A while back My Cub Cadet Rider suddenly developed a nasty vibration in the mower deck.
So...checking the nuts holding the blades; one was loose.
Problem solved, I thought. No, the problem remained after tightening the nuts. Drat!
Next I removed, sharpened and balanced all three blades.
No joy found.
Next I checked for bent blades. Aha!
One blade appeared "slightly" bent when rotated against a sight reference!
Sixty bucks later I installed three new blades.
The mower was still afflicted with the shakes.
Even worse one of the blades still appeared bent when rotated.
Then the light bulb comes on.....
Since it's the same spindle that appears to have a bent blade, must be a bent spindle.
Several $$$ later I am getting ready to loosen the nut on the pulley side of the spindle....
THEN REALITY STRIKES.
I find and remove the piece of twig that was wedged in the pulley!!!
Problem solved!!
The slightly bent spindle has no detectable effect whatsoever.
With the exception of assisting in emptying my wallet somewhat.
I assume the loose nut (the one on the blade) was caused by all the vibration.
Sometimes education comes with a price tag attached.
Maybe this will save some one from a costly misdiagnosis.
Rickey.
So...checking the nuts holding the blades; one was loose.
Problem solved, I thought. No, the problem remained after tightening the nuts. Drat!
Next I removed, sharpened and balanced all three blades.
No joy found.
Next I checked for bent blades. Aha!
One blade appeared "slightly" bent when rotated against a sight reference!
Sixty bucks later I installed three new blades.
The mower was still afflicted with the shakes.
Even worse one of the blades still appeared bent when rotated.
Then the light bulb comes on.....
Since it's the same spindle that appears to have a bent blade, must be a bent spindle.
Several $$$ later I am getting ready to loosen the nut on the pulley side of the spindle....
THEN REALITY STRIKES.
I find and remove the piece of twig that was wedged in the pulley!!!
Problem solved!!
The slightly bent spindle has no detectable effect whatsoever.
With the exception of assisting in emptying my wallet somewhat.
I assume the loose nut (the one on the blade) was caused by all the vibration.
Sometimes education comes with a price tag attached.
Maybe this will save some one from a costly misdiagnosis.
Rickey.