This poor 22 y/o mower started this season with just one pull and nothing else is wrong with it! Definitely worth fixing! After all we are talking atleast $399.00 at Lowe’s to replace this mower I paid $169.95 for! Wow that is steep! Craftsman CMXGMAM201101 21 in. 150 cc Gas Lawn Mower - Ace Hardware In the early 2000s the Craftsman, Hasqvarna and MTA gas rotary push mowers had large back wheels with a wheel height adjuster bracket bolted to the side of the lawn mower with a shoulder bolt part # 532 160828 for model 917.387500 lawn mower. Then the wheel is bolted to this adjuster bracket. Then I found out this bolt was discontinued by the manufacturer. !!! The bolt in question is 5/16-18 course thread that measures 1-1/4” long with the length of the shoulder section only 1/4” long and a diameter of 1/2”. I did order a bolt on the Internet which looks like the right bolt but unfortunately even though it was 5/16-18 course thread the shoulder section is 5/8” long with a diameter of 1/2” and the total lengt is 1-1/2” :-( close. I also tried hardware stores and a fastener store that carries shoulder bolts but not one this size. :-( https://www.ereplacementparts.com/shoulder-bolt-51618-p-659148.html Then I had an idea! Adding 6 washers with 1/2” diameter centers would take up the slack so I could tighten everything in but since the bolt and should had to go in from the outside of the wheel, would it be in the way of the wheel? The answer was yes but only slightly! So I ground down the side of the top washer next to the wheel axle and the point of the bolt facing the wheel. The old vibration nut was stuck solid on the old should bolt and could not be removed. When attempting to tighter this nut the bolt broke. Therefore I just used a regular 5/16-18 course thread SS nut and a C lock washer. Bingo it all works!! See pics Pic 1 - 3 2001 Sears craftsman rotary gas mower Pic 4 Broken Shoulder Bolt Pic 5-6 New shoulder bolt from www.ereplacement parts.com Pic 7-8 Owner’s manual shoulder bolt number 44 on diagram and parts list. Pic 9-10 Grinding washer and new shoulder bolt. Washers with smaller outer diameter may be a better choice if they have a 1/2” inner diameter. I just had these lying around. Pic 11-13 Wheel is fixed!! Pic 14 - Shoulder bolt I made work!
Would it be worth it to spot weld the washers? I just fired this up for the first time in a few years. Started right up with e-free…. It’s gotta be worth more than a black walnut log as it it an antique!!
Good Idea to spot weld the washers. It seems good so I will try it. Thanks for your comments. Your mower looks great! I sure like to see all metal mowers that last rather than the new ones with lots of plastic!!! Just a little spray paint and it will look new!!
Thanks. Yeah. I don’t think I’m going to fix it up. Never know when a shiny new paint job is gonna attract extra unwanted attention. Neighbors might start to think that I have more $$$ than sense. Heck, I hesitated to even post a pic on here as we know that some here will start telling me that I need to include it in my signature block!! Oh, the burden of having such “toys”!!
