I'm cheap, need a redneck fix

Geo-TH,In · May 3, 2017

I have a very old mower I use to mow in gravel pit. I don't use a good mower, too likely to hit a rock, damage good mower. The mower deck brake assembly needs a brake shoe. What's safe to use? I don't want the blades spinning when I start the engine. I experimented with a rubber gourmet. It keeps blades from turning when I start it, however if I try stopping the spinning blades, the rubber grommets gets very hot, burning rubber smell.

What's your cheap redneck ideal?
geo
brake assembly

Janicholson · May 3, 2017

A rubber gourmet will smoke but only outside the fancy restaurant. A piece of worn disk brake pad cut to size will do it. Jim

Ken Macfarlane · May 3, 2017

If you don't mind replacing it wood works in a pinch. It can set dry grass clippings laying on the deck on fire though!

Mike(NEOhio) · May 3, 2017

A piece of brake lining and a little epoxy. Mine needs the same part.

Geo-TH,In · May 3, 2017

I have used front brake pads, but was worried about it being safe to cut, asbestos.

Geo-TH,In · May 3, 2017

I though about using oak, until I found some used rubber grommets that I could bolt on after drilling out the old rivets.

Indiana Ken · May 3, 2017

A red neck fix would have to be leather from a pig's nose. Ain't not'in tougher than....eh.

Good Luck and write back when you get-er fixed up.

See ya around Geo- :lol:

Adirondack case guy · May 3, 2017

Geeze George, You found a shinny new replacement delivered to your mailbox for 14 bucks. How much time have you spent experimenting with gourmets and such that didn't work??? Might as well just let the blade spin if you don't want to spend $14 to fix it.
Loren

Geo-TH,In · May 3, 2017

Loren,
I'm cheap. It's raining, nothing I can do outside. Only took a few minutes to bolt the grommets on. $14 times two, one for each blade, $28.

It's not that I can't afford $28, it's the challenge to fix something using spare FREE PARTS.

I've seen you fabricate many things. They look nice too. I bought a dump trailer instead of making one. Bet you spend more time making yours than I spent buying mine.

When you are retired, sometimes it the challenge that counts.
geo

Adirondack case guy · May 3, 2017

Hey George, Just cut a couple of inches off your belt around your waste, and bolt that on, unless you are like me and had to put a new hole in the very end of it like me. Wink
Loren

onefarmer · May 3, 2017

Do you have a used brake pad laying around? Cut to size and bolt on. It is a brake right.

If you really want to Magiver the thing.

jeffcat · May 3, 2017

Modern brake pads donot have any nasty anymore. If you have an old disk brake pad around you have your part. Walnut wood block or apple, any hard wood was used on wagon wheels as brakes. Rawhide too. When I am ready to stop mowing I idle down the engine and slowly pull forward into some thick grass as I slowly let the leaver move forwards. Very little wear on the pads that way. Those brakes are for the idiots so they wount miss any toes.

Geo-TH,In · May 3, 2017

I do have pads. Will try it. Thanks

Geo-TH,In · May 3, 2017

No belt, bibs.

db4600 · May 3, 2017

A piece of tire, baler twine, an old leather belt, duct tape?..... You did say red neck.

JF in MI · May 3, 2017

As pathetic as your statement sounds I'm almost ashamed to say that I agree with it 100%. When I repair something using junk I get this stupid feeling something like an "I beat the system!!!" thing. Feels better than a couple of wolfed down cocktails...which is probably what I would do with the money I saved anyway.

Adirondack case guy · May 3, 2017

George, since you don't have a belt, then cut the tongue out of one of your old work boots that you have saved. They will still work for flower pots without their tongues.
Loren

Geo-TH,In · May 3, 2017

Loren,
good idea, could use the heal. Sounds like you know how to redneck fix things too. LOL

All I have invested in this mower is my time, a battery and deck belt. It's a mutt mower, parts from all over.
geo

Adirondack case guy · May 3, 2017

George, like it or not, you and I are two peas out of the same pod, both from up by the stem, and then there is Larry, he is a little closer to the blossom end of the pod. HeHe.
Loren

bill b va · May 3, 2017

you must also be too cheap to buy a paper dust mask

gab · May 3, 2017

On two of my Wheel Horses I used a old car disc brake pad, hacksawed the size pieces I needed, cut them of the metal plate of pad. drilled 2 holes through the new pad and the tractor metal backing pad for some tooth and slathered a little JB weld on and clamped it. I know I did that to the one tractor 16 years ago and it's still there working. You ain't the first redneck cheapskate.

Geo-TH,In · May 4, 2017

Without the brake, when I start the motor, the deck spins and puts a load on the starter.

The deck belt is 5/8 x 74. So I bought a 5/8x75. Still didn't help.

After attaching rubber grommets made it easy on starter.

I was thinking of using an old brake pad, but was worried about asbestos. It should be easy to attach a pad.
Thanks to all.
geo

JMOR · May 4, 2017

What's a little asbestos to an old guy? We ain't gonna live forever anyway. Probably wouldn't make any difference what so ever.

Mike M · May 4, 2017

Many of the new models do not even have a throttle ! They are fixed speed.

Bret4207 · May 4, 2017

(quoted from post at 16:47:37 05/03/17) I have used front brake pads, but was worried about it being safe to cut, asbestos.

There's no asbestos in modern brake pads. McMaster-Carr sells brake lining in various widths, thickness and type by the foot.

Geo-TH,In · May 4, 2017

Thanks I Alls

dr sportster · May 4, 2017

You better research that claim about asbestos in modern brake pads.

kcm.MN · May 4, 2017

(quoted from post at 08:17:51 05/04/17) You better research that claim about asbestos in modern brake pads.

You're right DR. I knew it was still used a few years back, but had to look it up and, sure enough it's still used. Actually, asbestos is used in quite a lot of processes these days - more than I ever would have guessed!

dr sportster · May 4, 2017

It seems the asbestos industry has lobbied to get it put back into products . Tons of asbestos imported into the US annually.

wilson ind · May 4, 2017

I can get mower replacement parts very reasonable. Call

K Effective · May 4, 2017

If you have the JB weld, how about just a glob of that on the backer plate you already have? especially if it is the ground-up metal type epoxy stuff.

Geo-TH,In · May 4, 2017

Brett,
I googled asbestos in pads. Asbestos was
removed from pads in 2012. These pads
came off car I purchased in 2005.

Do you think at my age, 68, I'll get
lung cancer before I die from old age?

I may have a better chance of getting
shot by an angry husband before dying
from lung cancer.
geo

I'm cheap, need a redneck fix

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