Feb
The United States Lawn Mower Racing Association is on the cutting edge of racing tech and driving strategy and advice! In this ongoing feature, “Tech and Driving Advice”, some of our fastest drivers and most knowledgeable gear-heads will share with you their mower racing secrets!
This slide show, by USLMRA Vice President Kerry Evans, shows the process of converting a Peerless 820-022 to a 820-017 racing transaxle.
Here are the steps detailed in each photo:
- Shows the 820-022 transaxle and location of the unit ID Plate.
- The transaxle with the top cover removed and the parts that will be used to up-grade to and convert to a 820-017.
- Shown are the gears that are removed that will be changed.
- Gears that will be reinstalled for the upgrade.
- Rear Axle to change out from a Differential to a Straight Axle.
- All gears are in-place for alignment… final setup!
It should be noted that the 820-022 has a ratio of around 12:1 and the 820-017 has around a 4.2:1 High Gear “Final Ratio”. This setup will allow you to use smaller pulleys in the front and close to a 1:1 pulley drive in the back. Remember to install your detent ball & spring in the set screw hole after the top cover is in place, and fill with your favorite gear oil!
We invite your questions and comments on this post! Leave us a note below and one of our experts will get back to you ASAP! Looking for more “Tech and Driving Advice” from some of our fastest drivers and most knowledgeable gear heads? Have a rule, tech, or driving related question you’d like answered by the USLMRA’s experts? Check out the Tech Updates page!
About the Author of this Post
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why do some racers prefer a trans-axle to a straight axle chain drive?
I’m one of those who like transaxle’s.. No chains to break. I see sooo many racers go out over a simple chain.. Transaxle’ s all gear drive. But with the Transmission and Axle you can can get the center of gravity lower axle position.
Kerry Evans
USLMRA Vice President
Evans Outdoor Power & Promotions
evansop@bellsouth.net
251)645-2942 Shop
http://www.eoppro.com
13433 Moffett Rd. Suite E
Wilmer, AL 36587
I prefer a live axle set-up. You have less rotating mass and less rolling resistance, but the biggest reason is the ease of gearing changes. A few bolts to switch a sprocket is alot less work than swapping a pulley. Brake set-ups are also much easier on a solid axle as well. To use a transaxle the first thing you have to do is build a solid axle, by the time you get just that step done you can have a live axle in your mowchine!
Our club runs a transaxle class, we have many more transaxle failures than chain failures.
We are not however running the 820 transaxles. If I was going to put one in a fully built Mowchine I would use no other! Great How-Too Kerry!
Do you have any pics of a brake set-up on an 820?
Interesting note though, the only failure I had on my mower last year was losing a sprocket key…at FINALS! lol
they all have ther ups and downs,i have a 820 behind a stock 17 horse kaw with 10×17 tires and it does great.