Scag Turf Tiger

[KE4AVB]

Boy I am going to hate the repair of this mower. Muffler has a hole that repairable. The problem is in order to get it off for the welding will take at least half a day to remove it and to reinstall it. Two mounting screws are less a quarter inch from the rear panel. Since this is the problem I must remove the engine and components just get these two screws out. Growling right now....As bad the JD Z925A that the PTO anti rotation mount is wore complete off requiring complete removal too just I can weld a heavy washer in place or it is a $1000 engine mount section of the frame.

Just hope my Afib don't show it butt again. Don't want to spend more time in the horsepital. Earlier I had to have electric reset of my heart and 40 lbs of water drain off. Not fun not breathing easily and heart racing at 200 bpm.

[KE4AVB]

Phase one done. Got the engine pulled after tracing an oil leak. Now raining so the deck grinding and welding is on hold. I need to order an ignition coil anyway for the same engine.

Here is the main problem area I had to get to. It is the PTO anti rotation rod mounting hole. It support to be a long slot hole but now looks like a "J" hole. It no longer hold the rod tip in place. After cleaning off all the built up dirt oil, I going grind the lip down and weld in place a 1/4" thick PTO retaining washer.

[bgsengine]

Yup That's why I'm glad to be out of the business. these machines just get to be more hassle than they are worth, and I can make more money putting it into high dividend yield stocks (18%/Yr at the moment) than I ever made investing the money into my business!

[KE4AVB]

I kinda got off track here. The Scag turned out to be fair easy to do other than getting that pinky size hole welded up and apparantly was the wrong one for the engine as I had to spread the manifold pipe out nearing a half inch. Strange it came off the same engine though it was a little tight coming off.

The one with the engine deck problem is a JD Z925A mower. Oh I will make good on this one as that engine deck is only a $1000 to replace so a couple hours of welding labor is dirt cheap for the customer.

Sorry for the hair brain post previously.

[hanz63]

Sounds like you're having fun! Do you double your rate per hour for welding?

[KE4AVB]

Sounds like you're having fun! Do you double your rate per hour for welding?

Not quite. I do charge more as it is more involved; currently I charge $95 per hour for welding and $65 per hour for regular labor. Got to cover welding supply materials used; not any additional metal, that is a separate charge. Of course sales taxes have to be added in my state.

That Scag took three hours to do so I charge one hr welding (took close to that fight the muffler rust out) and a couple standard labor hrs. Still ended up less than the new muffler alone and it would still had been 2 hrs labor to remove and install the new one.

Now that JD is going to be a pain as it got to be done while it is on jack stands. Probably will take a least two hours between grinding, welding, and some painting. Already spend 2 hrs getting everything off.