MF 7 mower deck timing repair.

[Propane1]

I may have posted about this before on how to drill the couplings and shaft. If I did post about this, I can’t find it. Make me wonder some days how I make it from one day to the next.
Any way the splines are worn on the couplings and shafts. I went the local dealer, just for fun, to find out if available. And price. Hehe. Priced these parts 14 years ago. Shaft, with out pulley was $85 and the couplings were $25. Now the prices are $240 for the shaft, $70 each for the couplings. And strangely in stock in a dealer in Ontario. And this does not include the shafts in each gear box.
So tried to drill. Jumpins some hard. Now I only have a shop with basic tools and my knowledge is less than basic. Hehe.
After talking with a few buddies and watching a few you tube videos and buying a few drill bits from shops that quarantined that these bits will work, that didn’t. And they took them back and gave me my money back. So, some people said use a masonary bit. Tried that. It sorta worked. Got a bit for drilling glass. It sorta worked until it broke. So went looking for a masonary bit that will drill rebar as well. Found this bit at Canadian Tire. About $9 dollars. Not bad. It works. Still took a while. About a half hour a hole. Now using a hand drill, it’s not easy to push all the time so some breaks were in that 1/2 hour. Trying to keep a steady pressure and keep the drill goin slow and oiling is not easy going. Any way. This is the stuff I used. Two more holes to go. Hoping to use roll pins in it. So if the belt has to be changed, just a matter of pounding out the four pins.
The one thing I don’t like about this bit is, it’s to long. It bends a bit while pushing.

Noel

 

[SimplyRad]

The masonry bit has a carbide insert in the tip but if you could have found a solid carbide drill it would been a lot shorter and more expensive.

 

[Propane1]

Ya SimplyRad. I was told 70 bucks each.

Noel

 

[Propane1]

Another hole done. One more to do. That will be tomorrow, maybe. Then to get some pins. What would be the hardest. Roll pin or split pin. Or is there something better. ?

Noel

 

[olcowhand]

I'd say roll pin or grade 8 bolt.

 

[Propane1]

Well got number four hole done. Jumpins it was a hard drillin. Two bits to do three holes. One bit did two and a quarter holes. Changed to the next bit and finished the third hole. Now to get some roll pins or bolts tomorrow.

Noel

 

[MH81]

They make a kind of pin that is solid with a spline on the outside.

 

[MFDAC]

I remember you telling me one time, Noel, that the deck on my old MTD Eight Hundred looked similar to an MF7. I stripped the splines on the drive shaft about 30 years ago on one side. Never even thought about drilling and pinning! I didn't have a welder then, so I bought an old friend a case of beer to weld it together. Of course I got to help drink the beer too!

I had to take out a gear box, weld the shaft to it, and since the splines were still good on the other end, was able to drop the gearbox with the shaft welded to it in (with the belt and coupling) Then put it back to work mowing! Even though there was a tiny amount of wiggle, It never had a problem again for the next 15 years I mowed with it! Too lazy to un-bury from the shed it's in right now to take a picture of the cobble job repair.



That was a heck of a job for you, but a much better fix than I did all those years ago! It should work great!

DAC

 

[Propane1]

Well I ended up making my own pins. Doesn’t mean they are any better. I just like making stuff. Saved me from driving in to get stuff and driving back. Not sure I like the spring clips. But will see how they work. Just thought it would be nice not to have to use tools if I needed to change the belt. But not a big deal anyway if I had to use tools.

Noel

 

[MH81]

It might be best if you bend the end of those clips a little so that they can't levitate out of those holes.
Better yet, to use hair pins instead of cotter pins.
Looks like a really nice job.

 

[MFDAC]

Looks good to me Noel! I don't blame you a bit for wanting to build them! I like building things with junk I have on hand too! That's the main reason I'm always hauling some kind of junk home.

Looks like it will work fine!

DAC

 

[Propane1]

Thanks Doug. Ya good to have stuff around for fix ups.

Noel

 

[olcowhand]

What keeps the pins next to the gearboxes from rotating and getting the clips into the gearbox?

 

[Propane1]

Ya, just have not figured out a better plan yet for that Daniel. We used it yesterday and it worked fine. But need to do some thinkin there.

Noel

 

[olcowhand]

A regular split cotter pin cut off leaving just a 1/4" to bend over each way should clear everything.

 

[Propane1]

Good idea. I had cotter pins in there. But didn’t like it. Jumpins never thought of cuttin them off. Like I’ve said before, makes me wonder some days how I make it to the next day.

Noel