Ransomes Auto Certes

I need to make a new silencer for the sloper engine. I have searched hi and low, but could not find any original types for sale anywhere. The silencer is basically two deep dish pressings with a couple of tubes welded inside for inlet and outlet. The outlet tube has a couple of slots mid postion to let out the exhaust gases. I have made a trial die consisting of a male and female section and had reasonable sucess pressing out one side. However the die material, a hard wood, was not strong enough and the metal left a few grooves in the die. With this in mind I am now thinking of making a proper steel die which should be good for several parts. Is there a call for these.?

Mike.

Some slow progress on the Certes. I have been cleaning down the cylinder and was wondering how I could clean off any surface rust etc. off the centre spindle. I then found a long narrow strip of emery cloth and working this back and forwards while wrapped round the spindle worked a treat and was quick. 

Mike.

Slow progress as I have other more important work to do. The main frame is now painted and I will give it a few more days to dry totally. I was getting the engine ready to fit the cowl and tank and looked at the clutch shoes and I then noticed that I had them the wrong way round according to Ransomes Certes handbook. I had previously greased the shoe pivot pins , so easy job to swap them round. 

Mike.

Mike re the sloper exhaust  Id be interested in a new exhaust for my Marquis if the price was reasonable.

Thanks

Ok. Will let you know how I get on.

Mike.

Now trial fit of the landroll clutch and I am concerned that when the three clutch nuts are done up tight to the tubes that are inside the coil springs, the springs are very compressed. To work the clutch by hand it takes me both hands pulling on the clutch lever, in order to disengage it. I am considering adding distance pieces under the tubes to release pressure a tad. However, not sure if this is correct thing to do and more importantly, would the clutch then fould on the side cover.?            Mike.

Engine was bolted on, but now off again, as I found out from the parts book that there should be a felt oil seal on engine side of the small chain sprocket bearing.A couple of photos to show progress, even though at times it goes backwards !!

Mike.

Your issue with the traction clutch  may be due to incorrect assembly. It’s possible that you have the threaded collar the wrong way round. Ransomes describe it as “securing nut ,clutch”.  The one that has the two holes for the adjusting tool.

Hi Wristpin,

will check the collar with the two holes in. I think it is on ok but will check anyway. I am wondering if someone has replaced the springs with longer than standard . Do you know the free length of these springs. I assume same as Marquis? Also do you know the length of the inner sleeves? If either are wrong then that could be the problem. Am I correct in thinking that you tighten the three clutch nuts up so they are tight on the inner sleeves ?

Mike.

I’ve come across them with the collar on the wrong way round so it wouldn’t surprise me to hear that it is your issue.  Anyway, I’ll get those measurements for you tomorrow. While we are on that clutch , make sure that it’s got the ball bearing between the two push rods. Always worth making sure that the adjusting bolt and lock nut are freed off and lubricated before you get too far on assembly and too much paint on them.

Hi Wristpin,    Measured the tube and spring. Tube is 1.063  Spring is 1.375. Boss of the collar is facing outwards. Ball in place between the outer rod (engine side) and inner rod with flattened end. Other thing could be brand new clutch pads, maybe too thick. When worn, clutch springs would be slacker. I will measure them and post. One other point re. clutch, when holding the edge of the large toothed pad carrier, I can move it side to side around 1/32" to 1/16" . Do I need to replace the inner bush, or ring bearing. (or maybe both.) Restoration slow going at the moment due to building work I am doing.

Found this drawing of the clutch which is quite useful.

Mike.

Dug out an old clutch , Springs and tubes are within a hair’s breadth of yours .

Was the clutch working ok before you stripped it out?
I’m still thinking an assembly issue.

Mower was not running when I bought it, so no way of telling how clutch worked. I now have all the clutch parts seperated and only problem so far is the brass bush that runs on the steel bush is not up to scratch and I will have to find or turn up a new one. The steel bush is measures a thou under 0.8125, so that seems ok, being hardened. I will measure the clutch segment pad thicknesses now. I also made sure that the ball bearing is between the two rods. The clutch segment pads are 0.325" thick.  Re. the bronze/brass bush, it might be able to be made in two parts,i.e. a plain bush and seperate washer, instead of the shoulder. I will give it some thought. 

Mike.

Now have the bottom blade and cutting cylinder in the frame. Now here's a thing. There is a long 5/16" UNF bolt that screws into the drive end of the cutting cylinder. I have that bolt, but it does not seem to have any purpose ? In the parts list for the Mk.8, it is listed under part 25, as washer retainer, but no washer is listed as far as I can see. I will probably add a large washer so if the circlip breaks, or comes off, the cog will still stay in place, or near enough, not to do any damage.I am getting to the stage now where I am wondering how to lift it off the work table !! 

Mike.

Doesn’t ring any bells with me and I don’t have a Mk8 IPL. An image may be useful.

Strange  the way that these machines get heavier as time goes by !

Hope this can be viewed. The bolt is at the top of the page and must be inch and a half long. I will measure it later.

I Measured  that long 5/16" UNF bolt and it is 2"long. I am still concerned about the large nut on the drive side of the land rolls. The way I am thinking is the only thing stopping the gear boss pushing on the bearing carrier is that circlip behind the bearing, unless the nut can't turn any more in than the key which can't move in the keyway. I don't want a repeat with the circlip being pushed through the bearing housing, as in previous posts. I will have to do some checking in that area. It is all going together quite well and just have the grassbox to clean up and a small spot weld repair to one of the hook bracket area where the thin metal has cracked.

Mike.

To Wristpin. I at last found out what the spacer /distance piece is for that I queried in an earlier post. It fits between the front roll carriage frame and the side of the main frame. The long 5/16" bolt head when loosened, slides round the crescent shaped slot when adjusting the height. On one side, someone in the poast had replaced the spacer with a large nut, so I have now turned up another on on the lathe. (3/4" od. 3/8" wide with a 5/16" hole through the middle.)  One job I have yet to do is to replace some of the wire tines on the comb, as they had been rubbing on the front roll and have nearly worn through in places. I think they just press out, so hopefull;y I can find some of the same size wire to replace them. (Coat hangers maybe.) A point that I did not realise, the Marquis differs with the Auto certes as it does not have the cutting cylinder clutch. Maybe a safety measure on the Certes to prevent any injury or damage to the cutting cylinder when transporting the machine on the rear rubber wheels.?

Mike.

Interesting, obviously OEM as it’s in the book!  Never worked on a Mk8 but have done several Mk3s that came as Imperial and Metric machines and all the ones that came my way had a nut on the end of cylinder, I wonder why the Mk8 changed to the set bolt ?
The last Mk3 that came my way had its original hand book and delivery document showing that it could be purchased with the option of either a Villiers or Briggs and Stratton engine . Assuming that the Mk8 would be of later manufacture , it would seem that the  Villiers was still offered.

The comb tines are 3mm diameter so I have ordered a length of 3mm stainless steel rod to make a new set as most are damaged by rubbing on the front roll. The original tines have a press mark in the top middle of the "U" shape of the tine. I think that was done so that it sprung the tine so that is would not fall out. 

3mm. stainless rod is exact size for the replacement tines. You need around 3.5mts. to do the job. I found that if you cut off  slightly longer than original and shape it using a 5/16 rod in the vice as a mandrel into a "u" shape, it then taps into the support bar nicely. To shape the top of the "U" I heated it red hot and then tapped the middle with an 1/8" thick flate piece of steel with a hammer and no looking like original. I have made a new throttle cable and just need to make a new clutch cable. I have been looking for suitable bowden cable clips to secure the cables to the handlebars. Old cycle ones are available but too large in diameter.  I have been measuring the landroll shaft and nut etc. and not happy with the way that all the force of that nut bears on the bearing housing circlip. Only way I can prevent it is to either make a stepped end key, so all force is on the key and key slot, or add a smaller key around 1/4" long so nut will bear on that and transfer force to the key. Can't  come up with any other ideas.

Grassbox is now in primer at last. Would not want to do one of those again !!

Mike.