Scag Mower Revamp - joshuarothfuss/projects GitHub Wiki
I am was always on the look out new equipment to add to the Lawn Care Business. My philosophy was buy when the price is right, not when you are in urgent need. I already had a 36in mower, but it was a manual belt drive. This was a hyrdolic based drive system. I got this kind-of running mower for $275.
Tools/Skill Used
- Bottom Taps
- Impact Wrench
- Welder
- Oxy-acetylene torch
- Angle Grinder
- Metric Tap and Die
- Multimeter
- Tire Patching Kit
- Standard Wrenches/Sockets
- Basic Hand tools
Work Needed
This was a very beat-up mower, the only good items were the hydraulic components and the frame. This is a summary of the work needed.
- Pressure wash
- Patch and Inflate 3 of 4 tires
- Paint all moving parts
- Engine overhaul or Replacement
- Align brake drums with the pads
- New Right Break Pad
- Make new parking brake control rods
- Rewire safeties
- Make a new wiring harness
- Add electric start
- Straighten all control rods
- Make the controls match in position and sensitivity
- Check all fluids
- Check and straighten spindles
- Sharpen Blades
Revamp
I started with the Engine. It was a vertical-shaft Kawasaki V2. It is a great engine, but the parts were no longer made, and this engine had been run without an air filter for years. I decided to entirely remove it and buy a new Kohler engine from a surplus store. Kawasaki is my preferred brand, but money forced my hand in this case. See Picture below. The mount holes on the new engine didn't come tapped, so a bottom tap was used to thread holes. The bolt-pattern was captured using the "sharpie and cardboard" method. After installing the new engine, a wiring harness was made. The new engine was electric start only (the previous was pull-start only) so I had to make a solution. A battery box was made from angle iron, starter relay for a jeep was used, and 6-gauge wire was run between all the components. With the large electric done, the control wires were planned out. The Starter solenoid, fuel relay, kill switch, and safeties all needed to be connected. The harness was made and placed inside of corrugated tubes. A new brake pad was researched and ordered. The brakes and drums were then aligned. All tires were inflated and patched/plugged as necessary. The control linkages and parking brake rod were all bent and the threaded portions beat up to the point that adjustment wasn't really an option. I used new 3/8in steel rod and 3/8 all-thread that was welded together, and headed with a torch to add the proper bends. These rods and all other control components were then painted black. The deck spindles were inspected, lubed, and reinstalled. Blades were sharpened, and then fluids checked.
Results
In the end, I had a very solid mower. The paint on the body isn't great, but everything mechanical is sound. I have used it some, but it is still missing a muffler, I am in the process on welding one currently.
The near finished mower is pictured (middle)