Long time lurker, and now just beginning my first restoration to my Model 33. I have owned it for a couple years now, but after receiving a new engine for my birthday, i feel its time to strip her back and return to former glory. Would also love everyone's view on a colour scheme. I am not sure if i will use the original green, or change things up a bit.
I will continue to post photos, and no doubt be a pest as im not very mechanically minded. So this is a true challenge in itself!
So my first question is, the lower part of the clutch cable doesn't want to come off the drum roller? Any tips on why this is, and where have i gone wrong? Photo included.
Any other questions you may have, i will endeavour to answer a long the way.
Have no fear about abilities - they are simple machines and a decent memory of where things came off is probably your best friend. That and a manual of your unit that I'm guessing will be in the forum somewhere..
There's a few senior members that will give you better info on the specific piece you're having issues with and I look forward to seeing what you decide to do with the colours - they're your choice! Look online for ideas, but put your own flair to it.
Are you going to continue to use it when restored?
So my first question is, the lower part of the clutch cable doesn't want to come off the drum roller?
Hello Basis and TheCount I guess the clevis pin on the cable stirrip is locked solid due to rust. So, is the issue how you free the pin (74) from the clutch ramp (73)?
Or, is the issue how you remove the landroll clutch from the rear roller shaft?
The reason I asked about it being a working machine as that could have an impact as to how far you go with your restoration. For me, I didn't go for the "showroom finish" as I know my mower (currently undergoing a restore) will be used on average 4 times a week. The groomer would be used say monthly.
The bit that stands out for me, now I'm refreshing my units is the need to spend a day or 2 during the Winter just going over and really cleaning them out. Dust, dirt, and grass gets into all sorts of spots you can't see from the outside and regular "grease and oil change" needs to be more than just that. Things like pulling out the reel and bits associated with that, opening the 2 clutch components and triple checking the cork, even removing the sole plate to get in behind that...
With your bed knife - take it easy as they will test your strength. Have you got somewhere to take the reel and knife to be sharpened? They may be a good option if you have trouble with it..
The post that got me enthusiastic about doing the restoration is here: emk3 restoration and is a great example of the steps involved.
Thank you TC. I have taken my reel to be sharpened once before. But this time around, i had a recommendation for a place in Pooraka, who seems to work on cylinder mowers frequently, and has a good reputation on the SB Facebook pages. Cheers
Hi all,What's the best way to clean the reel and in/Out of rear roller before priming? I have got most the other parts to a acceptable level I think, and hoping to start painting soon! Any help appreciated
Just take it all down to a blasting place and let them do it as the reel if done properly by hand will take a full day alone of hard Yaka !
Then just get em to do the roller as well if that's the way you want to go. Personally I wouldn't paint to rollers at all as the paint will be back off them in no time.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
Pop a little tape on the top of the clutch piece to keep paint out of the inners. You can use a utility knife to get the right shape.
I'm about 90% of the way through blasting my reel at work and it is a far more economical approach than with wire wheels and the like. The sand gets into every corner and in the end you're left with a surface that will take the paint really nicely. In saying that, be careful when painting in cold conditions..
Thanks All, Would there need any other parts taped up? I am going to send the items to my blaster through work, and get them to apply a primer (Zincanode 402) coating straight after. Don't won't to damage anything or create more issues after if i haven't taped correctly. Also, if you can help me out in a couple other parts. Whats the easiest way to remove the cork from the clutch, or do i just leave it? And where can i find a replacement if i do get it off?
So my first question is, the lower part of the clutch cable doesn't want to come off the drum roller?
Hello Basis and TheCount I guess the clevis pin on the cable stirrip is locked solid due to rust. So, is the issue how you free the pin (74) from the clutch ramp (73)?
Or, is the issue how you remove the landroll clutch from the rear roller shaft?
Cheers ------------------------- Jack
Hi Jack, Where could i find such i good copy of the manual, like your attachement? The one i have is quite hard to read. Cheers Christopher
I found that areas to be taped are generally any part that will be in contact by another in the normal operation of the unit - such as the shafts, especially where the woodruff keys sit and where a shaft is inserted into a bearing or sprocket. The part of the shaft where the thrust pad moves along will never hold paint. It is easy enough to get off with thinners etc but its just more work.
Just to keep updated, I primed the parts that i felt were prepared well enough.
I still have a bit of prep work on the larger parts, and i will hope to do that over the weekend. I opted to not send them out for blasting, as i have most the equipment at my workshop, and wish to keep the costs for items i may need to purchase.
Got a bit excited and order my paint for this restoration, opting to go away from the traditional approach. Had the Protec rep for my business come down, and suggest some product, which i should have early next week. Am doing a 2k Epotec primer followed by a 2k Topcoat Paraglaze 64 - Colour is going to a shade of orange! All prepared items i can sprayed with an etch primer so they weren't exposed bare for too long.
All nuts, bolts, washers & the bearings i could get my hands on have been ordered. Which was fun to sort out!!
Hi All, May be a silly question, but do the sprockets need to be painted after stripping back? Or if not, is there an oil i should apply to ensure the rusting is slowed? Cheers
Nothing inside a 33 or 45 is painted apart from the chassis side plate that is visible when the chain cover is removed. All parts were left in straight steel and as you'll always have oily vapours floating around in there you'll find nothing will rust if used regularly. I've seen machines that haven't been used in over 10 years reveal perfectly rust free components when the cover is first removed.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
Thank you BB & CJ Painting my 2K primer today, and then finishing colour over the weekend. With luck, re-assemble can start next week & i will pray that all the parts go together :-)
First time doing an electrolysis bath. Boy was i glad i did. Worked a treat with some of the parts hard to get to with a wire wheel. I opted out of sand blasting, due to the cost + i wanted to do as much of the work myself.
I did however try my hand at soda blasting, it worked to an extent. But without a cabinet i was really wasting way too much soda to make it viable.
Happy with my prep, i know it isnt going to be 100% perfect like some other examples on here. But for my first time, i feel happy with the result to date. Plus, being my regular mower it is inevitable there will be new dents & scratches to come with a tight back yard.
Looking forward to seeing this one assembled, Basis.
Don't worry about the dents too much. I left my 45 pretty well as is when it came to the dents. I've already added one dent to the catcher and put a lovely scrape down the side where it met the brick edging!
I don't collect mowers. I just require Multiple Mowing Solutions™.
So i have done the first coat of the finished colour. With luck, i can put another coat on in the morning and start to assemble by the weekend.
Very happy with the way the colour turned out, this is my first time using an air gun so i had a bit of a learning curve! Will sand back a couple of spots, before adding the final couple coats.
Great to see you've got the space to get the painting done - that colour is one of my favourites and reminds me of the early 1980's Porsche Carrera with the huge wing...
Take your time putting it back together as waiting for that rock hard finish will make it so much sweeter in the long run...
Thanks TC I aim to apply second coat tomorrow then let it harden the rest of the week. It has a 16hr hardening time at 25 degrees. So being a tad cold I'll give it some time.
BB It is a protec 2k system. I will add a photo of the tech sheet. The colour Is 9307B.
The hard part is next with the assembly this will really test my knowledge and skills.
Not the night I hoped for. Many things went wrong, but I guess that's all part and parcel of learning.
Starting with the reel housing, near impossible to fit the new bearings, and unfortunately when trying to get one in. The housing cracked. So, does anyone know where I can buy one? If that's a possibility?
Every new bolt I bought, was so.tight and seemed like the wrong thread for what I needed, but I guess that's what happens after nearly 60 years.
Next question, what is the easiest way to get the clutch onto the engine shaft? See the photo, this was as far as I got.
Do I need to assemble the clutch on the shaft? I assembled the clutch assemble then tried to fit onto the shaft.
All in all, it was a successful learning curve. But not a successful re-assemble. This is my mower after 5 long hours of assembly!
Honestly ?, this probably wasn't the best way, I would've done this somewhat different, but hey !, to each their own I always say.
I guess that vehicle manufacturers such as GM and Ford etc. build in a sequence so that it makes life easy for them to build as easy as possible without inflicting damage to the produced item nor injury to the assembler involved.
In this case the engine is the very last thing to install.
I always start with the rear roller as you want the chassis to be as manageable as possible and not have to manoeuvre a heavy weight around when doing roller adjustments.
So,..........................
Rear Roller Sole Plate Front Roller frame and roller Reel and associated bits Trans parts inside case Transfer shaft and associated clutch parts Assemble clutch body and slide onto engine PTO shaft loose Engine and clutch onto the deck as one Handle Bar and Deflector as a finishing touch
After that go through everything and adjust and tighten as required.
Hope that this gives you a bit of an insight as to why you're having so much of a tough time.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
I bit the bullet and reached out to get some assistance rebuilding the mower. I had a hard time myself putting all the pieces back together.
All in all, it looks fantastic, I am sure it will run fantastic (yet to pick it up)
In a nutshell: New (old) reel - wasn't aware there was little life left New bottom blade New side bearing holder (my repair weld didn't last) New nuts and bolts New bearings New motor New corks and grips. New belts Reel sharpened.
2k paint job to all body parts Reel was sprayed in a dulux metalshield gloss black Rear roller was a rubberized spray paint (won't last 2 seconds) Front roller was spray paint in a stainless look finish.
Still to come: need to bog sand and paint my catcher and side cover.
A lot more money than I hoped to spend. Didn't realise all the parts I needed to replace.
Labour was fair and probably never could have finished it, so I am very grateful there's a market for these Mowers. Not sure if the gentleman that rebuilt it for me is on this forum. But if you are thank you for all the help.
Did learn a lot in the process, even though I didn't get the whole way through myself.
I will cherish this mower for a long time, with the colour choice purposely done in my son's favourite colour. Hopefully one day I can pass it down!
Thank you for all the help along the way from all the members especially Bonnar Bloke for all my beginner questions which you didn't shy away from!
Have to say - I know this post is from 2019, but I've just picked up an old model 33 from a guy in Lewiston (S.A.) and it's inspired me to follow in your footsteps Basis (although, with less expenses I hope).
Hope your 33 is still going strong today - looks unreal.
