OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Welcome to Outdoorking Forum HELP Area Introductions Ferrett - WA - Newbie Greetings

Hi All, In WA and have a old SB 45 which I love, looking at purchasing a Diplomat cheap and restoring hence the sign up as there are some good guides. My mate who owns a Turf Farm in Bunbury has a Diplomat for small jobs and they intrigued me, lets hope this project doesn't stall like my Vespa 150 Super has.
Regards Dave

Hi Ferrett, welcome to Outdoorking.

Be careful buying a Diplomat. The plastic gear that drives the rear drum has a limited life, and replacements are not available. For a number of years people have been fitting first, the aluminium gear which SB supplied as a service replacement, then more recently, a gear made up from a stack of steel stampings riveted together. We are told that these are no longer available, however.

I suggest you work out how you will provide yourself with a durable drum drive gear before you commit to the project. Catchers are also a rare item, but there is more scope for improvisation with catchers than with drive gears.

Hi Dave, and a warm welcome to the forum. It's always nice to welcome another Scott Bonnar owner as we all like to learn new things and tinker here.

Grumpy has given you excellent advice regarding the drive -roller gear...the last one available from the company that was supplying, was sold to one of our forum members last week. When the nylon gear strips or fractures it renders the drive useless.
Most, if not all, spares are still available for the ubiquitous Model 45.

Once again, to OutdoorKing.

Booooo, I just bought one with this problem, just got it open with advice from the forum and logged on to find about about acquiring the gear.

Any updates? the look alto like the gears on the wheels of gear driven rotory mowers, has anyone tried any of those models?