there should be little pressure fitted caps that you tap onto the axle to hold the wheel on

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I agree with the caps. They tap on and hold pretty well, though you'll need to make sure they're tight enough to hold the wheel without letting it wobble.

If you do want to make your own threads, you need to make sure the axle material is strong enough to handle it, otherwise you'll lose the wheel and need to replace the axle (if/when the threads break).

You could also look into how the axles are held on, and if you can replace them with a threaded rod, though this is much less likely possible unless you have decent welding or riveting skill.

Edit: autocorrect sucks

Whoever assembled the mower didn’t hit the caps hard enough. They take some force to get on but they will hold pretty damn well once they’re properly secured

There's not, there's only locking washers. Basically a metal ring with with slots cut out radially and pressed on that are set towards the outside, that hold in place 2 plastic sleeves that act as a bearing. Those are also pressed in pretty hard and I had to hammer the outer one it to get it to seat properly.

This is all covered by a plastic cap that is easy to pry out and appears to have little mechanical strength.

If I'm understanding correctly, those are called speed nuts, and shouldn't be used for anything taking forces as high as an exterior wheel would have. It does depends on if the wheel has anything else holding it on, though.

>You could also look into how the axles are held on, and if you can replace them with a threaded rod, though this is much less likely possible unless you have decent welding or riveting skill.

Hmmmn, I'll look into how the axles are attached, given how cheap everything else is it's probably just held in place with bolts. Though vis the thread's breaking - shouldn't that not be an issue? Weight bearing axles are usually steel and the one on this mower appears chromed. Plus, while I'm not the gentlest, if it gets stuck I know it's easier to stop and check what's happened than to to just brute force it.

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If they're using speed nuts to hold wheels on, I'm loathe to assume they're using the correct axle materials.

Edit: On second thought, it should be enough to add threads as long as the axle is thick enough per spec, I'd just suggest doing a manual pull check once it's done to make sure you're not going to be three-wheeling it home.

I'd drill a hole in the axle and add a cotter pin rather than thread it.

Well There’s always deez nuts!!!

Not speed nuts, more like these: https://www.anzor.co.nz/washers/internal-tooth-lock-washers Only with thinner metal on the teeth and the teeth are wider too.

[edit] - bless google image search, even with inaccurate search terms it can be rather useful :3 As it appears these are very much the same as the ones on the axles: https://www.ubuy.co.id/en/product/R9C66IW-oiiki-200pcs-m2-m2-5-m3-m4-m5-internal-tooth-starlock-washers-quick-speed-locking-washers-push-on-sp

It's over 1cm in diameter, too blobby (hand cutting a lawn with a sickle is "fun") though to haul it out of the garage to check. Think it's about 1.2-1.4cm roughly. Hence why I thought it could take a thread and nut.

> I'd just suggest doing a manual pull check once it's done to make sure you're not going to be three-wheeling it home.

Hah, I can easily carry the stupid thing it that happens. After all it's at home and only for home use.

Worst comes to worst I'll no. 8 wire it and jerry-rig a solid solution. Already had to do that with a flat pack bed that fell apart due to too short screws and no anchors for the bolts.

Or I can just transplant the new motor into the old lawn mower, since it's wheels have stayed on. Unlike it's metal exhaust cage, which is still held in place by annoyingly thick wire from old climbing plant fence support wire.

I'd need a vice and a press drill for that, I have neither :P They're on my list of things to buy though, as I need the vice for woodwork and bike repair/maintenance (freewheel locking rings have a lovely habit of locking up really tightly...) + accurately drilling out holes in plastic/aluminium for 3D printed nerf blasters. But I need to finish the PC build, so no hardware for the moment ;-;

You've been abusing you're maternal unit for 20 yrs and she still buys you a lawnmower. Well done young man

Sounds like threading is an easy first option, and you have other options if that doesn't work for some reason. Let me know how it works, and good luck.

It's just participating in no nut november

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Drill a hole through the axle at the appropriate place and use cotter pins to hold the wheels on. Much easier than trying to thread the axle.