OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions On Ride On Mowers Questions on Rover Ride On Mower Rover Rancher Auto Drive - Transmission

Hi guys, just wondering if any one has any tips for getting the auto drive system out of these machines. I need to replace both corks and thought it would be fairly easy as it seems as tho only 4 bolts hold the thing in place, but i can not get access to the 2 bolts and nuts on the left hand side of the machine which is proving to be a pain in the backside. Is the only way to do this to actually remove the entire ass end of the machine(Chasis)? I have subscribed to user manuals as well as lawn mower parts lists but can not even find a manual or a parts list on rideons at all.

Cheers
Matt

Welcome to Outdoorking, Matt.

Here are the Rover ride-on manuals:

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=7306#Post7306

Thanks mate.

Does any one have a rough time it would take to replace the drive corks on these auto drives. It looks like it should take an hour but as i can not access the 2 left hand side bolts and nuts it does look as if the whole rear end needs to come out which will take a fair bit of time.

Slowly getting there, finally got the drive plates out, a bit of blood and sweat but its out. I would have thought there would be more information on these Auto Drives as no many rovers use the system. I have thought about typing out a manual for it to help other out when stuck in my position.

Getting it all back in is going to be a nightmare. Always easier to get things out than it is to put them back together.

Should have the parts in time for the weekend then the fun begins.

If you could take a series of detailed pictures, and intersperse them with explanation, this thread may become a very popular one Matty. Also, once you start doing that, if you have a problem at any point, our members will be able to make useful comments.

Yeah mate well ive got it out now but will take photos whilst putting it back together. It was actually a fair bit easier than i thought once i got stuck into it. Took me about 30 mins to get it out, will be about 30-45 mins to remove cork and re glue, then about 5 hours to get back together haha.

I might upload some pics as i go then i can just go through and write out a description as per picture.

Cheers

Alrighty i have got the new corks and have cleaned up the disks. I have attached a couple of images. I was wondering what would be the best contact adhesive to use to bond cork to metal.

I have one here that is a loctite automotive adhesive it says it is ideal for bonding most porous materials. I was going to go and buy a spray on adhesive as i have heard they are better but surely the stuff i already have will do the trick.

I just want to make sure it holds as i never want to pull this thing apart again.

I haven't used that brand of contact adhesive Matty. There seem to be several types, with different characteristics. The type I've used, in at least a couple of different brands, is a synthetic rubber dissolved in a mixture of solvents, mainly MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) - the glue is a brown colour and is slightly translucent. It looks rather like the stuff you are trying to scrape off in the pictures. I'm confident about what that stuff does, but when it comes to water based ones or strange green ones, I have no idea.

I've used the spray-on stuff with only limited success.

A small administrative point: please don't create duplicate threads on the same subject. I've deleted the other one.

Sorry mate i thought that would be a no no.

Well ill give this stuff a go and if it doesnt hold i guess ill just gain extra experience by pulling it all apart again.

Can not recommend gasket stripper enough for a job like this. Sprayed it onto the disk once i had most of the cork off then just with a stanley knife i just gently scraped over the disk and it removed 99.9% of the remaining glue and cork, then just gave it a light sand.

Please post a pic or two of the gluing operation, and let us know how it turns out.

I think i might keep the rest of the pics to myself and do up a Workshop manual on the Rover Auto Drives. Then again i guess this thread could always just be a work in progress. Pity i didn't start with pics from the start. Here are a few pics of the gluing.





One thing to note - USE LOTS OF ADHESIVE. dont want the bugger coming undone.

Second side didnt glue correctly when i pulled the plates apart the cork could still be moved. I think i need to let both the cork and the disc sit with the adhesive for a longer period of time before putting them together

I've always found the last-stage-of-tackiness method to be uncertain. My standard practice is to put the glue on both surfaces, immediately put the parts together, clamp them hard, and wait at least 48 hours. I've never had a failure that way.

Whatever that glue is you are using, it does not appear to be rubber-based, and I probably wouldn't have used it. However it is a respectable brand, it will probably work out.

Yeah mate i would have done it a little differently if i was to do it again.

Trying to get the drive system back in is proving to be extremely difficult. To remove it i had to lever the chassis apart to try and pop it out but now obviously attempting to get it back together it just wont fit in and there is no room under there to work angles. as i said putting it back together will be a nightmare.

I think maybe the best way to do this would be to literally remove the entire ass end, but i can not see exactly how it attaches. Looks a massive job.

Ill put some pics up of the troublesome fitting a little later, i may work out a easier method.

This is not a job for a person who is hot headed. I have nearly lost my head a few times. Multiple smoke breaks required.

Matty, I bet there is a (reasonably) easy way to do it. I remember the first time an Outdoorking member put new clutch facings on a Greenfield he had a difficult, ugly job to do, but he did it anyway. Since then each time a member has done the same job it was a lot easier, because of what had been learned.

Do you know a servicing agent who has done a lot of these? A five minute chat with their mechanic would make a world of difference.

Mate i have tried 3 places and they say ohh yeah ive done one or two. Two of these business have been going for 20+ years. No one knows the drive system really well.

I have given up for the day i have got the drive back in but now there are 2 main bolts which hold the drive chassis to the main chassis and the bolts just wont line up.

I have tried levering, pulling up with rope jacking up whilst jumping on the top. The main problem is that there is metal hitting metal. Main Chassis to Drive Chassis. So i can not get it up any higher.

Seriously need to learn how to make the pics smaller. And how to add writing to the image

I'm not clear on what the problem is there. Have you used a drift (tapered piece of bar) _gently_ to move the holes into alignment? If you can't drift them into alignment, is there a graunch mark on one side of the hole, indicating that it never did fit and the bolt was forced in at the factory?