Craftsman LT1000

hope to float · May 29, 2020

I think maybe a few of you may have similar mowers, so here goes.

This one has the 42" deck with side discharge.

For its 25th birthday we sent it away to get a major overhaul but since it came back we have had nothing but trouble and the guy that repaired it is cocooning.

First day out, it went about 100 yards and burnt out a new bearing on the top of the shaft coming from the blade.
Second day out, it went about the same distance and wore all the teeth off the blade shaft and pulley on the left side.
Third day out, another 100 yards and done the same to the blade shaft and pulley on the right hand side and broke the belt.
The only time this has ever happened previously was when it hit some wire about 20 years ago.
He put new pulley brakes on the deck, which it hasn't had for at least the last 20 years.
There are no washers on either shaft except holding the blades. Everything seems to turn freely.
Don't want to be spending €75 every time we take the mower out and taking a week to cut the lawn.

Any ideas?
Thanks

GreensvilleJay · May 30, 2020

Ok, I'll try to help... if the mower is similar to the one I have on this side of the pond, it was made by AYP or Huskvarna.
1st issue ,bearing problem..sounds like spindle wasn't rebuilt properly
2nd issue , again sounds like sipindle wasn't rebuilt properly
3rd issue, broken record ,but spindle not rebuilt properly

You can get online diagrams from parts supplies then save them(right click, 'save inage....')

rebuilding the spindles isn't difficult, I've done 100s over 4 decades. it sounds like the shim or 'spacer' between the pulley and the top of the spindle wasn't replaced.That allows the pulley to come in contact with the sinpdle body, cause a LOT of friction and heat( might have killed the bearing in #1). destroying the teeh onthe pulley and spindle means the nut wasn't tightened down all the way,so maybe the spacer was missing as well.

1st step is to get the diagram off the web, then take the spindles apart, rebuild according to the diagram.

ironically I just saved an electric mower with 'loose blade' syndrome. someone 'lost' a washer for the blade. A $2 part got the $150 mower running fine in an hour

hopefully you'll have similar sucess.

Jay

hope to float · May 30, 2020

GreensvilleJay said:
Ok, I'll try to help... if the mower is similar to the one I have on this side of the pond, it was made by AYP or Huskvarna.
1st issue ,bearing problem..sounds like spindle wasn't rebuilt properly
2nd issue , again sounds like sipindle wasn't rebuilt properly
3rd issue, broken record ,but spindle not rebuilt properly

You can get online diagrams from parts supplies then save them(right click, 'save inage....')

rebuilding the spindles isn't difficult, I've done 100s over 4 decades. it sounds like the shim or 'spacer' between the pulley and the top of the spindle wasn't replaced.That allows the pulley to come in contact with the sinpdle body, cause a LOT of friction and heat( might have killed the bearing in #1). destroying the teeh onthe pulley and spindle means the nut wasn't tightened down all the way,so maybe the spacer was missing as well.

1st step is to get the diagram off the web, then take the spindles apart, rebuild according to the diagram.

ironically I just saved an electric mower with 'loose blade' syndrome. someone 'lost' a washer for the blade. A $2 part got the $150 mower running fine in an hour

hopefully you'll have similar sucess.

Jay

This is what I was thinking too. There has to be a washer/spacer between the pulley and the shaft housing. Trouble I'm having is that I cannot get an exploded drawing of the assembly showing the spacers. Dealers kinda keep that information to themselves on this side of the Atlantic. I'll keep looking but if you can find an exploded diagram I would appreciate it.
Thanks

wgator · May 30, 2020

The following link is for the LT1000 manual that has an exploded parts view as part of it. On that page at the bottom of the figure of the manual is a "save the manual (2.25MB) link in blue to download it. CLICK HERE FOR LINK

hope to float · May 30, 2020

wgator said:
The following link is for the LT1000 manual that has an exploded parts view as part of it. On that page at the bottom of the figure of the manual is a "save the manual (2.25MB) link in blue to download it. CLICK HERE FOR LINK

Thank you. This is exactly what I needed. And yes, it shows a spacer! I can fix it.

GreensvilleJay · May 31, 2020

I'm happy wgator found you a manual ! it's too bad the ponds deep and wide... I've got 3 or 4 rebuilt spindles here you could have. You can order the washers, maybe a $1 each ??
BTW you can buy a complete 'spindle rebuild' kit. Has spindle, 2 bearings, 2 nust AND that washer/spacer. Yeah I got one of them here as well....

In the meantime, see if you can get the pulley OFF the engine. If you ever need to remove it for service (crankcase seal leaks...), the pulley HAS to come off BEFORE you take engine off frame. yeah, I have 8-10 of them here as well.Do NOT try to use a 'puller', it'll destroyt the $50++ pulley. I took a 'pickle fork'( removes tierod ends), ground it thinner and 1"+ inside. Got it between top of pulley and crackcase( there's a special spacer there too...). Several 'polite taps' later the pulley should move. After you clean it up real good, and it goes on/off easily, then add a lot of neverseize and install. This can easily take 2-3 hours BUT you'll have a engine that CAN come off without destroying the main pulley.

The big thing is PATIENCE ! Go slow, steady, THINK before using any force..

Jay

hope to float · Jun 1, 2020

GreensvilleJay said:
I'm happy wgator found you a manual ! it's too bad the ponds deep and wide... I've got 3 or 4 rebuilt spindles here you could have. You can order the washers, maybe a $1 each ??
BTW you can buy a complete 'spindle rebuild' kit. Has spindle, 2 bearings, 2 nust AND that washer/spacer. Yeah I got one of them here as well....

In the meantime, see if you can get the pulley OFF the engine. If you ever need to remove it for service (crankcase seal leaks...), the pulley HAS to come off BEFORE you take engine off frame. yeah, I have 8-10 of them here as well.Do NOT try to use a 'puller', it'll destroyt the $50++ pulley. I took a 'pickle fork'( removes tierod ends), ground it thinner and 1"+ inside. Got it between top of pulley and crackcase( there's a special spacer there too...). Several 'polite taps' later the pulley should move. After you clean it up real good, and it goes on/off easily, then add a lot of neverseize and install. This can easily take 2-3 hours BUT you'll have a engine that CAN come off without destroying the main pulley.

The big thing is PATIENCE ! Go slow, steady, THINK before using any force..

Jay

Good to know that the engine pulley CAN be removed. By the way, those $1 spacers seem to be $6.90 each and it seems as if there are 2 on top of each shaft (4 total). I hope we can get them for less than $30 or the angle grinder will be attacking a piece of gun-barrel pipe

and you will be asked about their dimensions

This really is a great site. Thanks guys

GreensvilleJay · Jun 1, 2020

found on a website....
Dimensions: THICKNESS: 5/32" ID: 43/64" OD: 1-1/8"

guess you'll have to 'metricate' the dimensions.....

my guesstimates...
T=4mm, id=17mm, od=28mm

Jay

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Craftsman LT1000

hope to float

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GreensvilleJay

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hope to float

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wgator

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hope to float

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GreensvilleJay

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hope to float

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GreensvilleJay

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