
[mailto:elec-trak-bounces cosmos phy tufts edu] On Behalf Of David C
Robie
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 10:56 PM
To: msbriggs alberti unh edu
Cc: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) d'oh - did I hook something up wrong?
You are right about that lift strap position. Some day will change mine
to be more effective. Suspect that it's that way so hammerheads won't
raise the deck high enough to try to clear a hayfield with it, or hurt
someone..
I suspect that you didn't set the lift cable up right. It should be
'double purchase' IE down to the deck, under the bar (which should have
a roller on it) then back up to the lift with the end held up there by
the bent rod through the 2 holes just behind the roller (which rod may
be missing). Double purchase puts less srain on the lift motor.
At any rate it ain't meant to lift vertical The trick is; First reove
the deck power cable (PTO cable) Put the tractor in the lowest 'creep'
gear. Pull up the deck til the front part is high . Then by hand push
the roller end to the ground. At that point you let the winch out while
holding the roller on the ground and . moving the tractor backwards.
Then the deck will be vertical. You are best having 2 people do this but
after a couple times you can do it alone. While in there, scrape the
deck clean. If you can't get a blades off, Sears has some 'worn bolt
removers' that will take badly rounded bolts off. Never sharpen a blade
without balancing it. Balancers are cheaper than bearings. Also, you
might need new friction clutch fiber washers these are a std lawnmower
item.
If you dont mind backstrain, you can, with the lift cable unwound a
good bit (yours is brken so you don't have to do that) just set the
brake, lift the front of the deck up and the roller end will swing
underneath and then she'll be sittin bottom available.
Replacement strap: At the dollar and discount stores you will find in
the pet department a long 1" wide dog strap that is usually black and is
2 straps sewn flat together, a doubled up strap. It's about $7.00. The
big pet shops charge a lot more.
This strap is too long so when wound on the winch the drum is
bigger, which reduces the effective lift power. You can leave it that
way it will work. But it will work better if you cut a couple feet off
if it and redo the loop using flat steel bars and pop rivets.
Inside the loop on the other end is held by a single staple bent
over. If you are careful getting this staple out you can reuse it. It
don't have to be stainless steel, regular steel rod from Ace Hdw or Home
Depot can be used. (NOT coathanger ! )
Have done 3 or 4 of these there's no real trick to it. EXCEPT. the
bumper and winch bolts are rusty use a real good breakfree liquid first.
(NOT WD 40). Replace the bolts ONLY with grade 5 or grade 8. The load
on that winch will shear regular (Chinese crap steel) new bolts
Last time I checked Wheelhorse they wanted $60 plus ship for that strap.
The doubled dog straps I put on appear as strong if not stronger and
still there no sign of strain. A single 1" strap of any make (they all
come from China) will fray, wear out and be gone in a couple years or
less. This thing don't fray.
Dave
Weymouth MA
On Wed, 12 Jul 2006 19:16:12 -0400 (EDT) Michael S Briggs
<msbriggs alberti unh edu> writes:
>
> I finally had time to finish putting most of my "new" E-15 back
> together, after painting, and plopped the batteries in with my freshly
> made cables (4 gauge). For pictures, see
> http://einstein.unh.edu/~msbriggs/Elec-Trak/
> (the flash from the camera makes it look brighter blue than it really
> is)
> Anyway - I haven't put the mower blades on yet, figuring I could
use
> the lift to raise the deck up to give me easy access for putting them
> on. So, once I got everything back together, I used the lift to start
> raising the deck up. After the U-bar hit the top of the deck, it
> *really*
> struggled. I heard a straining/tearing/cracking noise, so stopped for
> the moment to check everything out.
> I'm wondering if I connected something wrong, as far as how the
deck
> connects to the tractor. I had trouble getting the U-bar to go all the
> way into the rails it slides into (had to bang on it with a
> sledgehammer to get it most of the way in), and I suspect that that's
> the problem.
> I decided to give the lift another try, and again when the U-bar
hit
> the top of the deck, heard a tearing noise again, and eventually the
> lift strap snapped. D'oh.
> How the lift strap connects to the mower deck doesn't seem all
that
> well thought out to me, personally. I'd think it would make much more
> sense to have it connect closer to the front of the deck, to give
> better torque for lifting the front up for good access to the
> underside.
> Instead,
> it relies on a very small lever arm between the lift attachment point
> and the U-bar. Or am I missing something?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike
>
> --
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Michael S. Briggs
> UNH Physics Department
> (603) 862-2828
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elec-trak mailing list
> Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
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>
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