Hi all,
despite having posted previously it was so long ago that I feel like a first time poster....
My problem is removing a rear wheel from an Evolution Fastcut 34 (with 13hp Honda motor). As I was undertaking other, unrelated work on the unit I noticed the rear wheel (diff lock side) was loose. Closer inspection showed elongated holes in what I'd call the wheel rim (but what I believe is called the wheel hub in parts lists) as a result of the loose wheel. In attempting to remove the wheel I found one wheel stud was turning with the nut. Investigations showed the 'stud' was not a stud, but a bolt that was fastened to the inside of the axle flange by way of a weld. This was the case with the other 2 'studs' as well, however they were still fastened enough to hold from rotating while removing the wheel nuts. Subsequently, it was found that the 2 'studs' fell away from the welds and so now they aren't viable for wheel reinstall.
So, problem 1 is how to remove the wheel and tyre. I'm at the point of taking an angle grinder to the nut and stud given that the wheel is cactus, and the stud likewise. Prior to coming to this conclusion, I spent an hour trying to get something onto the head of the bolt (what I call the 'stud'), but to no avail- almost no room between the wheel and large sprocket (driven sprocket?) and a deep rim/hub in combination with remnant blobs of weld making a spanner virtually useless. I imagine this approach will see me able to remove the wheel and tyre, but......
I have had a few Greenfield ride-ons, and there are a couple of broken units sitting around ready to donate parts. I found a good wheel on a Evolution mk2 34 inch (badged as a 16-34, but I got it 2nd hand with a 17hp Briggs motor), removed it (noting a different nut size than that on the problem unit) and looked at the axle flange with the thought that I could possibly do a transplant of wheel and axle flange, instead of needing to get new studs and having them welded onto the flange with the real risk of having the same failure in the future. The donor unit has a bolt that appears to secure the flange to the axle, however close inspection of the unit to be repaired didn't reveal the same securing bolt. Further, the donor unit definitely doesn't have bolts welded to flange- more like the studs I'd expect to see (like studs I've seen holding heads in place in car engines), although in scouring the forum I've noted that a post of years and years ago suggests that a broken stud needs just to be punched out of the flange, so I'm not sure what stops it spinning)
So,
Question 1- Can anyone tell me whether the welded bolts are evidence of an earlier, non standard repair, or were they one method used by Greenfield?
Question 2- Are the flanges in each case removable and interchangeable despite the seeming different fastening set up?
The easy repair would seemingly be to remove wheel and tyre and have 3 new bolts welded into place, however the mower is in an unpowered shed at the bottom of a difficult to access slope- and not being a welder means I'd need to engage someone to do it, along with the power issue. Hence I thought that if I could exchange the flanges....... To compound matters, moving the mower, even towing it, would need to be done with only one rear wheel fitted. And to compound matters further, the grass is growing well in the Illawarra despite mild summer temperatures and I need to get mowing before it becomes too much of a trauma.
I realise how important photos are, but in this instance and at this stage of repair, it's difficult to get a photo that sheds any light on the subject. If this thread goes any further, I will make every effort to post relevant photos. I promise.
Thanks for reading this far.
