Ever have this happen to you?

[Guest]

So I am plowing through some weeds tonight with my favorite (only running) 3112H and then I notice my steering looks a little wobbly... suddenly I see part "Y - ANGLE & HUB" lying on the ground. Whooa, some how those bolts got loose! So I grab that bracket drive the tractor back to the garage and notice the bolts are still hanging from under the frame. Now, I am challenged with how to get this plate back on. Well jacking up was easy from the foot peg plate and I was able to get the right side tightened back with a wrench... but the left side I couldn't see the top of the bolt because the engine was there. So I pushed the lock washer to hold the bolt and got the nut on... but I couldn't get a wrench there. So I took a screw driver and pushed the lock washer while using an impact wrench. Whooa, it worked... or I may periodically need to check these! Anyway, I think it worked and I believe without the impact wrench, I might not have been able to do this without removing the engine. So has this happened to anyone or better... Is there a way to lift the engine without detaching it from the drive shaft in order to tighten these bolts to the proper torque settings? I was happy I got this back on without doing that, I just don't need this to happen again. [:0]

[HubbardRA 19]

Nope, never had that problem.

[D-17_Dave 12]

This or a simular situation happened to Kent a while back when he swapped loaders from one tractor to the other. He had the same delima as the bolts spinning without removeing the engine.

[Ryan 0]

I saw it happen to a D-17 tractor, but not a lawn tractor.

[Chris727 1,927]

Yeah, thats pretty normal on FDT's. On the early B10 I picked up a while back, someone welded the bracket to the frame. Also on my B110 and my B12 these were loose. Periodiaclly they will loosen up on my B110. Haven't used the B12 enough to see if it will do it again. As far as I know you pretty well have to pull the motor unless you can spin it on with the impact or jam something up against the flat side of the bolt's head in order to hold it still. Its pretty much impossible to get a wrench in on the carburetor side.

[Mick14 0]

I have gradually changed most of the nuts on my Broadmoor to the Nylon lined nuts {Nylok's} --very resistant to vibration,much more than the split lock washers.

[Guest]

Thanks all for the feedback. On a tractor I took the steering off, that 101 hydro that got stripped, they put longer 7/16" bolts and double nutted them. So this happens I guess. I am still wondering if I had to pull the engine if I could remove the hood and grill to lift the engine without disconnecting anything else. Never tried... Lift it like 2" and have enough room to put a wrench on these bolts. Q: Has anyone looked at the grade of bolts we should be using? Or what Simplicity used for these parts? I saw in the torque specs that grade 2 was 30ft/lbs, grade 5 was 50 ft/lbs and grade 8 was 70 ft/lbs. I think the front pivot bolt should be grade 8, but didn't see what that was rated. Ideas? Thoughts?

[Kent 435]

As Dave mentions, when I was swapping the loader from one tractor to another, I couldn't get the nuts off -- the whole bolt would spin. I loosened the bolts that hold the motor and was able to pry the engine up just enough to get a thin, flat open-end wrench underneath the engine and onto the head of the bolts, without having to disconnect the driveshaft, etc.

[MazdaManiac 0]

I had the same thing happen on my 3210V. I did exactly what Kent did. Worked for me & I haven't had any problems since...luckily.

[Guest]

Kent & MazdaManiac, Thanks it's good to know it's possible. It was interesting to find out that these bolts have loosened or was a problem to others. I've learned about 70% of the frame and attachment bolts so far and still haven't opened an engine/transmission yet. That fun still awaits. Thanks again. Michael G. P.S. I'm going to search for some posts about the various grade bolts, reading the chart I now know to look for the lines on the bolts to know the grade of bolts. I am also looking at the other steering mechanisms and that front washer seems to frequently be worn looking.

quote:

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Originally posted by Kent
As Dave mentions, when I was swapping the loader from one tractor to another, I couldn't get the nuts off -- the whole bolt would spin. I loosened the bolts that hold the motor and was able to pry the engine up just enough to get a thin, flat open-end wrench underneath the engine and onto the head of the bolts, without having to disconnect the driveshaft, etc.

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[MikeES 454]

Use Loctite.