Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): bent shaft on self propelled Sears, hydraulic bottle jack, hp model

Question
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Followup To
Question -
RE: 2003 Sears 21" self-propelled 7.0 HP
Model 917.378641
Dear Marc:
What is the proceedure for staightening a shaft?  Hammer it with a block of wood? Or is it
more complicated?
Thanks.

Answer
I had a large metal plate (L-Shaped) that I mounted the engine to so the crankshaft was horizontal.  Then I used a hydraulic bottle jack against the crankshaft to straighten it.  On the opposite side of the bottle jack, I had a dial indicator to show how much deflection the crank had.  It takes a little time and care but you can get it perfect...the only problem is that it is hard on the bearings and may damage them.  Hope this helps.