PTO link spring on a 420 Onan

[HudsonValleyMo]

Question: could the previous owner have cut the spring on PTO link short to make it fit better or make it taut?


Soon after I replaced an engine belt, my PTO kept slipping out and I noticed the spring that holds it unhooks from the bracket.
It looked like a piece was missing from end of spring. So I ordered a new spring. That'd be #11 in the diagram:

When it arrived, I noticed it was significantly longer than the old one:

Curious. Problem is, now the rod (#13) won't stick out of the spring (#11) and go through the hole in the bracket to sit put. Instead of this:

I get this:

And the spring (#11) keeps slipping off again.

Should I cut the spring? Should I just crimp end of this one? Anybody know what's going on here?

 

[MountainBuck]

So you must have at least 2 Steiners because I can clearly see the bracket that the rod goes through, which appears to be #10 in the diagram, has different scratches in both of these pictures.

Another item that seems odd is that the new spring and new rod are now seemingly dirty and rusted when installed in IMG_4356.JPG. Also in this same picture it appears that the belt has fallen off and is hanging down.

Setting those aside for the time being, I'm wondering if the rod/spring specification was altered between the serial numbers of the model you are trying to fix. In other words, maybe they sent you the wrong parts for your particular model. I would confirm the serial numbers.

It would appear that this spring is a tensioner on a belt.

The first thing I'd want to know; has the belt that this tensioner pushes against been replaced with a belt that is the wrong size.

If it were me, I suppose I would try and quantify how much the original spring vs. the new spring is pulling. I would either try to yank on the tensioner by hand or put a spring gauge on it. I'm guessing the new spring is not applying enough pressure to the belt.

Let us know how it turns out!

 

[seville009]

Agree with mountainbuck above......my thought when reading your post was that maybe you were sent the wrong part, so double check that first.

 

[HudsonValleyMo]

It has the same part number (41-010) in my owner's manual as in Messicks without any mention of SN.

There's another clue: the same spring (#11) is used 3 times in this machine (implememnt release lever and idler lock). Both of those are the same size as the NEW one I got, just uner 4".

So, there's something curious about why the old spring is short. Did the previous owner cut it short? Or did a long piece of it snap off?

In reply: don't mind the discrepancies (good eyes though). It is 2 different 420's, the new rod and spring have not been installed, and the belt is draped over the pully just before I install it when I took the picture. Belt goes on the other side of idler. As for belt being incorrect, it could be. I got an after market 39"x 1/2# belt for my A38 belt spec size. But I think A38 is also 39"

Tension is fine with the new spring (as you can adjust it with idler lock turns too). It's just that rod does not go through bracket (#10) hole and spring snaps out. I suppose I could crimp the end of the spring some, but the curiosity as to why old spring was so short ??

So you must have at least 2 Steiners because I can clearly see the bracket that the rod goes through, which appears to be #10 in the diagram, has different scratches in both of these pictures.

Another item that seems odd is that the new spring and new rod are now seemingly dirty and rusted when installed in IMG_4356.JPG. Also in this same picture it appears that the belt has fallen off and is hanging down.

Setting those aside for the time being, I'm wondering if the rod/spring specification was altered between the serial numbers of the model you are trying to fix. In other words, maybe they sent you the wrong parts for your particular model. I would confirm the serial numbers.

It would appear that this spring is a tensioner on a belt.

The first thing I'd want to know; has the belt that this tensioner pushes against been replaced with a belt that is the wrong size.

If it were me, I suppose I would try and quantify how much the original spring vs. the new spring is pulling. I would either try to yank on the tensioner by hand or put a spring gauge on it. I'm guessing the new spring is not applying enough pressure to the belt.

Let us know how it turns out!

 

[MountainBuck]

Seems to me your biggest problem is the rod falling out of the hole. If that happens every time you tension the belt, then you cannot completely disengage the pressure if the rod hangs up on the hole and doesn't go through?

This could have dangerous consequences such as the implement not powering down completely!

If you put the old spring on the new rod, does that stop the rod from falling through the hole?