OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Reel-Type Mowers Light Atco 14

Hi all. New member here with some questions on my recently purchased Atco 14. There's no id plate on the mower but from what I've read I think it's a Light 14. Maybe someone can identify it for me from the photo.
It has three problems that I need some advice on.
1. The kickstart spring is broken. Any clues on an Aus supplier?
2. The clutch is slipping badly. Before I pull it to pieces can someone give me advice as to the best way to attack it. Is there any adjustment on the clutch or is it likely to be worn plates?
3. The blades need sharpening. Is that something I could attempt at home?

I can't find a copy of the manual on this site. Does one exist here?

Thanks. Great site!

Hi CarinaBob, welcome to Outdoorking. Unless your name is a remarkable coincidence, it sounds as if you have or used to have a model of car that I think was never officially imported into Australia.

First, you might find the Instruction Manual for the larger versions of your mower useful. (I think nearly all of it applies to your mower.) You can download it free from here:
http://www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/sites/default/files/opmanual/Atco%20172055.pdf

1. Kickstart Spring.
Spares for ATCO mowers may be a bit difficult in Australia - they exist, but it may not be easy to find the people who have them. If your request on Outdoorking does not bear fruit, I suggest you contact the UK Old Lawnmower Club - it is a good source of information on old British mowers such as yours. There are spare parts places in Britain who will have what you need, but their prices seem rather frightening to me. This is especially true of simple things like the kickstart spring, which can be made in a very short time from the right diameter spring steel wire.

2. Clutch Adjustment
The procedure for adjusting the clutch is on Page 6 of the Instruction Manual. I suggest you follow it closely. Remember, check that the clutch lever has free movement and adjust the linkage if necessary, as described. Do not adjust the clutch itself unless it slips even when the linkage has been correctly adjusted.

3. Re-Sharpening
No, sharpening the reel or bedknife is not a job that can be done at home. I can recall the days when people who had a lathe sometimes did a reel-sharpening job themselves, but results were rather ordinary compared with even a fairly poor professional job, and grinding the bedknife at home is far more difficult than the reel. I suggest you contact a local greenkeeper at a bowls club and ask who sharpens their reels and bedknives. You will need to consider the condition of the reel bearings at the same time: it is not practical to maintain the reel in good cutting condition unless the reel bearings are new or indistinguishable from new.

Hi Carina Bob and a warm welcome to the forum.
Its great to have another ATCO owner on board.

For the kick-start spring, I have found one....Click HERE
As for the clutch, I cannot help you there, as I have not seen one disassembled.
Re: sharpening of your cylinder reel and bedknife....do not attempt this yourself....it has to be done professionally by an engineer.....See the thread Click HERE
CarinaBob, once again to OutdoorKing.

CarinaBob,

The early cone clutch had some issues with slipping and it all had to do with the machining of the unit. I have a contact that did have some updated clutches (which corrected the issue) but will need to contact him to see if he still has any left if you are chasing one.

Thanks for the replies.

I've downloaded the manual grumpy and that will help greatly. My clutch setup seems slightly different to the one in the manual but I'll check to see if I can get any adjustment before I pull it apart. If anyone has any tips on this particular clutch that would be appreciated.

Deejay I checked out the spring on ebay. Is that one good for the Atco? The broken piece left on my mower seems to have a hook that fits neatly under the kickstart lever. The hook appears to be missing on the ebay spring.

Bruce thanks for the information on the clutch machining problem. I'll see how things go with adjustments first and if that fails I'll get in touch to see if your contact has any units left.

As far as the sharpening goes I hear what people are saying and I'll chase up a local engineer. Any recommendations from Brisbane members would be appreciated.

Hi Bob, I couldn't see a pic of the spring...I just went by the item description. I should have the hook end.
Maybe the link that grumpy gave you might be a better proposition...you don't want to purchase the wrong spring.

To improve this thread's archival value, here are ATCO's recommendations on just about everything, from how to manage your lawn to how to maintain your mower. (Note: only the 4 stroke 12 and 14" versions are covered.) I had to post this just because it will irritate Deejay, who detests the paper-cutting method of adjusting the reel to bedknife geometry. He may also grit his teeth when he reads all the warnings about not running the mower over foreign objects.

I was also intrigued to learn that the average Britisher mows 30 times during that island's brief growing season. If you follow ATCO's advice and never mow the grass short, I suspect running a roller mower over it that often will indeed help produce rather a nice lawn.

http://www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/sites/default/files/opmanual/Atco%20IB36H.pdf

Hi Bob,

You have a nice little Atco there. Given the clutch and the exhaust types present on your machine it would appear that your machine would have been built in 1952 or 1953. These machines have very little adjustment in the clutch. The 1952 manual says:

"The sole adjustment is very simple to make and is done by adjusting the pivot pin at the lower end of the clutch lever. This is adjusted by means of the two nuts, one on either side of the frame plate to which it is fixed. When in proper adjustment the operating lever should have approximately 1/2" of free movement in the gate at the top, before the pads are in close contact with the withdrawal collar on the clutch."

There is also a captive spring on the drive shaft behind the withdrawal collar. Make sure that the spring compresses and de-compresses as a sticky spring can stop the clutch from engaging properly.

If all of the above do not work you might need to clean the inside faces of the clutch to remove anything that might be stopping the clutch from engaging.

I hope that this info is of assistance.

Regards,

Sir_Chook

Hi there again people. CarinaBob back again.

I've tried to adjust the clutch but no luck there. I did notice that the clutch appears to have been oiled and there is quite a bit of oil on the faces. Sorry to display my ignorance but does this type of clutch rely on metal to metal contact? If that's the case will I improve things by cleaning the oil off and can that be done without dismantling the clutch?

Many thanks for all the great help.

CarinaBob,

Please do not put oil on the surface as it operate metal to metal. It would be better to dismantle the clutch and give it a good clean so no oil remains on the surface.

I know the people that made the clutch and could contact them to see if they have any left if you want but that will not until till the middle of January because they go on a break.

Thanks Bruce.

To remove the clutch for cleaning looks like I have to remove the chain cover, remove drive chain and sprocket, remove drive shaft bearing, and remove clutch adjustment bolt. Will the clutch pull straight off the shaft then?

Hi Bob,

The clutch outer is secured to the clutch inner with a single retaining screw. The screw is located on the engine side of the drive shaft (i.e. inside the clutch itself). It is easier to undo the nuts on the main frame stays (engine side), draw the stays back (on the chain side) and drop several of the tube spacers out on both stays and retract the engine. When retracting the engine be careful as there are two small springs in the clutch drive dog on the engine. You will also need to take note of which spacers and washers go where. Once you have retracted far the engine far enough you should be able to get a screwdriver in and undo the internal screw. Once the screw is undone, the clutch outer should then come away easily and enable you to clean the inside surface. Reassembly is the reverse process.

I hope that this helps.

Cheers,

Sir Chook

Many thanks for the detailed reply Sir_Chook. This will help Bob avoid making more work for himself as one often does when no manual is available.

Bob, if you could take some pics as you go along and post them here, this would be great for the archives.
As you have found, there is precious little on the repair procedures of the early ATCO's.
Best of luck with it mate...