Where did you buy the ring, and what brand was it?

 

Soooooo after making this post, I started searching around to see if I could find where I bought it from because I had no idea, it was over a year ago. And I was able to find it and it's not super great:

One New Replacement Rubber Friction Disk Fits MTD 935-0243B | eBay

Fits MTD Most snow blowers. Fits MTD: 735-0243, 735-0243B, 935-0243B, OEM-735-0243. Mower Parts for Bad Boy, for Briggs & Stratton, for Cub Cadet, for Honda, for Sears, for Snapper & More! Agriculture Parts for John Deere, for Ford/New Holland, for Case, for Massey Ferguson & More!

www.ebay.com

That said, thats a pretty high feedback score if he's selling garbage drive rings.

 

Changing speeds while engaged seems to be the main cause of that.

 

I don't do that though. I only ever use 1st gear anyway and I'm not going from forward to reverse while the drive lever is down.

 

too tight an adjustment on the lever?

 

How do you know how tight or loose to make the lever? How do you gauge that?

 

and in your vid.. around 3min20sec mark.. we get a 'clear'ish view of your alloy friction disc.. it aint pretty then.. this doesnt help either..

 

It had some visual markings on it but it was pretty smooth to the touch . . . before. now its a total mess. If I can figure out how this actually happened, I'll have to take a closer look at the disk and see if I think I can sand it smooth, or if it needs to be replaced.

 

I don't know, but just wanted to add that you should also have lubed the axle before you slid the wheels back on.
Some will not agree but the plate looks toasted to me.

 

It was definitely not toast before this incident - meaning at the end of the ring replacement video. it was super smooth at that point. But NOW, yeah its most likely junk.

 

I'm no friction drive specialist, but... could the ring have been slipping on the wheel causing it to heat up/expand/disintegrate?

That said, I trust very few online reviews these days. Lots of 'em are just paid barkers anymore.

 

This wheel had 6 bolts clamping on the ring, so I don't see how it could possibly slip. Not only that, but if the ring was slipping, wouldn't that cause wear on the inside of the ring, where it contacts the metal wheel, rather than on the outside of the ring where it contacts the friction disk?

 

Some of those rings are made with poor quality rubber and will wear out very quickly.

 

How do you know the good ones vs the bad ones?

 

Check the trueness/rotation of that hex shaft that friction wheel assembly is connected to. Just turn the drive wheels by hand and see if it runs true and not wobbling in an eccentric motion. Have seen those bushings / bearings holding the hex shaft get worn and cause friction drive wheels get eaten / torn up like that. Please post up your findings....

 

Yup I give it a spin in the vide at around 12:30, it looks damn hear perfect. Its the part where I'm greasing the gears, you can see the ring spinning nice and straight.

 

Possible the friction plate axle / shaft is bent or bad bearing causing plate to spin eccentric. Carefully look under the machine with engine running and see how the friction plate is running. Also... bearing assembly that holds the friction wheel could be worn or deflect under drive conditions and cause your problem. Hope we can get you sorted out and get this machine fixed.

 

Its not under engine power, but at 12:30 in the video you can see me spinning the wheels and rotating the whole system, everything looks spot on, nice and straight.

 

Incorrect.... in your video that I just watched... you never spun the friction PLATE.. It turns all the time while engine is running. You can't turn plate by hand easily because it has a spring tensioner on the belt closest to the engine. Possibly it's not running true. Thinking a bit on this problem, how much tension are you applying to the friction wheel plate engagement itself ?? I usually adjust to 1/2 the distance of travel on drive lever bringing friction wheel plate to the wheel making contact, then the rest of travel is movement of the spring. Hopefully I've said it correctly, sometimes it's hard to explain in words when showing what I'm talking about in person. I'd like to get this resolved and get your machine working correctly. Seems like you are mechanically inclined after watching the video. We must be missing something, hard to fix without hands on and see in-person. Where you located??

 

Oh.... just look at your profile.... your only 45 minutes from me. If you don't get it resolved I'm available almost anytime. I'd be glad to go over it with you and get it right. No charge, you are welcome to bring it by my shop.

 

Oh the plate, yeah I think its spinning smoothly, I think I spun it when I was replacing all the belts. As far as the engagement on the lever, I don't really know how to describe how I have it set up. Other than the obvious.... no lever, no go; lever, go. But isn't there a sprint on that cable to essentially make it impossible to over-tighten the engagement lever/cable? Also I am in greater Boston.

 

Sent you a DM.

 

Adding my 2 cents ... he said he only runs it in 1st gear ... having it too close to center will destroy the rubber as well.

To destroy it like that could only be a couple reasons im my opinion ....* operating it too close to center * continually shifting on the fly * too much pressure on the disc to plate (or too little) * bad bearings/carrier causing intensive walk .. * or not the right rubber insert, or installed incorrectly

I suppose it could have been a manufacture defect in the rubber composition ?

Shouldn't there be a drive plate return spring on the other side?

Also, on another note, shouldn't the brake for the auger also have a return spring?

 

I have always used mine in 1st or 2nd (rarely) and only higher if I need to move it a good distance and don't want to take a long time- I'm still using the belt that was on it wehn I bought it used more than 10 years ago. My bad knee prevents me using higher speeds. Until a few years ago, I didn't know critters like to build nests in that area and mine was chock full, but because everything was dry, the disc and ring were extremely clean.

 

As mentioned it could be a lot of things.

At about the 10:42 mark in your video, the hex shaft that the rubber friction disc is installed on seems to have excessive slop, both vertically and horizontally.
It almost seems like the nut on the left side shaft was not fully seated when reassembled.

What condition were the hex shaft bearings?

 

Shaw - you are a great asset to this forum. I see you are often offering repairs to members gratis. You have my vote for MVM.

 

Thanks Rit, appreciate the mention. Life is too short to just get by and worry about yourself. Sad today how people treat each other, but I do my best effort to help others when in need. Believe in good karma, absolutely enjoy showing & teaching others knowledge I may have. I've learned a few things on this board, made several friendships here, and know that I've given help & ideas to members.

 

After all this discussion I see the forces involved that are probably doing the damage. Using the lowest speed has the tire closest to the discs center. As it moves away from center the sideways pull on the tire reduces. That stress exacerbated by the longitudinal free play of the hex shaft may be the culprit. That stress surely heats the rubber making failure more likely. I wonder if any builder of friction drives ever did lab testing to evaluate friction tire temperature relative to running position.