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Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 7:56 pm
by Whiskerfish
Did not know you could still get oxide primer. Looking good!!
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 8:04 pm
by Sidecar Bob
This was some old stuff I happened to already have but lots of places still make oxide primer.
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 12:51 pm
by ericheath
I’m for the seat, a cowl, some mini handlebars and a troll doll to sit there. Kids would love it.
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 10:52 am
by Sidecar Bob
Yeah, but do I really want to attract kids to a mower?
We've been busy shopping for a car a lot of this week so progress on the mower has slowed, not a huge deal since I'm also waiting for the red paint to dry. I figured it would take longer to mask it and clean up the gun than it would to just brush it on (not to mention that you get a thicker coat with a brush) but as I was brushing the red on I was thinking I probably should have sprayed for faster curing or at least decanted some and added Japan dryer. It rained the evening after I painted it and was really damp for over a day so the paint was still tacky 2 days later. But it has started hardening nicely now so I can work on other things around it.
I did scrub the oxidation off of the plastic parts (green pad & mineral spirits) and waxed them so they are no longer Barbie pink and sanded the remaining paint (maybe powder coat?) and the rust off of the steel parts of the motors and sprayed them with a rattle can.
BTW: This is the one that still has the manual lock. Lee originally had both manual and electric locks on both motors but the electric ones kept kicking in & out at slow speeds and it only needs one to keep it from rolling when parked.
- 14 Motor painted.JPG (155.33 KiB) Viewed 803 times
I have the box for the electronics but I need to consult Lee about some of the wiring before I start cutting the piece they will mount on (hopefully today).
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 12:35 pm
by Sidecar Bob
On to the controls. Lee had them temporarily fastened a stick with electric tape to hold the receivers up above the mower and this is what they looked like after I cleaned the goo from the tape off. The large object on the right is the "Sabertooth 2x25", a dual motor driver designed for controlling wheel/motor assemblies in high powered robotics. The smaller object on the left is the 6 channel R/C receiver and the secondary receiver (helps insure that it doesn't loose the signal) is hanging over the edge of the table.
- 15 Electronics (as used by Lee).jpg (203 KiB) Viewed 786 times
I wanted something more permanent so I cut a support for the electronics from an old truck mudflap to (firm enough not to flop around but enough give not to hang up if it goes under a low branch) and made up longer wires to run through some heat shrink between the receiver (attached with 2 sided tape) and the controller (bolted on). I also mounted the main switch, circuit breaker and voltmeter in the box Lee printed and made up the power wires.
- 16 Electronics (new mount & wiring).jpg (189.93 KiB) Viewed 786 times
After that I bolted the front wheels & their frame on and noticed that the bolts he had used to attach the black plates to the frame were too short (only a couple of threads into the nuts); I had to get some small bolts for attaching the boxes to the support anyway so I picked up some 5/16 x 2.5" ones for the plates while I was there.
I bolted the wheel/motor assemblies on and started mounting the electronics, shown here with the wires from the motors shortened and connected. I fastened the secondary receiver into the small plastic box at right angles to the main receiver and bolted the box to the support.
- 17 Mounting electronics.jpg (155.28 KiB) Viewed 786 times
After the wiring was done and the box that covers the controller bolted on I shortened the mower's throttle cable and mounted it's control, put the gas tank/shroud and pull start back onto the top of the motor, re-installed the wheelie bar, lowered it to the ground and put the batteries in so we could test it (initially with a block under the rear to lift the wheels off of the ground).
But by then it was too dark out for pics so they will have to wait for next time....
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 1:01 pm
by Whiskerfish
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 1:41 pm
by sparkyrasmus
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2020 1:00 pm
by Sidecar Bob
- 18 Completed - for now.jpg (257.24 KiB) Viewed 760 times
The gas mower has a couple of problems:
It is surging. I had the carb off and sprayed cleaner through it even though it looked pretty clean inside and that seemed to help so today's job is going to be learning about adjusting the carbs and possibly the governor on Honda GCV160 engines. Worst case replacement carbs are under $15 on Amazon.
The fuel tank (which is integral with the fan cover) looked OK when I cleaned it up but the morning after I filled it the top was cracked and the next day one of the cracks was about 6" long. I found several places online that have new ones for about $100 US + shipping but that isn't going to happen when I found another place selling complete new GCV160 engines for $249 US and Princess Auto has an engine I think will fir for $199 CAD.
I put the plastic welding tip in the big soldering gun and patched it for now using material from the edge I trimmed off when I thought I needed more room for the batteries
- 19 Welded tank.JPG (132.72 KiB) Viewed 760 times
It has had gas in it for a couple of days and hasn't cracked more but I don't trust it long term so I've ordered one of these (approx. 4"x6"x3" high) and in the spring I'll cut off the original tank and mount the new one, probably to the blue frame near the front of the engine.
- 20 - New tank ordered.jpg (42.06 KiB) Viewed 760 times
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/261265702768
I have cut the grass with it and it worked pretty well, even with the surging. But I have to learn how to drive it in a straight line before I attempt video. The hard part is that you get used to steering it when it is going away from you and then when you turn it around to come back the steering is opposite (or at least seems that way because its left is now on your right). I'm getting a bit better so I just need more practice...
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:53 am
by Whiskerfish
Yea RC aircraft have the same learning curve!!
On those Honda Engines the ones I have played with the spring between the throttle butterfly and the governor gets weak and can cause surging. Something to look at.
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:08 am
by 77Gowing
on an old Briggs & Stratton engine I had a similar issue. The speed governor had a spring attached to a small wing or wind vane. Taking a closer look I discovered dried on dirt/mud, which of course changed the weight statically and inertia dynamically. I took the wind vane of, washed all the gunck off of it and viola, it fixed the lagging govenor.
Neat project Bob, good backyard engineering.
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:36 am
by Sidecar Bob
This one isn't that muddy yet but after messing with it for a while yesterday I am sure the problem is related to one of the springs related to the governor & throttle. The fine one that the linkage passes through (Briggs engines have something similar) is missing one of the ends/hooks so is doing nothing and the heavier one looks like it has been stretched.
What is truly annoying is that I can find whole carbs for under $12 CAD (about 9 US) on eBay but all of the springs I can find online are asking more than that just for shipping.
But that only encourages me to call the local mower places and see if one of them can get what I need, which is probably what I should have done in the first place.
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:19 pm
by 77Gowing
Our trials and tribulations teach us all our lives. I bet your conclusion that a local shop has what you need either new or used is spot on. Excellent idea Bob and I'd lay good odds that you're correct.
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 8:49 pm
by Whiskerfish
Can easy spend 20 in gas driving around looking for the right spring for a $12 Carb! Frustrating but we are being funneled into a disposable world.
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:56 pm
by Sidecar Bob
If the carbs came with the springs I would have ordered one but they don't.
We spent today picking up Kay's "new" car (2012 Sorento, interior immaculate, pretty clean underneath, body just scruffy enough to justify having it painted something other than white)(why are most of the cars these days black, white or gray?), then driving to her mechanic to let him know what we got and dinner out. I'll call around tomorrow.
Re: Refurbing an R/C mower
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 1:42 am
by 77Gowing
Whiskerfish wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 8:49 pm
Can easy spend 20 in gas driving around looking for the right spring for a $12 Carb! Frustrating but we are being funneled into a disposable world.
True, but some of us are caigey.
When I got my first home at 21, I was poor. My dad taught me how to fix cars, lawn mowers, washing machines, gas dryers and dishwashers. He was poor too, born in the depression of sharecroppers.
So, when I had problems with my appliances, I would go out on trash nights, looking for free parts. People who do not know how to fix anything are in abundance. Thus, I always found the parts I needed for free. This is why I used to keep rudimentary tools with me at all times. Partly because for years I drove broken down rusty junk to work and school. When you have a roadside emergency every couple of weeks ya got to be prepared. So, since I was about town driving junk, if I saw an appliance that was the same brand I had at my home, Id pull over and strip it for all the prime good parts it had. I did this while slowly working my way up from the bottom of the heap until I finally completed Engineering studies. Believe me, the roadside emergency repairs and the part stripping was way more practical than just plain old dry engineering theory. And, the hands on experience kept me head of my class and fellow wanna bees at work.
I used to have ten servicable B&S lawnmower engines in my 10x12' wooden yard barn. We have only bought two lawnmowers in our lives my wife & I. My spouse bought me one for our 25th aniversary (I really did not want it, but was her gift to me). After that I knew fairly well how to keep a brand new expensive mower working, so I donated all my stock of good mower engines to a friend who had a friend who did likewise. Our second mower was a gift to myself for retiring, a husqavarna chassis with a top end honda engine, its great.
Too bad Ya dont see many old motorcycles thown out on trash night.
Throw away culture is good for a garbage picking vulture like me.