# Toro 824XL loose handles



## paulm12 (May 22, 2015)

Has anyone had an issue with this type of handle connection? It appears like the nuts were welded to the inside of the main housing, but came loose, and started to hog out the hole. For reference, the screw and belleville washer go from the outside , thru the handle then thru the main housing and into the welded nut. 

I have been impressed in the past with the old Toro robustness, but all 4 handle holes appear to have this issue. Have others seen this issue? For now I will just use bolts with large fender washers and lock nuts instead of these nuts.

(ignore the lower hole on the 1st pic, that is for something else)

tx.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

i'll check mine in the morning


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## toromike (Aug 20, 2018)

I found the same thing on my 824xl PT. The PO had added some washers. I removed the washers. On my machine the nuts still fit tightly in the holes when they are lined up correctly. Each nut only had 3 very small tack welds. I think that is the main cause of the problem. I plan on welding the nuts back in place with more substantial welds. I found that when the handle was attached using large washers the handles were not firmly connected and could move a little bit. That movement was what caused me to take a look at the handle attachment in the first place.


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## JayzAuto1 (Jul 25, 2016)

Well if you knew they were loose, why didn't you just tighten them?? It's very easy. You must have ignored that for an awfully long time for that to happen to All of them.....Can't really blame Toro for that one. I've seen it happen to all machines that use that welded nut on the inside, at one time or another. I just weld the nuts back in place. Or you could use a Riv-Nut to repair it. Worx like a pop-rivet, nut will install machine threads in sheet metal. Both are viable options.

GLuck, Jay


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

Unfortunately that's how they are manufactured. A machine spot welds the nuts in place and it is a very poor weld. You have to weld the nuts in place to make them much more rigid or they break loose with very little effort. 
A lot of times you will snap the spot weld just by loosening up the bolts for the bars.
That's how they do it on the assembly line to save time and money when the machine is built. Those pieces are robotic-ally welded on the assembly line, they go thru the process very quickly, then send them down the line and do the next piece very quickly.


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## paulm12 (May 22, 2015)

JayzAuto1 said:


> Well if you knew they were loose, why didn't you just tighten them?? It's very easy. You must have ignored that for an awfully long time for that to happen to All of them.....Can't really blame Toro for that one. I've seen it happen to all machines that use that welded nut on the inside, at one time or another. I just weld the nuts back in place. Or you could use a Riv-Nut to repair it. Worx like a pop-rivet, nut will install machine threads in sheet metal. Both are viable options.
> 
> GLuck, Jay



uhh, 'cause I just got the machine. 

tx.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

If that happened to me, I would probably take a piece of 1/8 x 2 x 4 inch flat stock (or whatever size needed), drill 2 holes for the handle bar bolts, in there hole positions, and weld it to the inner frame. Then get yourself some grade 8 bolts, lock washers and lock nuts …… heck, you could even use lock-tite .. , then paint it when done for rust protection … that handle bar would not be moving then, unless you flex the thin casing itself …


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## paulm12 (May 22, 2015)

oneacer said:


> If that happened to me, I would probably take a piece of 1/8 x 2 x 4 inch flat stock (or whatever size needed), drill 2 holes for the handle bar bolts, in there hole positions, and weld it to the inner frame. Then get yourself some grade 8 bolts, lock washers and lock nuts …… heck, you could even use lock-tite .. , then paint it when done for rust protection … that handle bar would not be moving then, unless you flex the thin casing itself …



I think I may go this route long term. For now I just want to get the handles secure again so I can move the machine around to work on it. I may even use the flat stock idea without welding for now, just to brace the area better than fender washers. 

Thanks


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