MTD Mower: Can't remove rear wheel axel bolts

[Thomas G. Marshall]

I'm not sure I get what the heck is going on here.

The rear wheels of my walk-behind MTD mower turn on bolts with a 3/4" cap. The (plastic rim) wheels have become loose, but I cannot tighten nor losen that bolt. I can see it spinning in the plate as if the threads were stripped. Neither clockwise nor counter-clockwise do anything.

Both rear wheel bolts behave this way. But the end of the bolt looks like it was flared out a tiny amount so that it is perhaps some kind of press-fit ??? My local repair place says that this is very unlikely, but the mower is not worth bringing it to a repair shop.

Ideas?

[dpb]

What is "it" and what is "the plate"? Normally those wheels would be mounted on a shoulder bolt. I suppose w/ something cheap they may have made simply a peened end to hold them, don't know, don't have one to look at...

--

[Thomas G. Marshall]

The "it" is the bolt. The "plate" is the plate of metal that the bolt is (what I thought) screwed into. It may be peened over at the end to hold it in place, but the repair guy swears no. I cannot get a better look at it, and there are no service manuals that explain how to pull that thing (bolt) out.

[justmanuals]

What is the make and model of the mower? I may have a manual for it on my site at

[e-mail]

[Srgnt Billko]

Take the whole "plate" assembly off the mower deck.

[Art]

I wouldn't spend a lot of time on it. It is likely that the deck is near rusted through where the wheels attach anyway. It may be time to consider your replacement options.

It is a shoulder bolt. The threaded ends get caked with grass and fertilizer and rust or corrode such that the nut will strip the threads before passing over that part of the threads. It's a cheap mower and they use cheap (soft) bolts and steel nuts that rust. You will need to locate the 2 bolts that hold the adjuster plate to the deck, clean them well before attempting to remove the nuts. If you can get the adjuster and wheel assembly off, you can hacksaw or grind the nut off the end of the wheel bolt. Your "repair guy" really should know this. Next time you need to remove a wheel bolt you should hit the end with a wire brush first and maybe a shot of wd-40 or any penetrating oil.

Forget a service manual. If MTD even makes one, which I doubt, it is not going to cover this situation. Or even how to remove the wheel when the bolt isn't stripped. The only service manual for that machine would be published by the engine mfg and cover only the engine.

[Srgnt Billko]

[mm]

I have a mower with one loose wheel for the last two years, but it doesnt cause any problem. Can you just wait until the wheel falls off, if it ever does? Then you will only have to put it back one, instead of also having to remove it.

My mower is about 25 years old, but except for this wheel, was in like-new condition when I found it next to a dumpster. At an apartment house for some reason. Maybe they moved from a house and took it with them, but couldn't sell it?

[Andy Asberry]

Under what category would one find lawn mowers?

--Andy Asberry--

------Texas-----

[Thomas G. Marshall]

Except that it looks like the end of the bolt just barely passes through the "plate" I'm talking about. Perhaps peened over like someone elsewhere in this thread suggested?

At this point I am more irked by it than in need of a repair. As an engineer I do not like mysteries that should be very simple problems. And I

*loathe* lack of documentation.

...[rip]...