GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - My new Craftsman garden tractor needs an alignment bad!!!

xPosTech[_2_] · 27-09-2007, 01:29 AM posted to alt.home.lawn.garden

On 9/26/2007 4:19 PM, wrote:
On Sep 26, 4:26 pm, wrote:
wrote:
Problem solved,tractoraligned.
First, I needed a way to measure the toe. I installed a pair of 48"
steel rods to the outside of the front wheels, making sure that they
touch the front and rear of the rim. With the wheels perfectly
aligned, they should be parallel and have the same distance between
them next to the wheels and at their end. Initially,mysuspicions
were confirmed: 37.25 inches at the wheel, 35 inches 40" further. 2.25
inches in 40" is 3.2 degrees.
I thought I should makemyalignmenteasily adjustable, so bending the
rods was out. The steering shaft with a gear at its bottom and the
steering plate gear are held on a steel plate that is screwed to the
frame. That plate ensures a correct gap between the two gears and is
held in place to the frame by 4 screws. A bit of geometry convinced me
that if that plate could move forward by only 1/4", it would provide
me with plenty of toe adjustment range.
So I dismantled the steering shaft, the two links at the spindles and
took out the 4 screws that hold the plate to the frame. I widened the
4 holes in the plate horizontally towards the back (the plate needs to
move forward) by about 1/4". I put everything back together and left
the 4 screws loose by about 1 turn. I then verified that I had a large
play in the toe by playing with the two steel rods that were attached
to the wheels. I made sure the distance between the rods read 37.25
inches both at the wheel and at their end and that whatever play there
was in the system was creating a toe in. I then tightened the 4
screws. That way, while in motion the backward force would keep the
toe at the end of its play and the wheels parallel.
Something I don't understand. If this is new, and you think it isn't
right, why do you void what little warranty these things have by making
"repairs" yourself? Why do you not go back to the dealer you bought it
from and have them fix it right. It may not even need "fixed" and it may
be that the toe in is correct for thattractor. I sure wouldn't be
bending anything.
Tinkerers.

I will shed some light on this for you: The dealer/repair shop will
say it's normal. And the reason why they will say that has nothing to
do with the problem at hand, and everything to do with conservation of
energy on their part. There is no toe adjustment on the tractor.
Hence, they cannot fix the excessive toe, and I would not trust them
to even try. They will offer my money back. I don't want money, I want
a tractor. Which is consistent with me buying it.

If they void the warranty on my engine, deck or transmission because I
fixed the alignment, my lawyer will explain to them how warranties
work and why it is a very bad ideeyer for them to pursue that
attitude.

As you can read above, my tractor now has an adjustable front wheel
alignment, and is properly aligned as a result. I did not bend
anything, just enlarged four holes and made the tractor better.

Considering 3.25 degrees as an acceptable angle between two wheels is
a slap in the face of physics. If one's car had that much toe in, one
would probably go (at 5 mpg) through a set of tires in less than 100
miles, assuming one wouldn't get a frame bender before.

I would imagine now that it's fixed, it will go around those pine sticks
all on its own.

--
Ted
I wasn't born in Texas but
I got back here as soon as I could

Luck can't last a lifetime unless you die young.