60" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

jwstewar · Jul 20, 2004

60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

OK guys. Things have been going a little too well here as of late, so the tractor decided it was going to give me some grief. Tonight while I was mowing I stopped to talked to the wife and play with our new puppies and as I was walking back to the tractor I saw something hanging down. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Uh oh. This isn't good. What had happened was on the 60" MMM NH uses what they call a lift cushion to help carry the load of the MMM. This is really just a big and very stiff spring that is held on by a washer and a little cotter key. Did I mention this spring is stiff? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I got the manual out and started reading, but I wasn't quite understanding what it was saying - or at least it wasn't working the way I thought it should. I had disconnected the mower on that side (it was getting late so I was avoiding doing the whole thing if I could), I had also tried disconnecting the 3PH lift arms. Nothing seemed to work. Here is the first page of the NH manual describing how to put these things on.

jwstewar · Jul 20, 2004

Re: 60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

Here is the second page. Pay special attention to the NOTE: What are they calling the tractor lift arm? I couldn't get the actual lift arm of the 3ph off if that is what they were talking about (the turnbuckle was in the way). Any ideas how to get this spring reconnected? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Maybe I can get it reconnected and try mowing my grass a 3rd time tomorrow night. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

BTW, I tried stretching this spring via a Come-a-long connected to the truck. I was able to get it stretched but the hook was too big and I couldn't get it over the tube they are talking about. I've thought about on my way home tomorrow night stopping and getting some small cable and clamps and try hooking that to the spring and come along and try that approach again. Any thoughts on that?

jwstewar · Jul 20, 2004

Re: 60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

Did I mention that spring is very stiff? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

hazmat · Jul 21, 2004

Re: 60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

1. set MMM wheels to 3"+ mowing height.
2. on a hard level surface - ie your garage floor, drop the three point hitch all the way down. The MMM should rest on the floor.

3. That should release the tension enough for you to reconnect the springs.

4. If all else fails, disoconnect the rods that lead forward. you should be able to take out some of the tension by unscrewing the turnbuckles.

5. Good luck

jwstewar · Jul 21, 2004

Re: 60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

( If all else fails, disoconnect the rods that lead forward. you should be able to take out some of the tension by unscrewing the turnbuckles )

Are you talking the gold rods that go all the way to front of the deck? If so, are you saying disconnect them from the front or the rear?

Which turnbuckle are you talking about? If you are talking the one on the 3ph lift arm, I had it completely disconnected last night.

thanks for your help. As heavy built as the rest of the deck is, sure seems like they could have come up with a better way then a little cotter pin to hold this thing on. I'm almost considering replacing that setup up with bolt and double nut setup. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

hazmat · Jul 21, 2004

Re: 60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

 Are you talking the gold rods that go all the way to front of the deck? If so, are you saying disconnect them from the front or the rear?


Yes. there are two rods. one goes from the spring to about the rear of the mowing deck - disconnect this one where it attaches to the MMM hardware. the other goes from the rear of the deck to the front.

 Which turnbuckle are you talking about? If you are talking the one on the 3ph lift arm, I had it completely disconnected last night 

It's not technically a turnbuckle /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I was referring to the fitting on the end of the aforementioned rod. After you've hooked up the spring, you may need to loosten the fitting so that you can reconnect the rod to the MMM fitting.

I might be able to snap a couple pics tonight.

jwstewar · Jul 21, 2004

Re: 60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

OK, I got you now. I think I know what you are saying. I'll give that a try. I might also go ahead and pick up the stuff to make my wire rope to help pull as I have to stop at Lowes anyway.

jwstewar · Jul 22, 2004

Re: 60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

OK, I got the spring reattached last night. I started to do it the way Hazmat described, but I was starting to get tired by this point and wanted to get started mowing. When I looked at where and how the rod was connected (cotter pin in kind of a tight area on the backside), I thought I would try the pulling approach one more time. I had stopped at Lowes and picked up 2' of 1/4" stranded cable and 3 wire rope clips. I made a loop out of that and hooked it to the spring and the come-along hooked to the hooks on the front of the truck. Took the little collar of the pin and was able to snap the spring right over and then I put the collar on and a new thicker, bigger washer and a new cotter key. Then I unfastened the clips on the cable and just made a small loop at the end and used the come-along to pull the cable out from under the spring. All-in-all I think it took me maybe 15 minutes including putting the tools away that I had used the night before.

Thanks Hazmat!!!!

hazmat · Jul 22, 2004

Re: 60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

Glad your back in action.

I lost one of the 5/8" pins last night /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I need to find a way to secure the hairpin clips that is still easy to remove.

Inspector507 · Jul 22, 2004

Re: 60\" Rear-Discharge Lift Cushion Springs

Keep the ends of the clips held together with baling wire or a tie wrap. Takes a second or 2 with the snips to cut your retainer off. I got tired of losing the pins myself.