HRM48H rebuild

[Harry]

I've been rebuilding my 3 PT. mowing deck a HRM48H. I disassembled the deck completely and patched a few holes in the deck. Blasted the deck and painted it with Rustoleum red brown industrial primer. Underneath the deck I also used Rustoleum black truck bed liner paint. On the top of the deck I used Power Yellow to match my 646 FEL, which it will be mounted on. Spindles were completely disassembled cleaned and painted the same as the underside of the deck. New bearings were installed because two out of three pairs were seized. A new idler pulley was acquired, the old one was seized up also. All parts are now ready to reassemble which I hope to start today. I'll post some pics upon completion.

Keep the Peace
Harry

[Timj]

Looking good Harry keep posting to this thread, you don't see many of these mowers. Will make a great archive for others.
Tim

[Eugen]

Nice work Harry! Great to see what you're doing, I'm going to learn a few things from your work! Thanks for sharing!

[Harry]

I got some progress done today on the mower. Installed spindles, hydro motor, idler pulley, belts, blades, support bracket for the trailing wheels and made a cover for the motor drive pulley, it was MIA when I purchased the deck. Actually I didn't know it was suppose to be one until I looked in the manual. I was thinking of not using one but then had a brain storm that you all will see later upon completion. Possibly have it almost completed tomorrow.

Keep the Peace
Harry

[Eugen]

Looks great Harry!

[Harry]

I painted the belt cover I fabricated yesterday and it's drying as is the chute extension. I mounted it on the 3 PT and turned it on with the hydraulic PTO. It tuned fine and increased the RPM of the engine it appears to work fine. I didn't mow any grass with it yet. This is going to be used to cut the field behind my house and there is still standing water back there. I don't think the 646 would get stuck but I'm sure it would make a muddy mess back there. Plus the tractor would get all dirty, which I know is going to happen sooner or later.

Keep the Peace
Harry

[MattA]

Looks good Harry.
You might want to check out and grease the tensioner pivot bushing if you haven't already. I've worn a few bushings out in recent years.
Your belt tension also looks a little low. I think you have the spring hooked into the tensioner in the wrong hole. The square hole in the top where the spring is located is to use a 1/2" breaker bar or ratchet to help release the tensioner for installation and removal of the belt. In the side of the tensioner is a second hole. This is where I have my spring hooked up.

[Harry]

Matt, I'll check that spring location. I'm not sure if moving it into the round hole instead of the square hole will make a difference in the belt location on the pulley. There is no adjustment for the belt tensioner. I also have no tensioner pivot bushing the manual shows just a shoulder bolt with a washer underneath. I replaced the idler pulley because the one that was on it was frozen up. Sealed bearing on it so so way to grease that either.

I did mow today with the HRM48H today. It seemed to cut fine but the throttle would not stay at full throttle so I had to hold it wide open. I'll have to disassemble the cable and tighten it up so it doesn't creep closed. I also have an issue with the Onan hunting at a heavy load. My carb has a fixed high speed jet and not the adjustable kind. I can get one from Boomer which I spoke to him about a few weeks ago.

I ordered a Old Abe decal for the belt cover as you can see from the pics.

Keep the Peace
Harry

[Timj]

Very nice Harry, Old Abe is a great finishing touch.
It should be really handy and quick to take on and off of your tractors. How do you like how it works/mows?
Tim

[Harry]

Matt I checked the spring location and you were right so I moved the spring into the hole on the side of the bracket. It didn't make any difference in the belt location riding on the idler pulley. I don't use the square hole for a ratchet to take off the belt. I just pull on the belt and move it so it rides off a pulley. A very easy way to change belts. I did drill a hole in the belt tensioner bracket and put a 3/8" bolt in it. Head down towards the deck and now the idler pulley is parallel with the deck and the belt rides in the middle of the idler pulley. That's for you insight Matt. Something I over looked. Sometimes by looking at the manual it hard to tell exactly how something goes together. Many times I search for a pic of someone's item but had a hard time finding another HRM48H deck to look at.

Keep the Peace
Harry