The Gearhead Thread

[joegoat]

If you don't know, I'm a Gravely nut. This is a project in work still, but looking like something.
Gravely made cutaways to display at their dealerships. They show the interworkings of the engine and transmission. Factory made units are cherished by collectors and rarely come up for sale so I went to my spare parts rack and got out the angle grinder. Still working on my wife to secure a place if honor in the house once this baby is done.

[joegoat]

A 1949 Gravely Model L restoration in work.

[sweetandsour]

I replaced the interior door handle cable this morning on my 2011 GMS Sierra. This afternoon neither the interior nor exterior handle will open the door. I think the truck thinks that the door is unlocked when it's not. But I don't know what to do about it yet. The door is closed, so I can't get to the latch. Any ideas? I've already been googling.

[joegoat]

I replaced the interior door handle cable this morning on my 2011 GMS Sierra. This afternoon neither the interior nor exterior handle will open the door. I think the truck thinks that the door is unlocked when it's not. But I don't know what to do about it yet. The door is closed, so I can't get to the latch. Any ideas? I've already been googling.

Did something in the mechanism get out of sync?

[FredS]

If you think the door is not unlocking, try to take the plastic lock handle off and pull the lock rod up with pliers. The lock handle doesn't screw on so you can't bugger the threads by doing this.

[JudgeRusty]

I hope some of you can help.

Last fall I bought a barn find MF no. 32 sickle mower.

It is designed for hay mowing, but I want to use it for ditches and pond bank.

Almost everything is in working order.

Soon after starting mowing, the knife comes loose from at the knife head attachment ball joint.
Initially I thought the knife might be seizing causing the jaws of the joint to release. So I spent all of today removing the knife, removing the dirt and surface rust from the knife and from the knife track.
After new grease and assembly, I had the same results.
Not a wasted day though, I learned that was not the correct repair solution.

Please advise.

[sweetandsour]

If you think the door is not unlocking, try to take the plastic lock handle off and pull the lock rod up with pliers. The lock handle doesn't screw on so you can't bugger the threads by doing this.

The lock rod works both manually and electronically, and I can see the outer lever move, by looking down inside the door with a light. I can see the rod move when the outer door handle is pulled. And I can hear the cable pull when the inside door handle is pulled. May be the actuator, but anyway I can't work on it with the door closed. Not much help on Google, none in fact. I'll give a locksmith a try this Monday I guess, if I don't find a way tmrw.

[joegoat]

I hope some of you can help.

Last fall I bought a barn find MF no. 32 sickle mower.

It is designed for hay mowing, but I want to use it for ditches and pond bank.

Almost everything is in working order.

Soon after starting mowing, the knife comes loose from at the knife head attachment ball joint.
Initially I thought the knife might be seizing causing the jaws of the joint to release. So I spent all of today removing the knife, removing the dirt and surface rust from the knife and from the knife track.
After new grease and assembly, I had the same results.
Not a wasted day though, I learned that was not the correct repair solution.

Please advise.

Could you add a picture of what is coming apart?

[JudgeRusty]

I hope some of you can help.

Last fall I bought a barn find MF no. 32 sickle mower.

It is designed for hay mowing, but I want to use it for ditches and pond bank.

Almost everything is in working order.

Soon after starting mowing, the knife comes loose from at the knife head attachment ball joint.
Initially I thought the knife might be seizing causing the jaws of the joint to release. So I spent all of today removing the knife, removing the dirt and surface rust from the knife and from the knife track.
After new grease and assembly, I had the same results.
Not a wasted day though, I learned that was not the correct repair solution.

Please advise.

Could you add a picture of what is coming apart?

General overview pic of mower:

20220424_144746~3.jpg (3.89 MiB) Viewed 593961 times

Ball joint on knife in foreground. Attachment clamp not engaged in background:

20220424_144552~2.jpg (1.7 MiB) Viewed 593961 times

Clamp engaged- reverse view-note T bar toward knife engages clamp.

20220424_144731~2.jpg (997.37 KiB) Viewed 593961 times

[sweetandsour]

I hope some of you can help.

Last fall I bought a barn find MF no. 32 sickle mower.

It is designed for hay mowing, but I want to use it for ditches and pond bank.

Almost everything is in working order.

Soon after starting mowing, the knife comes loose from at the knife head attachment ball joint.
Initially I thought the knife might be seizing causing the jaws of the joint to release. So I spent all of today removing the knife, removing the dirt and surface rust from the knife and from the knife track.
After new grease and assembly, I had the same results.
Not a wasted day though, I learned that was not the correct repair solution.

Please advise.

Could you add a picture of what is coming apart?

General overview pic of mower:
20220424_144746~3.jpg
Ball joint on knife in foreground. Attachment clamp not engaged in background:
20220424_144552~2.jpg
Clamp engaged- reverse view-note T bar toward knife engages clamp.
20220424_144731~2.jpg

I can't tell exactly what I'm looking at, but perhaps the ball joint just needs replacing, and/or something is bent. I operated one of those one summer many years ago, and mower teeth kept sheering. They had to be replaced individually, and were secured with rivet-like pins, which were removed with hammer and chisel, and new teeth secured with a new rivet that was installed with a maul with steel back-up. Lots of fun in the summer sun in a hay field in Louisiana. Good times, really. Good memories.