Skip to main content
Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Wooden roller lubrication

Enter a word or two to search the forum section and click the Search Forum button.

Just finished the oily rag rebuild on my 14/57 atco but just noticed the front rollers still don't roll very nicely.

They are a little worn, but not too bad. It looked like they had been greased at some point and were very sticky. I cleaned the shaft and tried to clean out the old woody grease inside with a large still bit.

I assume they shouldn't be lubricated? Any safe way to fully clean the insides of the rollers from ground in sticky grease/wood pulp?

I'd rather not replace them, they aren't bad enough in my opinion.

I guess I could sleeve them inside if I really had to, would straighten up the now slightly coned holes too, but again, would rather not.

I am slightly wary of soaking them in anything that would dissolve the grease.

Forums

Graemevw Sun, 07/06/2020

Try again

wristpin Sun, 07/06/2020

Photo, because everyone likes photos :)

That’s so we can ask “ where’s the throw plate?”  Or doesn’t it have one?

Not to mention the non standard starter pulley .

Very smart though.

Graemevw Sun, 07/06/2020

I had to make a new plate, just fitted it.

Looking at the spacer arrangement and the fact it has a boss for the return spring (not fitted In that pic) I guess it would have been kick start.

The pulley bolt looks stock, has the right paint on it, but I always assumed the pulley wasn't. Works fine though, starts really easy first pull now Ive set the timing right. Was very advanced when I got it!

I have a grassbox that I bought separately, It fits great, but not 100% sure it's completely correct. I'll take some more photos.

Anyone know what plug it should have? Not even looked to see what's in it!

villiers98 Sun, 14/06/2020

The front rollers on older 2 stroke models did have a brass tube inside to run on the steel spindle . As this is getting towards the end of 2 strokes I guess  Atco may have economised,or these are later rollers.  I d just use plenty of engine oil to soften any grease , and oil each end of rollers after use .

The plug is interesting to see as the  barrel casting has been changed to use a 14mm plug rather than an 18mm 8 COM/D16/NGK A6. I would use a Champion L10 or NGK B6S ( I think) .

To me the grass box looks a though it may be off a later model but I ll stand to be corrected on this

 

wristpin Sun, 14/06/2020

One used to be able to buy a screw in insert to reduce from 18mm to 14. The L10 became the L86 and may have even changed again.