BX Broken Air Filter Strap Solution?

Henro

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B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex., Beer fridge
May 24, 2019
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I’m not sure about more recent BX tractors, but my BX2200, and other BX tractors it has been reported, have had similar issues with the air filter housing strap breaking due to vibration.

After a couple unsuccessful attempts at making a mechanical repair to the existing strap design, I ended up bending the ends of the broken strap pieces, in a fashion that enabled me to make a loop of rubber from a bicycle inner tube to pull them together and hopefully stop the vibration/breakage issue. This worked pretty good for two or three years..

Today I noticed the strap broke again, but this time at the other end which made a quick temporary repair pretty difficult, it appeared. I’m not sure if I actually bent down the part of the bracket below the original breakpoint myself , but I guess I did. As such, It provided an excellent point to hook a bungee cord under. So I removed the broken bracket, as it wasn’t doing anything anyway, and now have a bungee cord installed and I think it’s a winning solution

The cord loops under the bent down piece of the bracket, comes up over the top of the housing, and then the two ends hook onto the cord itself at the bracket point.

Here’s a picture. The cord I used measures 31 3/4 inches tip to tip of the hooks before it is stretched. I thought it was going to be too long, but actually it turned out to be perfect.

Just posting this is an option if anybody has the same issue going on. Sure looks like this is a winning solution for me. Of course, at this point, I only tested it for an hour!

Please take note that I chose the proper color for the bungee strap!😂


IMG_2096.jpeg
 
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mikester

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M59 TLB
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I'd just order a new K strap, in my experience modern chinesium bungees are next to useless as they tend to stretch and fail to hold tension. Heat will be a problem for them.
 

Bugzilla46310

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2022 BX2680 198? AC 916H
May 22, 2022
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I’ve used long zip ties for similar repairs. Worked well for a battery holder on my AC 916. You may even be able to find orange zip ties if black doesn’t work!
 
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Henro

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B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex., Beer fridge
May 24, 2019
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I'd just order a new K strap, in my experience modern chinesium bungees are next to useless as they tend to stretch and fail to hold tension. Heat will be a problem for them.
Time will tell…my optimistic side is winning at the moment. 🙂

edit: Guess I can always fall back to using a bicycle inner tube. The piece originally used did not seem to be bothered by the heat. Was still functioning after years of service.

I will not just replace the strap as I would expect the issue to repeat itself…
 
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fried1765

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Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
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Time will tell…my optimistic side is winning at the moment. 🙂

edit: Guess I can always fall back to using a bicycle inner tube. The piece originally used did not seem to be bothered by the heat. Was still functioning after years of service.

I will not just replace the strap as I would expect the issue to repeat itself…
I vote close to zero longevity, for your use of Chinesium bungee cord straps!
 

fried1765

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Curious how you and Mikester could determine the nationality of the bungee cord…🙂
I know that it is in short supply these days, but......
Common sense!
Plus, no elastic cord can endure engine heat!
 

hagrid

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"He can't go down with 3 barrels on him! Not with 3 he can!!"
 
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Henro

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B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex., Beer fridge
May 24, 2019
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I know that it is in short supply these days, but......
Common sense!
Plus, no elastic cord can endure engine heat!
It is certainly true that most consumer items we buy today are made in China. So your guess has a high probability of being correct!

Doesn’t take much elastic pull to hold the air filter housing in place. But I do also have some good tie wraps. So there is a back up plan in place!

(typed earlier but forgot to click the post reply button…)
 

jampy00

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BX1880
Jan 11, 2024
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Ontario, Canada
Time will tell…my optimistic side is winning at the moment. 🙂

edit: Guess I can always fall back to using a bicycle inner tube. The piece originally used did not seem to be bothered by the heat. Was still functioning after years of service.

I will not just replace the strap as I would expect the issue to repeat itself…
Try the rubber bungee straps, they might prove to have a slightly longer life.
1725554392495.png
 

mikester

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Try the rubber bungee straps, they might prove to have a slightly longer life.
View attachment 136852
Same chinesium problem as the bungees.

I've never had the OEM K straps fail which is why I'd just order a new one.

All the bungees and rubber tie downs I've purchased in the last 10 years have been absolute crap and don't last longer than the packaging they came in. I gave up on buying them.
 
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Henro

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May 24, 2019
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….I've never had the OEM K straps fail which is why I'd just order a new one…..
There was a period of time where a number of BX owners complained about this air cleaner strap breaking due to vibration. It’s likely the design was changed somehow on newer BX’s, but I don’t know. The BX2200 I have is over 20 years old. I repaired the strap a couple times and it just broke at a different points.

The root problem is the BX 2200 era engines vibrate pretty heavily at low RPM. And there’s a considerable shaking that occurs on startup and when the engine is shut off. To the extent that the sound of shaking when the engine is turned off began to be referred to as the “death rattle”

Granted buying a replacement strap would be the easy way to make a temporary repair. I say temporary because I see no indication that the replacement strap would be more reliable than the original.

My B2910 is essentially smooth from startup to shut down. If I had a problem with the air cleaner mounting on that one I would certainly just buy a replacement and not worry about modifying anything.

So when I look at my two tractors I see oranges and carrots ( Keeping the colors on topic :))…
 
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Moose7060

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Hose clamp and never worry about it failing.
 

Tractor Gal

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Yes, Henro, I agree...the a/c clamp is a problem. I, too, purchased new but in just a few months, the problem returned. Your idea is worth trying, for sure. I wonder if there is a "worm clamp" that would be big enough? I don't know what those are called but it's a perforated metal ring with a spiral screw that tightens as it is turned. A hose clamp? I doubt there would be one large enough. Owners of older Bx's know exactly what you're saying with the low idle vibration!

Tractor Gal
 

Moose7060

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Yes, Henro, I agree...the a/c clamp is a problem. I, too, purchased new but in just a few months, the problem returned. Your idea is worth trying, for sure. I wonder if there is a "worm clamp" that would be big enough? I don't know what those are called but it's a perforated metal ring with a spiral screw that tightens as it is turned. A hose clamp? I doubt there would be one large enough. Owners of older Bx's know exactly what you're saying with the low idle vibration!

Tractor Gal
There are big enough one's to purchase but even better you can buy a roll (check amazon for hose clamps) and make your own desired length and have about 10 feet left over for other projects.
 
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TheOldHokie

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If the now NLA original equipment strap on my B7200 breaks or runs away from home a 2" wide rubber band cut from an inner tube will probably take its place.

20240906_111936.jpg
 

D2Cat

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07wingnut

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I have owned a BX23 for about 10 years now and for the first three years that filter housing strap had to be rewelded every year. Finally, fed up with the bad design and constant rewelding, this is what seemed to work for the last seven years.
Filterholder1.jpg
Filterholder2.jpg

Filterholder3.jpg


While the sides panels are off, here is the emergency shutdown if the fuel solenoid fails to shut the tractor down.
Manualshutoff1.jpg
Manualshutoff2.jpg


Lastly, the air intake horn was critter proofed.
Intakescreen.jpg
 
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