Jonsered Ride-on

yop

Hi
I've a 6 year old ride on, gets used around 15 times a year for an hour at a go.
Been going good, had one issue few years ago with the belts on the wheel drive jumping out, but that was fixed and all spot on now.

Took it out of the shed yesterday and started it up, on the button as usual. Drives fine.
Took it onto the lawn and engaged the blades but nothing out of it. Jumped off and can move the belts by hand, blades spinning etc.
What I've noticed is that when there is no resistance behind it, in other words when I am off the grass, the belt turns and the it behaves normally. When I go onto the grass it takes an age to turn the belts and blade, sometimes you need to move the blade engage handle 4 or 5 times, it will slowly move the belts and then it drives the blades.
The minute u go into any level of grass it slows and stops.
The cut it up to its highest.
There seems to be excessive noise out of the blades/belts.
I've checked the pulleys and they all turn.
The tensioner spring isn't stretched.
Its hard to gauge if the tension is correct.
The belts are really hot after it works for a few minutes and then it stops.

Belts have never been replaced. Nothing blocking them.
Blades were sharpened last year.

Hope I've given enough info!

yop

Any thoughts at all......

blackbox

You've done well to get 6 years out of a set of belts.

Is it possible that one of the belts is not on right - i.e. going the wrong side of a pulley? I've seen this done.

Does this model have an electric clutch for the mower? Could it be that it is not engaging due to a bad connection? (probably not that likely as the hot belt suggests slipping)

yop

blackbox wrote: »

You've done well to get 6 years out of a set of belts.

Is it possible that one of the belts is not on right - i.e. going the wrong side of a pulley? I've seen this done.

Does this model have an electric clutch for the mower? Could it be that it is not engaging due to a bad connection? (probably not that likely as the hot belt suggests slipping)

You could be correct re the belts. Might be time for a change. No definitely going the correct pulleys.

Silly Q but are all belts the same? What should u be looking to order?

fox0512

model number and year?... manual blade engage or electric clutch?

fox0512

oki see its manual engage... providing there is adequate tension on the belt when engaged and its running on pulleys as it should you may be dealing with a worn clutch...have someone engage blades for you and observe belt rotation . if belt tension ok and no pulley issues/blade spindle issues etc then you have a worn clutch.... however a hot belt would suggest slipping or rubbing

_Brian

6 years from a set of belts??

My castlegarden rideon is 13 this year and last year I had to change the drive belt, no other belt has been touched

I'd be wondering more about the bearings in the deck if it's noisy and damaging belts.

fox0512

_Brian wrote: »

6 years from a set of belts??

My castlegarden rideon is 13 this year and last year I had to change the drive belt, no other belt has been touched

I'd be wondering more about the bearings in the deck if it's noisy and damaging belts.

13 years!!!!! on belts....cant complain there...

fox0512

yop wrote: »

Hi
I've a 6 year old ride on, gets used around 15 times a year for an hour at a go.
Been going good, had one issue few years ago with the belts on the wheel drive jumping out, but that was fixed and all spot on now.

Took it out of the shed yesterday and started it up, on the button as usual. Drives fine.
Took it onto the lawn and engaged the blades but nothing out of it. Jumped off and can move the belts by hand, blades spinning etc.
What I've noticed is that when there is no resistance behind it, in other words when I am off the grass, the belt turns and the it behaves normally. When I go onto the grass it takes an age to turn the belts and blade, sometimes you need to move the blade engage handle 4 or 5 times, it will slowly move the belts and then it drives the blades.
The minute u go into any level of grass it slows and stops.
The cut it up to its highest.
There seems to be excessive noise out of the blades/belts.
I've checked the pulleys and they all turn.
The tensioner spring isn't stretched.
Its hard to gauge if the tension is correct.
The belts are really hot after it works for a few minutes and then it stops.

Belts have never been replaced. Nothing blocking them.
Blades were sharpened last year.

Hope I've given enough info!

Take deck belt off of clutch.....turn deck belt by hand...if your getting noise you know its not your clutch...you have pulley blade spindle assembly issues....most of the manual engage clutches will make noise if the main bearing in the clutch is worn, this causes the meeting plates to scrape together....

yop

So got stuck into this yesterday.

Belt looks well worn, so got a new belt, he gave me the wrong one, arrgh. Anyway!

I went then checking the blades and noticed a bit of play in the left blade.
I checked all pulleys and they all spun, so no issues there. Put grease on all the right spots of the mower.

I went back to the blade again and spun the right one, belt off, so no tension. Spun freely.
Went to the left, spun it and the creaking!!! Ended up it jammed itself. So bearing couldn't be good.
Took off all the screws and took off the house. Went to take off the bearings and noticed bits falling out. Long story short the bottom bearing, there are 2, one at top and one at bottom.
The inside of the bottom was totally shot. So looks like alot of the issue was there.

Have to get new bearings, going to replace all now when I have it lifted onto blocks.
Ill replace belt also.

One thing, on the housing which hosts the bearings and where the blade attaches there is no grease nipple, which means you can't grease the bearing. I was 1/2 thinking of adding a nipple to it, so that I can grease it. What do you think?

fox0512

They are a sealed bearing...it wouldnt hurt but you could just add a nice coat of grease over top and bottom of bearings.. Its highly unlikely you will have to replace them again..

yop

fox0512 wrote: »

They are a sealed bearing...it wouldnt hurt but you could just add a nice coat of grease over top and bottom of bearings.. Its highly unlikely you will have to replace them again..

Ya they probably are, though you'd wonder how the bottom one was in such bad state.
Now I'm wondering how long its like that! I'm diligent but I'm annoyed i never copped that before.

Lesson learned I suppose. Bearings are 6 euro a piece. I've ordered a few spare.

yop

fox0512 wrote: »

They are a sealed bearing...it wouldnt hurt but you could just add a nice coat of grease over top and bottom of bearings.. Its highly unlikely you will have to replace them again..

Only copped your FB page in your sig that your job is fixing! REALLY appreciate you given me the advice.

Ill owe u a pint when in Westport.

fox0512

Be gentle tapping bearing in... I like to use some light paper with a splash of wd to clean rim first... Plenty wd on old bearings will help to get them out... Some just go bad... Others can be water...cleanin deck with hose prob dosent help much

yop

fox0512 wrote: »

Be gentle tapping bearing in... I like to use some light paper with a splash of wd to clean rim first... Plenty wd on old bearings will help to get them out... Some just go bad... Others can be water...cleanin deck with hose prob dosent help much

Thats probably it, I plug the hose into the nipple for it on the deck and let it off. Maybe its not the way to go.

fox0512

yop wrote: »

Only copped your FB page in your sig that your job is fixing! REALLY appreciate you given me the advice.

Ill owe u a pint when in Westport.

no prob at all...the bearing is sealed ish.... problem with washing decks is the water will stay on the blade boss/adapter...any gathering of grass etc here just allows water to soak into the bearing over time. you could still wash if you apply grease few times a year... these are well worth the dollars..

https://www.amazon.co.uk/lifter-Lifting-Device-Garden-Tractor-x/dp/B00OV5JKLK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492645415&sr=8-1&keywords=ride+on+mower+jack

yop

Got my new bearings and put them in. Put on new belt. Now still seems to be an issue with the pulley on the front. It judder moves then stops. Starts again and stops.

Very odd. The doing which pulls the bar to engage the blades seems pretty loose but the bar still pulls all the way to the end. So unless there is something in the inner.

Any initial thoughts.?

yop

I see now you mention the clutch. So the clutch is the further most forward with the pulley on it? It's got a double pulley as one about has the belt for the wheel drive.
It drives no issue.
When I pull the belt manually there sounds like a metal scrapping at the very front pulley.

fox0512

me thinks its the clutch

Yours is a manual engage clutch so lots of scraping can be the clutch bearing but the clutch would be operating as normal unless the clutch bearing and dics were both worn... that arm on the side of the clutch connected to a spring etc is moving all the way and clutch is not engaging properly then your clutch is worn im afraid...just double check that all is moving freely on the deck....these are a non serviceable clutch so tis a new one you need sir and id reckon bout 220 dollar....you can fit it yourself if thats any consolation :P

remove deck belt from clutch and push the engage arm yourself...if the bottom section turns independently from the top then you can be certain its worn