Robert thanks for sharing your knowledge and taking the time and effort to demonstrate, video and explain how the pinion gear mechanism works and what is required to repair the wheel. Excellent camera work and clear concise explanations. When I can get the required parts I will attempt to undertake this project, because the right side wheel on my sweeper jambs up and then skids the wheel always then releases for a few rotations and jambs up again, hoping replacing the gear will solve my problem. Thanks again David
Robert: Thank you very much for this video. I'm having the same issue with my sweeper and I thought that maybe the teeth were worn on the one wheel. I'm quite certain that it's the pinion gear and pin. thanks again. The video was easy to follow and straight to the point. Cheers
@@roberta.edinger9405 6/6/21, Heeeello! Gonna make my leaf clean-up much easier/faster this year. I'll purchase either AGRI-FAB or OHIO STEEL to hitch up to my brand new Gravely ztx42. This seems much easier/cheaper than a cumbersome bagger installation; only I wish they'd come w/a little better quality wheels; checking out J/D, I think the wheels are a little bigger/sturdier (pneumatic?).
Both wheels need to drive the brushes. If one wheel is turning and one is skidding, the turning wheel needs work. The most common problem I have found causing the wheels to not drive the brushes because the pin(s) will not float freely inside the pinion gear(s) on the brush drive shaft, mostly because of grease gumming them up. The pins are designed to float inside the gear so they center when backing up, and to fall by gravity into the drive cogs when going forward. Those pins act like a clutch. Grease and debris make those pins get stuck in the center where they won't move to engage the gear to drive the brushes. A little shot of brake cleaner or WD40 will fix most brush drive problems unless something is actually broken. Two minutes and everything is good again.
Great video! Does this kind of sweeper work for twigs and small sticks--small finger thickness? I have a big sycamore tree that drops those things constantly.
My problem is slightly different. My Agri-Fab wheels won't spin if it's on grass but are fine if it's on pavement. So, it's acting as if the brushes are positioned too low. If I raise the height so the wheels spin then the brushes are off the ground. I'm wondering if replacing the gear would work?
I just figured with everything being made out of plastic that everything inside there would be plastic or was just a straight axle hooked into the wheels. I leave mine parked outside, I'm gonna have to check it out and make sure it doesn't need grease in it. 🤷🤦 Haven't had any trouble but preventive maintenance. I think that's a little nicer than the one I've got. I think if it goes backwards the blade goes backwards. Not sure but thanks for the video anyway was looking to replace the blades. Your title looked like a blade problem. I figured you bought new blades and they were too soft to sweep properly or something.
Robert, great helpful video! Question please. The place where each end of the sweeper arm attaches to the body....is there a bearing in there that should be greased? It looks like it. Thanks! Just subbed. Excellent editing & articulate narrative!
Great video! Unfortunately I have a different problem I’m dealing with! I figure I would ask since yours is similar! My problem is with the height adjuster between the back of the tractor and the front of the sweeper! It keeps falling down such that the brushes are too high and they don’t pick up grass! Any ideas for what I could do to stop it from slipping? Thanks so much!
I rebuilt a model close to one of these. Wheel turns fine one concrete but will not turn in the grass at all. It just slides . Any ideas as to what the issue is?
I've stripped the plastic gears twice, working now to replace the plastic with metal gears. Its a terrible design plastic vs. metal. Unfortunately agrifab disagrees and won't warranty their own products, so its either $100/yr for new plastic wheels or make my own steel gears.
Have you looked into the pinion gear and pin? I'm finding that the wheel will lock up (and drag), which was absolutely the root cause of the plastic gear wheel stripping
@@chrisE815 I just got one of these and mine arrived with the brushes turning both forward and backwards. Taking it apart I found the gears and wheel teeth with no lubrication at all. Same for ratchet gear. Lubed them up and it works OK now. I see a big design flaw in these; the brush axle is a locked axle, meaning both wheels turn the same , unless in a turn. In a turn one side will have to slip/slide. I expect this is where the gears in the wheel get damaged.
My thought too. Grease in an environment with a lot of dirty, dusty particles floating about is a recipe for an effective abrasive grinding compound to promote rapid wear..
My agrifab did the same. Took it apart and the wheel itself was stripped out. Replaced the wheel and it sort of works but now it tries to drag the wheel. They spin fairly easily by hand but not behind the tractor. I’m a little stumped.
@@sidneybarber1261 I added a second adjustment to the opposite side and have found it’s just essential to have brushes adjusted to the right height. Too close to the grass and the wheels drag. Too far up and they don’t sweep. Mowing before sweeping helps too. They don’t like tall grass. All in all I think these cheaper entry level sweepers just rely too much on friction to be such a lightweight construction.
