hustler axle play

[zoood]

I totally rebuilt my hustler 950 and where the hardened bolts pass through the gear collars, holding them in position on the axles. There's slop or some play. I know this is probably why owners will get spline cut shafts and gears. But since I didnt bother with that upgrade. The play (slap) that Im hearing by turning the axles back and forth. Is that design supposed to have that looseness? Would I be hurting anything by inserting a sleeve, that allows the bolt through it. Thus reducing the play? Making for a tighter fit?

zoood

[hydromike]

You wouldn't be hurting anything by putting a sleeve in there, but if you're able to actually FIT a sleeve in there, that's saying that there's a heck of a lot of room between the sprocket tube and the axle. I went through my 980 before Busco Spring 2010, but didnt' actually replace any of the sprocket tubes or axles. I have quite a bit of play in mine, but for the tire and vehicle speed I operate the machine under, I've not encountered any problems. Granted, this is will probably egg-out either the sprocket tube or the axle over time, but I think I've got a few hundred hours left before anything starts to go south.

Splined axles are really the way to go, but the cost of them gets outrageous (in my opinion) right-quick.

[zoood]

I only noticed the play because I have the hustler up on blocks. I dont beat the machine. Like you, I run easy. I only mentioned the sleeves. I dont think there's any room to do this. Maybe Ill just machine some new shoulder bolts as replacements if I ever need to change the bolts out.

[hydromike]

The 980 the Swamp Fox and the Attex 8 are like tractors to me. They're low speed, reasonably low engine RPM machines that just pull through about anything. It sounds kind of lame, but I enjoy going slow in them. When something breaks on them, they're far more difficult to take apart than the little Attex racers. Those poor things get hammered into the ground on race day, but it's nothing to zip out an axle on them or replace a bearing.

There's not much room on the stock Hustler sprocket tubes to weld the cup washers, which often help out your (and my) situation. Are you running the 7/16" shoulder bolts on yours? There are not a lot of options outside of building new axles, which isn't really the hardest thing. Maybe you could just monitor the slop to see how much (and if) if gets worse as you ride. Do you plan on making the Busco ride next month?

[zoood]

Some of the 7/16 shoulder bolts I replaced with other hardened steel shoulder bolts. The holes that you insert them in. They weren't elongated or beat up. The rebuild I did wasn't as difficult as it may have been for others doing a rebuild. Because all the parts were there for me to compare or replace. I dont know if Im doing Busco yet. I make after market products for Harleys and this is the beginning time of the year for riding. If I do make it. I have to find an open and wider trailer to transport it. I have the spacers mounted so I can run with my tracks on and it wont fit inside my enclosed trailer.

[highrollinmopars]

I just drilled new holes for mine. So far so good.

[zoood]

Did you bother to fill the original holes on the axles with weld? I would think that leaving a 3/8" hole would cause it to be a weak spot.

I just drilled new holes for mine. So far so good.

[highrollinmopars]

From my experience you'll shear a bolt before you break an axle. I spaced my holes out and offset them from where the other holes where drilled and I have had no problems from it yet. Your results may vary.