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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Atco Auto-Steer Seat Roller

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Hi

I'm currently reconditioning an Atco B24. I've gone over the Tecumseh H60 motor and after a thorough clean/inspection, plus a new carb, it seems to be running ok.

Alongside the mower I'm also fixing up a matching auto-steer seat. Its got some Atco branding on it, but I don't know any more details on the model, age or manufacturer.

The seat roller is giving me some problems though as the bushings are really rough and I think in need of a good clean and some lubrication.

Seat Roller

The roller appears to be two separate pieces on a common shaft, however I cant see any easy way to get it apart any further. The rollers are held on by the wider sections of the shaft.

On close inspection, the wider sections appear to be integral to the shaft rather than separate, tightly fitted spacers/bushings. I could be wrong, but can't be certain without using enough force to damage something if they are one piece.

I also can't rule out there being two separate sections of shaft which press or thread together, but again, its not budging with reasonable force.

I've seen some parts diagrams for these seats (or similar) but the roller/axle appears to be a single unit.

Does anyone know anything more about these seats/rollers and how they may come apart?

Thanks in advance.

Clive

 

 

Forums

wristpin Sat, 16/05/2020

Those spacers can need a lot of heat to free them, if  you have access to an ox acetylene or oxy propylene  torch get them to red heat and aloe to cool or even quench. They are a big lump of steel and even a plumber’s  mapp torch will struggle .

Alternatively try freeing them with impact. Enlist a helper and support the spacer on something really substantial such as an anvil . Then with a substantial drift and lump hammer hit it along its length rotating it as you go . Hitting it up and down and all around may break the rust bond between the spacer and the shaft. If there’s no sign of movement you can leave it dunked in a bucket of diesel for a week and try again. 

If the spacer doesn’t shift after that treatment , give up!!!

 

MrClive Fri, 22/05/2020

Thanks for the help.

I got it apart without any heat, though it did take some force. The other spacer is stuck fast, but as it all comes apart from the other end, its no problem.

In hindsight, it should have been obvious, but at first glance I assumed the shaft diameter was the same as the threaded end, but its quite a bit larger. I'm glad I got it apart as the bushings have clearly sat with water in the them in the past and the grease was dry and gritty, the cavity between the two half rollers was also full of mud and other debris.

The shaft is just about ok and once cleaned and reassembled the roller runs smoothly.

Clive1962 Sat, 23/05/2020

Good to read that you have the seat sorted.  smiley

 I hadn't ridden an auto steer seat since the early 1980s.  However, last year we had a demonstration of an Allett Buffalo 34 factory fitted with the auto steer seat in lieu of the regular ball towbar trailed seat to see if it proved better given the large number of tree circles on a large lawn.  It's quite an unusual feeling to ride until get used to it...and was quite racey low relative to the regular quite high Buffalo seat. 

 As ever, pondering as I tend to....I know the auto steer had been with Atco for many years...but was it an Atco designed fitting or did Atco bring in the design from outside.?

With apologies for bending Technical into History...blush

 

C.

wristpin Sat, 23/05/2020

.  It's quite an unusual feeling to ride until get used to it

I’d second that and go as far as to to say somewhat unstable. I never felt comfortable demonstrating them.  

I ran an old belt drive Webb 24 with a conventional seat for several years and never felt disadvantaged  compared with the auto-steer.  In later years selling both Stiga and Husqvarna out front riders , both had noticeably different handling characteristics due to the position of the pivot point in relation to the seat.