OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Question On Scott Bonnar Cylinder Mowers Pulley for a SB Diplomat 430

Hi everyone,

Need the bottom pulley that drives the cutter blades for a Diplomat 430

Really want to keep this old girl in service but without the pulley she is toast.

Any help to locate a pulley is appreciated or I will need to part the old girl out

Haven't been able to locate a donor machine or get a replacement pulley so took a last ditch look at it today.
There is a bolt that holds the pulley on and screws into the end of the cutter blades and it appeared that the bolt had somehow come loose and the pulley spun on it and being softer alloy damaged the flats and rounded them off.
Today it was kill or cure so took the pulley off and got into it with some tools and made flats again enough for the bolt to sit correctly.
Fired the machine up and it was a bit noisy in drive but was working, so cut the lawn then right at the end I put it into neutral to empty the catcher and the belt burned and smoked up.
Took the casing off and the bolt for the pulley had unscrewed itself again which is strange because the thread is opposite hand to rotation.
I didnt use loctite, but I doubt that would help.
The bolt was rock tight when I tightened it because I have a special tool I made 20 years ago with 2 pins that fit the holes on the pulley and blocked off the blades from turning with a piece of wood and tightened the pulley bolt that way.
Anyone any ideas as its puzzling me how a bolt can unscrew itself when its opposite hand to rotation

i am sure one of the reel mower guru's will jump in soon . they are away some of them and the other is busy i know , a little patients eraser as Diplomats arent a common machine .

, Dave

Hello Eraser,

That is very odd.
I think this is what happened:
[1] If the belt jammed, the momentum in the reel would unscrew
itself from the pulley. In other words, the pulley did not unscrew from the reel;
the reel unscrewed itself from the pulley!. That's probably what happened.

Hope this helps.
---------------------------
JACK

Hi Eraser,


I have to ask you, what makes you want to stay with this format of reel mower opposed to the conventional model 45 ?

Cheers,
BB

A few reasons really.

First I'm stubborn and dont like things to beat me and I prefer the rear catcher of the Diplomat for a home lawn.
To me front catchers are for long straight runs, rear catcher MUCH more maneuverable for a home environment.

And secondly I plan to downsize next year as I'm not getting any younger and need a smaller garden to care for and a Diplomat is better for that or I will just get a rotary and be done with it or even an electric and give my arthritic shoulders a break from pull starts

So to me right now getting this one working and mowing my Santa Anna till I sell then look at what I need for the new home

Hi Eraser

Fair enough I guess.

I did see a pretty mint one in Adelaide about a year ago at Walkley Heights and the bloke just couldn't sell it as no one had any interest in it.

I do have a spare electric Model 45 available if you have any interest ?

If you do just PM me as we don't want the forums being clogged up with buy and sell stuff.

Cheers,
BB