Mower deck roller stop spring

[pfrederi 17,164]

When the grass is tall the front rollers on a deck will spin as they are pushed through it.  This causes premature wear of the roller and the shaft it rides on.  The rollers are anti-scalp and should only turn when you hit a rough spot. Some older decks included a part 102773, Roller Stop Spring. #13 in picture.  It is of course NLA.  Has any one come up with a work around...(Yes I should mow before the grass gets to tall but....)

[Ed Kennell 35,903]

I didn't know these existed Paul.    I have used spring steel strapping material to make these types of springs.  I'll make a few to see if it works.

[doc724 924]

I never knew what that spring was for.  I like Ed's idea.  A good use of scrap steel and I will bet any local lumber yard will be glad to give you some

[roadapples 6,981]

And I`ve been taking those off so the wheel could turn more freely... at least I didn`t throw them away..

[pfrederi 17,164]

When you mention spring steel strapping are you talking about he steel banding used on pallets etc???

[Ed Kennell 35,903]

Exactly Paul.   I have used it for springs before. It can be cut, drilled and bent.

[MWR 321]

I used some of that steel strapping to secure the rafters to the beams on my barn, "anti hurricane/tornado" devices.  I went across the top of the rafter and down both sides of the beam and nailed them.  Of course, I used a big Senco nailgun to drive the nails.  So far, Barn 1, hurricanes/tornados 0.

[pfrederi 17,164]

Found an old deck I am not using had one of these stops..  at 1 " wide that is wider than any strapping material I have.  2-5/8" long Not teh hole is really an oblong (to allow it too move back an forth over the shaft as it flexes).  Hole (less teh missing chunk) is 1/2" x 5/8".  The cut off corner is to clear the bracket on the deck itself.  Have to see if I can find some 1" spring steel.

 

 

 

 

[Ed Kennell 35,903]

Thanks for the dimensions Paul.    I didn't have  1" wide either, so I made one out of 3/4" and it worked fine, but probably won't last as long as the 1".

 

But while making this, my thought was ...why not use a simple wavy washer for a spring?     Road trip to ACE.

[can whlvr 991]

I allways wondered what that was for,good to know

[Ed Kennell 35,903]

ACE has the 1/2" wavy washers @ $0.74 each.  They seem to work OK, but I had to bend the roller side support in to get the correct tension on the spring washer. The washers don't have the range that the flat strap spring has, but both worked.

[pfrederi 17,164]

Great idea and cheap.. i like that. Did you put wave washer on each side of the roller???

[pfrederi 17,164]

I tried a different washer.  Used one per roller and put flat washer on to take up any residual looseness.  Rollers will still turn but you have to push hard on them. They put up to 25 lbs resistance.

 

[Ed Kennell 35,903]

On ‎2‎/‎21‎/‎2016 at 4:46 PM, pfrederi said:

Great idea and cheap.. i like that. Did you put wave washer on each side of the roller???

I only used one wavy spring washer on each roller and it worked fine.     The ACE washers have the double bend so both sides have a smooth  curved contact surface. This may allow the rollers to turn with less force than the single bend washers.

[Lane Ranger 10,500]

A very good thread on another rare and/or discontinued part !    This information preserves the mower decks !   Thanks for all the details Paul and Ed !

["D"- Man 827]

These springs were available in at least 3 different packages.  I took a picture of the 3 packages that I have of the N.O.S. springs. 

[clueless 2,898]

My local dealer has 25 of these spring if anyone's interested.

[Lee1977 6,243]

I solved my roller wear problem with 1/2" ID x 3/4" OD oilite bushings in Dogwood Rollers.  They were put on in 1989  I have replaced the bushings and shafts one time since then. Replaced one Dogwood Roller

as it came off and I backed over it.  It wears the roller on the discharge side to a taper but it did the plastic ones the same only much quicker. I think they welded that bracket crooked. Been raining here for two weeks

I was mowing the high side be a few more days before I can mow the low side.

 

[Charbs152 253]

any available?

[Bill D 1,620]

I saw a thread on here where a member made new roller shafts using a bolt and then drilled it and installed a grease fitting in the bolt head.  That coupled with bronze bushings in the solid plastic rollers, would be highly wear resistant.  I made new shoulder bolts for my gauge wheels using a piece of tubing and a Grade 8 bolt. Bill

[Charbs152 253]

On 2/24/2016 at 4:19 PM, pfrederi said:

I tried a different washer.  Used one per roller and put flat washer on to take up any residual looseness.  Rollers will still turn but you have to push hard on them. They put up to 25 lbs resistance.

 

I just ordered these.  thank you.  about how many flat washers did you end up using?