Fan disintegrates!

PILOON · Nov 5, 2021

ruffdog said:
Maybe a bad batch of recycled plastic to save money?

I'd suspect that heat might be the culprit.
Heat, like in the 'cooking' process of fabrication.

ruffdog · Nov 5, 2021

PILOON said:
I'd suspect that heat might be the culprit.
Heat, like in the 'cooking' process of fabrication.

....or the curing process of different materials. It's a bad thing when too much shrinkage occurs.

MinnesotaEric · Nov 5, 2021

Clintock said:
I agree that plastic can become brittle after time but less than 400 hours? It does get pretty hot here in the summer. 100 plus with humidity around 80 to 90%. Makes it feel like 115-120. But this summer wasn’t too bad. Only a few days like that. And we really haven’t had a cool snap yet. Until today. Never got out the 50s. Reckon four years could dry rot the plastic. And there’s two fins I still haven’t found. Just lucky it didn’t mess anything else up. New one should be in by tomorrow and get it back going Sunday or Monday.

There could have been a material defect, I dunno, but I've seen plenty of engine-driven fans self-destruct. Electric motor fans, not so much. Anyway, yes, it is good that the busted bits tangle with your radiator or dance with a belt.

grsthegreat · Nov 5, 2021

is simple green ok to use on plastic? or can that cause the issue. ive never used it on plastic. but i really have no idea if its safe for plastic.

MinnesotaEric · Nov 6, 2021

grsthegreat said:
is simple green ok to use on plastic? or can that cause the issue. ive never used it on plastic. but i really have no idea if its safe for plastic.

Should say on the side of the bottle. I will say for tough grease, I use either mineral spirits or WD40.

Simple Green Household Cleaning Site

simplegreen.com

Clintock · Nov 7, 2021

Got the old fan off. New one still not in. Question here for the mechanics. Can I just unbolt the bottom two bolts on the radiator and lean forward enough to get new fan on or do I have to completely remove radiator?

pmsmechanic · Nov 7, 2021

Clintock said:
Got the old fan off. New one still not in. Question here for the mechanics. Can I just unbolt the bottom two bolts on the radiator and lean forward enough to get new fan on or do I have to completely remove radiator?

You do what you need to do to get the fan in. If you can lean the radiator forward enough to get room to slip the fan in... do it. I wouldn't remove the bolts completely to lean the rad forward. Just loosen enough to do the job. It makes it a lot easier to put everything back together.

Oz_Kioti · Nov 7, 2021

It's a job for people with very long and slender fingers who are careful not to damage the fine fins of the radiator, while at the same time don't mind skinning their knuckles! In my fan replacement job, my wife wouldn't step up to the job, and my fingers are kinda fattish, but I finally got the new fan in and bolted. I seem to remember I had fun removing and replacing the fan shroud too. I don't think I loosened the radiator mounts. BUT - it was an LG (LS) tractor, so it might be somewhat different, although all the Korean ones I've seen have very similar design characteristics!

Also, to be fair to the failed fan, I bought the tractor in 2004 and the fan failed in 2018! So probably a good innings (that's a cricket term...)

Good luck.

34Willys · Nov 8, 2021

I always cut a piece of cardboard to put behind the radiator. It protects the back of my hands and the radiator fins from damage.
Patrick

Clintock · Nov 9, 2021

Good tip with the cardboard. Ordered fan and belt from somewhere else today. Got tired of waiting. Ima tell y’all something. Nolts power equipment is by far the best place I’ve ordered from.