Fan Shroud

[mpoore 33]

Does anyone else have this problem or better yet a confirmed solution? You will notice the foot pedal could interfere with a shield.

Edited yesterday at 06:56 AM by mpoore

[cleat 9,347]

I have come to accept that is just how it is with leaves blowing around in the fall.

I made up a holder from a bagger bracket to hold a regular car snow brush

You can use anything to hold the brush.

 

But the main point is that I can use this brush to knock leaves and debris off of the screen while running the tractor.

 

[JoeM 10,312]

[mpoore 33]

Thanks for the reply. How often do you have to stop and clear the debris? I had to clear it 5 times mowing 3/4 acre. Very annoying. The Kohler engine I had before did not do this. I could mow the whole yard without clearing it. Either the debris got sucked through or had less suction. The Predator engine does have a fine grill in the shroud. The front of the deck is right below the engine. I was wondering if this is a symptom of a deck issue or normal. I wonder if a plate below the shroud would do any good. It seems like the debris is floating everywhere, so I am suspecting it would do very little.

[Handy Don 17,500]

16 minutes ago, mpoore said:

The Kohler engine I had before did not do this. I could mow the whole yard without clearing it. Either the debris got sucked through or had less suction.

The volume of air pushed through by the Onans is, frankly, impressive. Consider also that two cylinders already need twice the air of a single!

Edited yesterday at 06:32 PM by Handy Don

[cleat 9,347]

1 hour ago, mpoore said:

Thanks for the reply. How often do you have to stop and clear the debris? I had to clear it 5 times mowing 3/4 acre. Very annoying. The Kohler engine I had before did not do this. I could mow the whole yard without clearing it. Either the debris got sucked through or had less suction. The Predator engine does have a fine grill in the shroud. The front of the deck is right below the engine. I was wondering if this is a symptom of a deck issue or normal. I wonder if a plate below the shroud would do any good. It seems like the debris is floating everywhere, so I am suspecting it would do very little.

Mowing just grass I hardly ever need to clean it.

Grinding leaves in the fall using the 48" deck, I might need to brush it as often as once a minute but with the brush in your left hand it just takes a second and you don't need to stop.

 

The kohler screen spins so that is likely why you don't need to clear those as often.

The Onan engine also has a spinning metal screen just below the stationary plastic one so I have considered removing the plastic one and run it like a Kohler to see what happens.

 

Edited yesterday at 07:50 PM by cleat

[mpoore 33]

I like your brush idea. I already have one of those around here somewhere. The rotating screen is not something I considered, but is probably significant. It will suck my hand toward the shroud at full throttle, so there is a lot of suction. I may experiment with a shield and see if anything makes a difference.

[lynnmor 9,042]

Much of that debris was likely kicked up by the left front tire.  Some have fashioned a fender from a cut up plastic bucket with good success. 

[cleat 9,347]

7 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Much of that debris was likely kicked up by the left front tire.  Some have fashioned a fender from a cut up plastic bucket with good success. 

 

Maybe grass, but the leaves get blown out of the front of the deck at least that is how my 48" deck seems to work.

 

My blades are getting worn down, maybe new blades would blow better out the side where it is supposed to but I'm not sure.

 

[mpoore 33]

I tried to watch while mowing, but I could not see anything. The tire is a possibility. I assumed it was the deck. I have it set high, so there is a lot of space. I think I will use some cardboard as a temporary shield to see what makes a difference. If it is the deck, maybe a rubber strip across the front would help. A fender is another good idea.

[sqrlgtr 4,015]

I have noticed, what little I have used my 520H to mow with, is that the higher the deck is set at the more trash gets stuck on screen. I rarely mow with any of my Wheel Horses anymore but do it every once in a while just to remind me how lucky I am to have a zero-turn mower. In my own defense the zero turn is a Toro so close to being a Wheel Horse .

Edited 3 hours ago by sqrlgtr

[Handy Don 17,500]

2 hours ago, sqrlgtr said:

a zero-turn mower.

No apology needed. If I had a large area to mow, I’d have a zero-turn. Limited flexibility for other chores, granted, but for mowin’ they can’t be beat.