Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Equipment Shed => Topic started by: Motivator on May 17, 2008, 19:39

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 17, 2008, 19:39

Hi all have a bit of a problem with this old fav of mine .
 The blades will not rotate and there is no self drive , There seems to
 be a lot of slack in the chain . Am  right in thinking it could sheered its
 gears .

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Gwiz on May 17, 2008, 19:54

I don't quite know the set up on the more modern ones, but they used to have a centifugal clutch next to the engine, this engaged the primary drive chain to the blades, and a pulley on the other side of the blades, took the drive via a v belt, to the rear roller.
With the side casing removed, start the mower, and see if the chain turns when you throttle up. if it doesn't, either the top cog has become loose/ or it may have worn the drive shaft, or there is a fault in the centrifugal clutch.
keep me posted! :D

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 17, 2008, 19:57

Thanks fella the top cog does seem slack . There is no chain drive under power .

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Gwiz on May 17, 2008, 20:02

yep, seems to me that it may have become a tad loose. it does have a sqaure drive centre, which can wear if the nut becomes loose. don't worry too much if it has worn out, spares are very cheap and plentiful!, I might even have the bits for one stashed away in a dark and dingy corner of the equipment shed someplace (unless aunt sally has put it away somewhere safe)
let me know how you get on.

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 17, 2008, 20:09

Thanks Graham will take a look tomorrow see it will tighten up .
 Will let you know.

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 21, 2008, 22:47

Well nut is not loose will have to look a bit closer .

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Gwiz on May 22, 2008, 05:22

I've found an entire mower, should you need bits. :D

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 22, 2008, 16:49

Thanks Graham will take a look tonight and some pics .

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 22, 2008, 21:23

All very stange there seems to be a lot of slack on the chain and a lot
 of movement in the shaft .


http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/peterfroud/?action=view&current=22-05-08_1932.jpg

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/peterfroud/?action=view&current=22-05-08_1931.jpg

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Gwiz on May 23, 2008, 05:27

okey dokey, where the small cog is, the shaft goes through the side plate. on the othere side, it passes through a bronze bearing, which will (if not cleaned and lubricated reguarly) wear out (goes oval). you then get a lot of "play" up and down, where there should be none at all.
likewise, the rotating blades should have no up and down movement whatsoever, but often a lack of grease and oil will destroy these bearings in double quick time as well.
there is a small bronze bearing insert within the bell housing of the clutch. this will wear too, but nowhere near as much as the others I have mentioned.
check these out. You can adjust the chain on the plastic covered slider under your finger in the first photo.
keep me posted, I haven't thrown that old mower away yet!

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 23, 2008, 18:18

Will be looking later Graham thanks for the advice . Dont throw away
the mower just yet.

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Gwiz on May 24, 2008, 05:48

Thanks for the pm.
can you turn the blades by hand? if so, then the problem will be in the clutch.
if you are having problems with the self drive, the drive belt is adjustable.
not only does it have a screw thread adjuster on the cable, but the front pulley comes in two half's, with spacing shims between them. when the belt gets a little , shall we say, worn, you can pop out a spacer or two to get the belt a little tighter on the pulleys.
as for the clutch, its centrifugal, and consists of two clutch shoes (like brakes) and a couple of springs.
sometimes the springs get rusted and seize, and sometimes the clutch shoes covering just wears away completely so that there is no covering at all! that just leaves you with a metal to metal surface that isn't very efficient.

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 24, 2008, 09:19

Hi Graham yes the blades turn by hand . Just a quick question where
 is the clutch located exactly is the clutch located . I see what your saying
 as there is no drive atall to the blades when your power up the throttle.
 Will have to look at adjusting the clutch .

 Will be in touch.

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Gwiz on May 24, 2008, 12:55

the clutch is located in a bell housing between the engine and the side plate (asuming that yours has an engine and isn't one of the electric models)
to get to the clutch to have a look at it, you can just undo the four 13mm bolts that hold the engine on and slide it out of the way. you will see the clutch shoes on the plate that comes away with the engine.

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: dorimower on May 24, 2008, 13:42

Quick safety note....never ever attempt to run an engine fitted with centrifugal clutch with the engine off the machine..ie; with shoes exposed.
It is so tempting to do....but at the very least it destroys the return springs....and the shoes could fly off and cause serious injury, etc........

Check it all out whilst static, do the repairs....then re assemble engine to chassis so that the shoes are correctly and safely housed within their drum before any attempt to run engine.

"Dori."

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 24, 2008, 19:17

Thanks guys  , When you side plate you mean the belt side of the mower
 Hope i can get it fixed i need to mow the grass at the allotment.

Title: ..
Post by: Motivator on May 25, 2008, 13:55

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/peterfroud/?action=view&current=25-05-08_1303.jpg

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/peterfroud/?action=view&current=25-05-08_1303.jpg

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/peterfroud/?action=view&current=25-05-08_1301.jpg

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/peterfroud/?action=view&current=25-05-08_1303.jpg

Ok some pics of the clutch , The linings look hardly worn perhaps
it is seized .

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Gwiz on May 25, 2008, 15:08

can you move the shoes out by hand?

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 25, 2008, 15:35

I will check Graham.

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 25, 2008, 17:46

Ok have checked the shoes they do move . Powered the mower up
 when back together i can see that the chain is trying very hard to move .

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Gwiz on May 25, 2008, 19:12

stupid question here,
are you getting full throttle?
if you continue to have too many problems, I might have to arrange a "site visit"! :shock:

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 25, 2008, 19:21

Oh yes full chat no problem . Very odd . This machine will keep trying
 to adjust i dont give up easy . Seems like there is nothing happening
 on the chain i will do a small video tomorrow Graham .

Title: Suffok Classic 35s.
Post by: Motivator on May 26, 2008, 16:33

Well have had it on full throttle nad there is no drive to the blades .
Perhaps the clutch is shot i have done a video of the chain but having
trouble up loading it .