L185 Foot pedal accelerator spring

[Russell King]

I noticed that my foot throttle was not returning to an idle or slowing the engine RPMs when taking my foot off the pedal. So I looked and there is a spring on the pedal that is now broken. I had purchased the spring some time ago since it looked kind of like it was bending oddly so have the spring. That spring is now broken and needs to be replaced.

I want to look at the illustrated parts list that shows how the linkage is connected and the spring is installed but can’t find that information on the illustrated parts list. I found this list but it doesn’t show the spring and does show a part number for the parts under the foot rest. So I was looking for the illustration of the foot rest and could not find those parts anywhere.

Does anyone know where the foot accelerator assembly is shown? Or more specifically, how does the spring get installed? (It is a torsional spring that fits against the pedal and the foot rest.). I haven’t crawled underneath yet to see if I can pull it apart yet but am assuming there is some sort of connection between the #10 rod and the foot pedal but that isn’t showing up yet in a diagram.

 

[GeoHorn]

I believe you may be / are seeking item No. 8 in this diagram. (Speed Change Lever)

https://messicks.com/catalogs/kubota/l185dt/speed-change-lever/028000-hand-accel

I also believe it would be simpler to install an ordinary tension-spring somewhere in the linkage.

 

[Russell King]

I believe you are seeking item No. 8 in this diagram. (Speed Change Lever)

https://messicks.com/catalogs/kubota/l185dt/speed-change-lever/028000-hand-accel

No the spring is very similar to that but goes down at the foot pedal to raise it up. That number 8 spring is at the shut down lever to return it to the run position when you let it go. I assume that my tractor has that spring but haven’t really looked at that area too much.

I will probably have time to find the part that I have tomorrow and look at it on the tractor. Then I may be able to search the illustrated parts lists with the part number (if I can recall how to do that).

 

[GeoHorn]

No the spring is very similar to that but goes down at the foot pedal to raise it up. That number 8 spring is at the shut down lever to return it to the run position when you let it go. I assume that my tractor has that spring but haven’t really looked at that area too much.

I will probably have time to find the part that I have tomorrow and look at it on the tractor. Then I may be able to search the illustrated parts lists with the part number (if I can recall how to do that).

Yeah…the Messicks illustration is very difficult to locate.

 

[007kubotaguy]

Russell. You cannot replace that spring. I have never found a replacement spring. The foot throttle is welded into the step plate. I have a good used step with a good spring. If you need one let me know.

 

[Russell King]

Russell. You cannot replace that spring. I have never found a replacement spring. The foot throttle is welded into the step plate. I have a good used step with a good spring. If you need one let me know.

Well that is an interesting problem…

I purchased spring part number 37150-17530 a few years ago and may have looked it up on the paper parts manual. Messicks still has that part in stock and list nine different models that it fits, none are the L185F. But they do list a few similar models to my L185 like the L235 and L275.

They show the part is in the “step” or “fender” part section BUT the L185 parts list does NOT have a step section and nothing is shown in the fender section.

So I looked at one of the more modern tractors (L2500F) and that is shown here. The part is listed and Messick‘s has two in stock BUT you can’t replace the part since it appears that the foot pedal is welded in place with the step.



So it seems like I have six options I can think of:
1) Leave it broken (but that is not too safe since the foot pedal will raise engine speed but now not reduce it)
2) Buy the complete used assembly that @007kubotaguy has in stock and replace it.
3) Cut the welded on button on top of the pedal off, put spring on and weld button back on.
4) Cut the foot accelerator off underneath the step, remove and replace the spring then weld foot accelerator back in place.
5) Put a linear spring underneath the step to return the foot accelerator back to idle.
6) I guess I could just disconnect it also so I have to use the hand throttle as the engine speed control.

Not too thrilled with any choice but will completely eliminate 1 and 6. I think #5 and or #3 are my top two options right now. If I screw it up too badly then go to #2.

It is just odd the put a captive spring in place but then sell the spring as a replacement part.

I could try improve the design and make it so the spring is replaceable but there is no need since the tractor will probably not be running when the spring breaks again.

Thank you all for the help! And it will be a while before I get to work on it but will post back my solution.

 

[Caden]

@Russell King I like your option #3 the best, especially if you already have the spring.

 

[utterchaos]

That spring is interesting.

It’s not on the diagram of my L245DT. But it is on the diagram for the L245H. It is on the tractor.

If my spring fails, this is what I’d try first.

Try to unwind the spring from the rod(put the rod between the windings and spin it off through the windings). There’s only a few threads so it may pop right off and back on.

 

[Russell King]

That spring is interesting.

It’s not on the diagram of my L245DT. But it is on the diagram for the L245H. It is on the tractor.

If my spring fails, this is what I’d try first.

Try to unwind the spring from the rod(put the rod between the windings and spin it off through the windings). There’s only a few threads so it may pop right off and back on.

Interesting thought on the repair. The spring is pretty thick wire but that may work. I’ll see how the old one handles being unthreaded.

 

[Russell King]

@Russell King I like your option #3 the best, especially if you already have the spring.

I came up with a couple of other ideas that might fix it and make it easier to replace the spring.

The first idea was to cut the vertical section off (close to the button), install new spring, thread end of rod and replace the button with a nut (or weld a nut on the bottom of the button). The problems with that are: there is not much room around the rod for a die to turn, I don’t have a die and I would have to figure out what size would work on the existing rod.

Then I started thinking about some way to couple the rod back together without threading it. I have seen set screws in a tube wall that are used to couple simple rods so did a bit of searching on the interwebs. Sure enough there was a coupling that is about the correct size (8 mm by measuring the painted surface of the rod) that was only 5 dollars on the Amazon! And it can be at my door by Thursday! So it is on the way!

See below for the shaft coupling that I am going to see if it will fit and work. If it isn’t too long or too large in diameter I will probably get it fixed this weekend.

 

[Caden]

See below for the shaft coupling that I am going to see if it will fit and work.

That's a good idea.

Might could put a little anti sieze in the coupling so it doesn't rust solid before the next time the spring needs to be changed.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Interesting thought on the repair. The spring is pretty thick wire but that may work. I’ll see how the old one handles being unthreaded.

I can give you the answer... Not worth a hoot, it won't be much of a spring after you do that.!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I came up with a couple of other ideas that might fix it and make it easier to replace the spring.

The first idea was to cut the vertical section off (close to the button), install new spring, thread end of rod and replace the button with a nut (or weld a nut on the bottom of the button). The problems with that are: there is not much room around the rod for a die to turn, I don’t have a die and I would have to figure out what size would work on the existing rod.

Then I started thinking about some way to couple the rod back together without threading it. I have seen set screws in a tube wall that are used to couple simple rods so did a bit of searching on the interwebs. Sure enough there was a coupling that is about the correct size (8 mm by measuring the painted surface of the rod) that was only 5 dollars on the Amazon! And it can be at my door by Thursday! So it is on the way!

See below for the shaft coupling that I am going to see if it will fit and work. If it isn’t too long or too large in diameter I will probably get it fixed this weekend.

View attachment 176496

That should work.
I would have suggested just welding a piece of pipe on the button and drill a hole and attach it to the rod with a cotter key.