Hi all,
First time post here, so I'll begin by thanking you for having me along on this very informative forum.
I am a long-term kikuyu owner and have it for both my front and back lawns here in south-west Sydney.
I scarify every year, always in late September and sometimes again in late March / early April, depending on how much thatch and sponginess the lawns develop during a Sydney summer. I have had my trusty Honda 4 stroke for the last 12 years or so, and combining regular mowing with watering and fertilizing, I do try to keep my lawns respectable.
Last week a neighbour and I were chatting about lawn care etc. The subject eventually moved to roller mowers and how I had always wanted to try one. Rob mentioned that he had one in his garage which had sat idle for over two years. One thing led to another and now I am the proud owner of a 40 + yr old SB 17 inch 45 roller mower (in need of some work).
I am not a mechanic but have a healthy interest in machinery and maintenance cycles etc.
Having had an initial poke and prod around the SB 45, I am beginning to commit myself to a full restore - a new 3.5HP Briggs and Stratton engine at least, possibly a new catcher box and blade reel. I am aware that there are issues with the carb as a steady stream of fuel leaks from the float bowl area, so at this stage I have no idea about the state of the engine. A new engine might not be a bad idea anyway, as the current engine does look like it has seen better days.
The twin rail chassis appears to be in good shape - no visible cracks. A few expected signs of wear and tear on the sprocket cover were found and the catcher has quite a few dings and dents. The front and rear rollers appear to be good, no squeaks or resistance from worn bearings has been found yet.
I have managed to ascertain that parts are readily available for the SB 45 so I have no issues there.
My first question concerns tearing down the chassis as I am leaning towards the idea of a total ground-up restore. Without falling into the trap of getting in too-deep too-quickly, is there an online guide available to help me walk through the restoration process?
The current 6 blade reel is in dire need of some TLC. One or two blades are bent and all the blades are very dull. If the reel needs to be replaced, should I go with another 6 blade reel, or would a 10 blade reel be the better option, given my lawn is kikuyu and not couch?
Ideally I would like to be in contact with members who have completed their own SB 45 restore projects. I am a beginner - green as grass if you'll forgive that pun - but I am keen to learn as I go.
Thank you for reading my long winded intro and I hope to learn a great deal from like minded roller mower owners.
Cheers, Paul
Sydney, Oz.
Last edited by Tall Paul; 04/04/19 03:10 PM.
