Author Topic: lawn mower wheel repair.  (Read 19140 times)

Offline wheeltapper

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lawn mower wheel repair.
« on: March 31, 2011, 07:14:13 AM »
Hi
before you all shout at me, I know this isn't engieering in any sense of the word but it might help someone so;

the front wheel on my self propelled mower broke the other day, see pic

the bearing tube broke where it's fixed to the radial fins and it was wobbling all over the place.

after finding out the price for a replacement I decided on this as a quick repair...
I filled the wheel with cement :lol: :lol:






it should support the bearing tube better than anything else I could think of.


Is it stupid if it works?

Roy
« Last Edit: March 31, 2011, 08:06:13 AM by wheeltapper »
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Offline Swarfing

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2011, 07:34:54 AM »
The fact you instantly thought repair instead of throw away and buy new gets my thumbs up every time  :thumbup:
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Offline krv3000

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2011, 08:28:26 AM »
HI thats a good fix    :)

Offline Bernd

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2011, 08:46:21 AM »
 :thumbup: :thumbup: two from me. Ingenious way to fix a wheel.

Just to add another ingredient that could be used  - epoxy

Bernd
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Offline rleete

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2011, 09:11:01 AM »
I might have used something besides cement (I used epoxy), but it's the same either way.  If the epoxy hadn't been free, I certainly would have looked for something different.

Hey, it's fixed.  That's what counts.  Many others would have tossed the whole thing, or shelled out good money for a replacement.
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Offline saw

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2011, 10:24:17 AM »
And your'e next solution is how to fill the tire with air..  :lol: :lol: :lol:
One solution is as good as another.  :thumbup:
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Offline mike os

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2011, 11:32:39 AM »
good, cheap fix....always a plus  :thumbup:
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Offline wheeltapper

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2011, 12:02:23 PM »
Hi
I used cement because I had some, I did think about resin but that would have meant using the "BUY" word.

I probably would have cost more than a new wheel  :bang: :bang:

I'll let you know how it works next time I mow the lawn.

Roy
I used to be confused, now I just don't know.

Offline dsquire

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2011, 12:57:27 PM »
Roy

That is one great way to fix a wheel with a broken hub. It doesn't matter if it is epoxy or cement, it is the unique method that is so great. I don't think a lot of us would have thought of it but if we ever run into a similar situation I'm sure that we will use it. Thanks for sharing it with us.  :D :D  :mmr:

Cheers  :beer:

Don

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Offline BiggerHammer

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2011, 08:37:32 PM »
Yes, let us know how the concrete works. It never would have come to my mind to use concrete. Very creative.

Offline fluxcored

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #10 on: April 01, 2011, 05:08:16 AM »
Brilliant!
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Offline wheeltapper

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #11 on: April 01, 2011, 05:49:44 AM »
HI
I was thinking last night and it occured to me that resin tends to get hot as it cures and it's a plastic wheel,

not a good combination methinks  :scratch:

Roy
I used to be confused, now I just don't know.

Offline rleete

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2011, 09:08:21 AM »
It did get quite warm.  It was a wheel off my lawn debris can, molded plastic.  I stuck a metal hub (piece of copper pipe) in place, and mixed up about a cup of epoxy.  I was slightly concerned, but just stuck it out on the back porch, where is was about freezing temps, and it did not melt.  Took it quite a while to cure - a full day before it was semi solid, and at least 2 before it felt strong enough.

Epoxy was expired potting compound from work.
Creating scrap, one part at a time

Offline wheeltapper

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2011, 11:00:47 AM »
RATS, RATS,AND THRICE RATS  :doh:

If you haven't already guessed, it didn't work.

I got halfway round the back garden and it shattered. ( the cement not the garden) :bugeye:

Oh well time for plan B, whatever the hell that is.

the disappointed side of Roy

PS don't try this at home!
I used to be confused, now I just don't know.

Offline dsquire

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2011, 12:01:35 PM »
Roy
 :(  :doh:
Don't give up now. Try the same thing again but this time take some fine wire an wind around the hub loosely to make reinforced concrete. Just like the big boys do on construction. You can do this. We all have confidence in you.  :D :D :) :)

Cheers  :beer:

Don

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Offline andyf

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #15 on: April 01, 2011, 12:02:59 PM »
Tough luck, Roy.

You should have taken the wheel to a local tyre depot and had it balanced before galloping so fast over the lawn  :lol:

Seriously though, maybe there wasn't enough cement covering the spokes, so it easily broke into eight pie slices. Perhaps you could try again, and mound the cement up a bit. It might also help if you could wrap wire (coat hangers?) in and out round the spokes to act as rebar.

Andy

Edit: Great minds think alike, Don.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2011, 12:04:55 PM by andyf »
Sale, Cheshire
I've cut the end off it twice, but it's still too short

Offline Stilldrillin

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #16 on: April 01, 2011, 12:41:29 PM »
Roy.
So, it broke...... It was a blummin good first attempt though!   :clap:

Looking forward to MK11....... :thumbup:

David D

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Offline wheeltapper

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #17 on: April 01, 2011, 02:07:30 PM »
Tough luck, Roy.

You should have taken the wheel to a local tyre depot and had it balanced before galloping so fast over the lawn  :lol:

Seriously though, maybe there wasn't enough cement covering the spokes, so it easily broke into eight pie slices. Perhaps you could try again, and mound the cement up a bit. It might also help if you could wrap wire (coat hangers?) in and out round the spokes to act as rebar.

Andy

Edit: Great minds think alike, Don.


That's exactly what happened, too thin a layer above the fins, I ended up with a load of cheese triangles :bang:

I have discovered that my neighbour has a non working mower so I pinched a wheel from that to finish the garden but I will go back to it, I won't let it beat me.

Roy

I used to be confused, now I just don't know.

Offline Swarfing

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #18 on: April 01, 2011, 03:52:47 PM »
On the same theme as before try a bit of car body fibre glass resin mixed with sand (the dry type they use for brushing between block paving). This will set fine and hold well?
Once in hole stop digging.

Baldrocker

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #19 on: April 01, 2011, 06:22:51 PM »
How about turning down a piece of  :bugeye: wood.
(oh has the man no shame)
bore out the bearing tube and Bobs yer uncle.
But dont forget to plant a replacement tree
cheers
BR

Offline Swarfing

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #20 on: April 01, 2011, 06:27:06 PM »
Wood don't grow on trees you know it's expensive  :D
Once in hole stop digging.

Baldrocker

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #21 on: April 03, 2011, 05:22:16 PM »
Oh, I suppose to be ecologically sound one should plant a sapling first,
wait, harvest when ready, then turn wheel blank.
br
ps Sorry about   :offtopic:

Offline wheeltapper

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #22 on: May 19, 2011, 02:10:26 PM »
Hi
sorry to drag this topic back into the light but I thought you'd like to know, I didn't give up.

I dug the cement out of the wheel, removed the fins, mixed some cement with small gravel to make a kind of mini concrete and repacked the wheel.

I left it to dry for a couple of weeks ( I think that was part of the problem the first time , I didn't let it go off properly).

I cut the grass tuesday and it survived. :D

Roy
I used to be confused, now I just don't know.

Offline andyf

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Re: lawn mower wheel repair.
« Reply #23 on: May 19, 2011, 02:23:13 PM »
 :poke: It must have needed cutting; it's seven weeks since the wheel broke.

Andy

 
Sale, Cheshire
I've cut the end off it twice, but it's still too short