[mustash]

Hello All,
I tuned up my Brother in law's SR120.
11 HP 28'' deck
Finally I sharpened the blade & dropped the front the final foot or so.
Now the deck is dragging and the adjusting handle has no effect.
I looked and it seems that the cables suspending the rears are ok and the spacers are in the right place.
I am clueless!
It seems like it should be a simple fix. :help:

Help an old man out with your kind advice.

 

[Five Points]

Welcome to the forum! Howdy from just south of you.

Do you have the model # handy?
Should be a 000000AA format.

 

[Five Points]

I would look at all the brackets and linkages for the deck to assure nothing is broke or bent for starters.

Could you post some pictures? maybe we can spot something you might have missed.

 

[mustash]

I probably won't have access until next weekend.
I thought SR 120 was the model. Duh.....
I couldn't find anything broken or bent but I wasn't sure where to look.

 

[Five Points]

Yes it would be a "Snapper SR120 Model# 000000AA". Thats OK!
I can try to find you a parts breakdown that would show you everything. Its one of those things that you don't quite know what you have till you "take a look at it problems"

 

[mustash]

OK Mr. Five Points

The Model # is 281013BE

As I said I dropped it. The 2 cables that appear to suspend the rear of the deck are attached and all the spacers appear to be in the correct place but the look slack.
It looks like something may have come unhooked between the adjuster handle wherever it attaches to.
The spring is good. The adjustment lock seems to work. The darn thing just sits on the floor. I don't have any paperwork on this mower.

Thanks!

 

[Five Points]

Here is a place to start

On the end of your lifting lever there is a bolt that tightens down on a flat spot of a rod that comes out of the lifting portion of the deck lift. you may have sheared or damaged the bolt or even pushed it out, (stripped it). See the blue circles in the image for location. The lock on the lever is what holds the deck up in position. if the bolt has come out or is ineffective the deck will stay down no matter what position the lever is in. Let me know if that was it.

 

[mustash]

Thank you Five Points!
I'll check it out today or tomorrow and get back either way

 

[Five Points]

If it turns out to be any of those parts, I have part numbers too.

I got to looking at the diagram a little more and can see that the bolt goes all the way through that shaft and it could of sheared the bolt easily.

 

[mustash]

Hello Five Points.
It seems that bolt 23 is intact. The shaft rotates and impacts Plate 1.
Both cables 27 are slack even though the deck is laying on the ground. The spacers are there on 27 and I don't see any way they would have gone missing.
Shaft 11 is secure in both brackets.

Threaded rod 2 moves a little but not enough to even contact adjusting nut 20.
Plate 20 is secure

I will recheck bracket 14 to make sure it is secure but I think they are.

Truthfully I'm mystified.

The only adjustments I can see are cables 27 via spacers and nut 20.

 

[Five Points]

I'm sure you have, but with help, could you have someone operate the deck adjuster, moving it up and down while you lay along side and watch everything move? It could be something small like a tack weld on a bracket that pivots on a shaft like the lower one on #11.

 

[mustash]

I see your point. I'll go over it again. I don't think that I looked carfully enough at shaft 8 for stamped plate 1.

 

[mustash]

Hello Mr Five Points.
I'm not sure that this is the problem but plate 1 can be held in place while lever 5 is moved. Should this be the case? Rod 2 seems firmly attached on both ends. The Tack weld seems solid. Bracket 14 looks good. That only leaves the cables and the adjustment on Rod 2. These componints don't appear to be the type that should suddenly go so far outa wack. Looking at this design it seems like it should be intuitive. It's not for me. I will bring a deep to try adjusting Rod 2. The only thing I can think of is maybe replacing the cables.
Any insight would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Five Points]

I'm out of town right now but will be in later to help figure this thing out. Thanks for your patients Mr mustach.

 

[mustash]

Mr. 5P I will await your wisdom

 

[Five Points]

OK, here we go..If this is repetitive I apologize.

When lever 5 is all the way forward the deck should be all the way down, when lever 5 is pulled all the way back the deck should raise. When lever 5 is pulled all the way back, the front of plate 1 should rise up. The cables are just there for the back of plate 5 to hang on and actually supports the deck. The heavy duty ones use chains (FYI). When the front of plate 1 rises up it pulls rod 2 causing rod assy 11 to pivot up lifting the deck.

If plate 1 is not moving when you lift lever 5 than I would say that bolt 23 is broken in the shaft of plate 1 or the portion of the rod near bushing 28 of plate 1 is twisted or broke. The rod going through plate 1 should be tack welded to the plate 1 assembly. It may even be broke at the welds and may be pivoting through the plate 1 assembly itself. You may need to take a good look at that area, even taking it apart to inspect it. The damage may be hidden.
I think if the cables 27 where stretched out or broke you'd see that when operating lever 5 because the back of plate 5 would move up and down and the cables probably would be loose. Steel cable doesn't stretch very far at all, it would just break under severe stress.
I believe the adjustment on rod 2 is just to level the deck as it is raised and lowered at different cutting levels.
Try that out.
FP

 

[mustash]

I think you nailed it.

I was unaware that there was a weld on the rod going through plate 1 between bushings28. The plate moves w/o the rod rotating.

What is the best way to get the confounded thing out? I'm assuming the bushings 28 need to come out? Is there a preferred way to do that?

I've had a couple of Snapper riders with the chains. There is at least a little adjustment there.

I appreciate your patience 5P. This has been a real PITA as I'm sure I have been.

Thanks!

I will give that a whack today.

Stash.

 

[Five Points]

Just by looking at the parts diagram it looks like you may have success by taking either bracket 8 or 9 off the deck. Do you need the parts manual or operators manual? I have them if you do.

 

[mustash]

I'm glad I waited for your answer. I started taking the L bracket off but then decided it might be easier just knocking the bushings out. Guess not. I decided to just have it re-tacked instead of going for a whole new part if it turns out to be the problem & I sincerely hope it is.

I got the manuals from Snapper.

Thanks 5P!

 

[Five Points]

If so, make sure it's re-tacked/welded at the right angle exactly otherwise the lifting angle could be a nightmare......And great on the manuals!.
Let me know how it turns out when you can. Have a great day.
FP