Odd problem and need some mechanics help

[Carolinatlc]

I found a great deal on a mower on facebook marketplace the other day. It had been sitting a few years in a barn and the guy I bought it from took it on trade for some work he did for the original owner. Fortunately the original owner had drained the gas when he parked it. It has just under 500 hours and is a commercial John Deere. I plan to change all the fluids, give it a tune up, sharpen blades and clean it up this weekend. It runs great as is and cuts really nice already.

Only problem I found with it is with the motion control(steering) arms. Currently they overlap a little when brought together. I'm looking for ideas how I can rig this up for now or maybe a specialty wrench that might fit to take the pictured nut off. As you can see the arm bracket hits the bolt to stop it when bringing the arms together. Over time, the threads have worn creating a flat spot allowing more travel. I can't figure out how to remove the nut without taking a large part of the mower apart. It's on a carriage bolt so my thought was to loosen the nut and turn the bolt 1/4 turn and tighten things back up. My current thought is finding something I can just sleave the bolt with in place for now I just can't think of anything that might work. First idea didn't work enough, I just stuck a washer under one of the mounting bolts for the handles to shim it out a little. Handles are still overlapping but not as much.

Any thoughts?

 

[heavydoc]

Cut a piece off heater hose length wise and slip over the bolt. Problem solved and sit back with a cold beer

 

[Scsmith42]

My Scag has a similar system. It has an adjustable heim joint in the linkage that the arms attach to. You simply shorten or lengthen the linkage in order to properly align the steer controls.

 

[Carolinatlc]

Cut a piece off heater hose length wise and slip over the bolt. Problem solved and sit back with a cold beer

I do have some rubber fuel line that I can stick on to try. I'll check it out tomorrow when doing the maintenance. Thanks

 

[Carolinatlc]

My Scag has a similar system. It has an adjustable heim joint in the linkage that the arms attach to. You simply shorten or lengthen the linkage in order to properly align the steer controls.

I'll look around again tomorrow and see if there is a similar adjustment on the Deere. I didn't see anything when looking it over last night but it was outside and kinda dark. Thanks

 

[heavydoc]

I'll look around again tomorrow and see if there is a similar adjustment on the Deere. I didn't see anything when looking it over last night but it was outside and kinda dark. Thanks

I do believe there is, send me the model and SN and I'll look it up

 

[WILDB!LL]

There’s gotta be an adjustment for that or else something is worn badly.

 

[LeeMajors]

Run a bead of weld on the bolt. If that isn't enough. Run another.

 

[Carolinatlc]

I stuck some fuel line over it for now and that is working temporarily. I don't see any adjustments for the motion handles themselves. There are some heim joints but that is for adjusting the hydro pump levers.

I like @LeeMajors idea of running a bead. I might try that after seeing how long the fuel line lasts.

Ultimately, I think it is just a bad design relying on the bolt threads as a stop. Wouldn't be a big deal if I could get to the bolt to rotate it occasionally.

 

[Tucci454]

Think you could make an adjustable stop like this and bolt it to the green part?

 

[mellocollins]

Take handles off and use a tubing bender to bend them out just a little.