Hydro repair warning for DIY Rookies

[cub149]

This is for the people that don't know a lot about these hydros such as myself. I did the trunion spacer deal to take up the slop of warn washers, etc.. When you do this you have to take off a snap ring, no one ever mentioned that you should use new snap rings. I re-used the old one and after running it for a while around the yard admiring my work on installing a new engine and a nice tight hydro I pulled into my shop and it poped off sending me wide open right into the wall along with everything it could pick up on the way across the floor! Scared the h**l out of me. Now I have a screwed up steering that I just got tight also. What an evening.
I thought some of you CC masters might get a kick out of this, I sure did in more ways than you know.
I'll go clean out my pants and get back to work on it. I swear I know what I'm doing and I thought about getting a new snap ring but the old one went on pretty good so I thought it could wait.
Go ahead and have fun with it, but for you rookies BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!

[R Bedell]

Cub149:

Thanks for sharing that story with us. I would venture to say, a lot of us have had some sort of "unique experience" and probably not brave enough to post it. I, for one, have had those moments too.:biggrin2.gif:

[cub149]

I thought about not posting it but it is just to funny and scarey not to tell. I just wanted others to know so it wouldn't happen to them. I mow right on the edge of a 10' verticle bank on a hill side and I hate to think of what could have happened if it came off there. oh well, lets eat supper and get back to fixing it up again.

[RChristensen]

I always replace the original snap rings because they have such small holes in them and the replacement snap rings I use have larger holes for the snap ring pliars and are much easier to get on and off.

[jcrews]

Thank God I keep a good supply of ring on hand, I have been known to loose the ones on something I may be working on so I always use new snap rings, cotter pins,etc because of my ability to find them after it is reassembled. I did enjoy that story and believe me I've done my share of causing mechanical malfunctions myself. Thanks for sharing.

[Matt G.]

There's nothing wrong with re-using old snap rings....you just have to make sure that they are seated properly in the groove before driving the tractor.

[cub149]

Well I took both steering columns out and will have to rebuild the one from the donor. The housing is cracked really good from that lick with the edge of the work bench, must have turned the wheel to far .
What size snap rings go on the trunion? that will be next once I get the steering done. Man, I'm going to have a new tractor once I'm done with all this.

[RPalmer]

Originally Posted by R Bedell

Cub149:

Thanks for sharing that story with us. I would venture to say, a lot of us have had some sort of "unique experience" and probably not brave enough to post it. I, for one, have had those moments too.:biggrin2.gif:

I have one and all I'm ever going to say is it involves fire.

[R Bedell]

Richard"

Oh my............

[Matt G.]

Heh...if you've got the timing advanced too far and a carb that needs to be rebuilt, don't try to start the tractor. It spits gas into a puddle in the carb and then lights it on fire. Don't ask how I know this.