OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Reel Lawn Mowers, Atco & Villiers etc. Morrison 400 Service

Hello people, I am really desperate for help with my mower. It is an Alroh/Morrison 400 which I bought in the late eighties here in Perth. Alroh has gone out of business and Morrison has been taken over by I think one or two different owners. The shaft in the front roller appears to be quite worn and needs to be either rebuilt or replaced. Because of the odd way it has been made with the left hand bracket welded onto the shaft, it will be a bit more complicated than just replacing the shaft. The problem that I have is that I have removed the front roller and removed the roll pin holding the right hand bracket on but there seems to be no way of removing this bracket from the shaft. I have used a fair amount of brute force with no success. It almost seems that it need removed using a press or heat. The latter is unrealistic because the roller has plastic ends. Attached is a picture of the offending bracket.

Appsy,
is that a bush in the end bracket or a ball bearing? It appears what we are looking at is the bracket withe either a bush or bearing mounted in it and then the end of the roller axle.
If that is the case the axle should press out rather easily, some more photos showing a top view of this assembly may help us understand how this has been assembled.

The sort of questions would be, is the end of the axle shown in the photo the same diameter on the other side of the steel bracket, what is that I can see which appears to have a hole in it on the other side of the bracket?

Beech.

Hello Appsy and Beech
The roll pins here must be the captive device.
Removing it should free the bracket from roller shaft.

In the day, a spray lubricant and a soft mallet would do the trick.
Plan B would be a puller or localised flame, combined
with Plan A.

Beech has a good diagnostic approach I think.
But, because a roll pin is used, it makes no engineering sense
that the roller shaft would be peened to a larger diameter.

The roller shaft does not spin.
The stubborn end bracket has no bearing. It's a tolerance sleeve
that has become corroded over time - best guess.



Hope this helps.

Jack

Hi Beech,
That bracket has no bearing or bush it is fixed solid somehow and that view is of the end of the axle. As you can see in this picture, there is a hole which had a roll pin in it which has been removed.

If it had a roll pin in it that means it is removable, probably needs to be pressed out

Hi Norm,
Yes, Appsy has said the roll pin has already been removed.
This is a case of a stubborn shaft on a bracket.

Cheers
Jack

I'll get a gear puller and give it hell.

Appsy,

now I see how it is constructed you are quite right with the puller, a bit of heat on the bracket may help as well, good luck.

Beech

Well, now I'm stumped! Got the gear puller to work and achieved absolutely nothing other putting indent in the end of the shaft!!!

G'day Appsy
Welcome to the world of the stubborn shaft and bracket.

This is how I would do this:

[1] SHOCK LOAD: an engineers hammer can be hit on the puller's head.
[2] apply localised heat, and then quickly add a spray releasing agent.

It would appear that the interface is corroded.
This requires shock loads to release the surfaces.

Hope this helps.
-------------------------------
Jack

Perhaps the front roller assembly from a current Masport might fit?

A threaded gear puller is not that strong, trying to remove blade bosses with one often failed but once I made up a hydraulic one they come straight off

I was going to follow Cyber Jack's advice and apply heat but I don't have an oxy torch, I have a propane torch but I'm not sure that sure it will get hot enough. I have a hydraulic pipe bender that I could modify to use it as a press so, that might be the go.

Appsy,

is the weld on the other end just an external weld over the end of the roller axle and to the bracket?
If so grind the weld flat you should then find it fairly easy to break what little weld is left and get the bracket off, once you have the roller out of the way you should be able to rest the offending bracket in a vice not gripping the axle tight, you need it to be able to move once you have beat the living daylights out of it with a suitable sized drift and a bloody big hammer.

You will then have to reweld the other bracket back on which is fairly simple if you can weld or for someone who can.

Beech.

Beech,

That's not a bad idea. I am pulling this apart to determine whether it is the plastic roller ends or the axle that is worn causing excessive free play between the roller and the axle. I would imagine that it is the plastic ends although there appears to be some wear in the axle from what I can see. I will try the press method first and see what happens.

Beech,
I followed your advice with the grinder and was rewarded with success. The plastic roller ends appear to be heavily worn and there is wear on each end of the axle. I am wondering if I can get maybe thin gauge stainless steel sleeves for the axle and replace the roller ends

Appsy,

dont bother with the axle throw it away and buy a new piece of shafting, I would guess it is imperial which is still available, messing with stainless sleeves would I think cost more than a bit of shaft, and if you can get new roller ends she will be as good as new.

If you cant get new roller ends turn out the existing ends and fit bronze bushes into them.

Beech.

Beech,
I got a piece of 3/4 inch steel bar so I will
turn down the ends to fit the brackets. Any idea where I might find the plastic roller ends please?

Appsy,

You can have a look at these, not sure of the size.

Beech.


https://www.ebay.com.au/i/200909810...cEmZQn6vDU36ybl4llmddQDHIzxoCUWAQAvD_BwE

Jack,
That diagram that you put up is very helpful. Could I ask where it came from please?

Beech,
Thanks for that link, I am now waiting for the supplier to confirm sizes.

Well, since I last posted, I still have not been able to shift the bracket. I have had it soaking in WD40 and I know it has penetrated the joint. Despite relentless attack with a drift and a mash hammer the damned thing will not budge! The graphic that Cyber Jack posted seems to indicate that the bracket is a press fit but could it be something else. Looking ath the bracket from the end, there appears be some kind of insert between the bracket and the axle, does anyone know what the purpose of that is please?

Appsy, I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but honestly, even if WD40 has penetrated the joint it will often do nothing. I am speaking from experience.

Drive down to Bursons Auto parts just off Joondalup drive and get a bottle of Penetrene aerosol.

Honestly, its one of the best $20 I have ever spent. I was soaking bolts in wd40 with no effect. I spray this on a few times and the come loose.

WD40 is a good water dispersant, but I cannot agree its a good lubricant like they say on the pack. Sure, it is good enough to stop hinges squeaking, but anything can do that

Thanks Tyler, i will get some. I didn't think it was still around and I remember it being excellent.

Hi Appsy and Tyler
Everyone wants a resolution to this one!

The steel insert may be original, but more likely a repair.
Is it possible to clamp the fixed side and rotate the bracket on the shaft?

Members ... any thoughts? HELP!

------------------------
Jack

Hi Jack,
The insert is original because I have had the mower since new. I put the shaft in a vyce and used a long piece of pipe for extra leveridge and the bracket still won't budge. It's really got me stumped!

Hi Appsy

Even the Masports show the same deal.
A roll pin locates the roller shaft on the LH side.
Once the pin is removed, the bracket should separate from shaft.

If you take the assy to a general engineer, surely
they can use a hydraulic press to release the stubborn bracket.

Cheers
------------------------
Jack

I took Tyler's advice and got some Penetrene and soaked the assembly for nearly a week with no real success other than the shaft moved about one millimetre! I think you are correct, a press is the only way to attack it now.

Give it more penetrene and wait another week

No doubt a press is probably the best way, but maybe you can get away without one

I suppose another wouldn't hurt. I sat it upright and applied the Penetrene on the top and it actually seeped through the joint and ran down the shaft so, I know it is getting where it needs to be.