Westwood T1200 Mower Saga

[Onoff]

Right then, who knows anything about Bentonite clay based grease?

It is what was apparently specified originally in these Peerless transmissions. You'd like to think the designers knew their stuff but they might have just spec'd as it was their goto lube!

The question is can it be replaced by something else? Thinking soap based open gear grease.

I've also read "80-90 gear oil with a Lucas additive".

The genuine 788067C stuff seems hugely overpriced, about £40 to do the box.

It just needs to "cling" to the teeth in there and be waterproof surely?

 

[Mick Annick]

I’ve not managed to find Bentonite at a price I’d pay, I did a fair bit of research when I stripped my box and there is no consensus - some say just use EP90 others claim the world will end if you don’t use the proper stuff. If I have mine apart again (which is likely - think I need to replace the selector rods) it’ll be getting ordinary grease.

If I was mowing acres of grass every week I might feel differently, but for the weekly drive to the tip I’m not worried.

 

[Turbo]

Right then, who knows anything about Bentonite clay based grease?

It is what was apparently specified originally in these Peerless transmissions. You'd like to think the designers knew their stuff but they might have just spec'd as it was their goto lube!

The question is can it be replaced by something else? Thinking soap based open gear grease.

I've also read "80-90 gear oil with a Lucas additive".

The genuine 788067C stuff seems hugely overpriced, about £40 to do the box.

It just needs to "cling" to the teeth in there and be waterproof surely?

The guide/manual I used recommended gear oil so that's what I used. I completely stripped the box, cleaned out the remaining grease, used ep 90 to assemble it & put a small quantity in the casing for splash lubrication. It has been used since for 3-4 years & still going ok.

As for sourcing parts, I could only find 1 UK supplier so parts are expensive, they don't keep much in stock so if you want something they order it from USA & you have to wait until their once a month order is delivered! You can get it quicker but there is a £20 carriage charge!

I needed some odd oilite bushings for mine, I just bought standard ones here & modified them to fit!

 

[Onoff]

I need to get this wheel off the axle and the orange pulley off the gearbox:

I've tried MAPP gas on the pulley as per this video:

No dice. I think the gearbox in the video is larger than mine. No way can I get a bit of 4x2 in there! (Pretty sure in the video he whacks his finger at about 6.10 in...ouch!)

Tried a bfo gear puller on the pulley...it just started bending the pulley.

Going to try supporting the pulley on solid steel bars sat on metal builders stands rather than my plastic saw horses.

As for the wheel, that's equally stuck. Filled up the well with citric acid solution which has at least derusted the end of the shaft.

 

[Mick Annick]

I had mine on end, spraying in penetrating oil daily for two weeks, the wheel is still on there.

 

[Onoff]

I had mine on end, spraying in penetrating oil daily for two weeks, the wheel is still on there.

Someone suggested a diesel and ATF mix. I presume let it soak in rather than set fire to it...

 

[Turbo]

Someone suggested a diesel and ATF mix. I presume let it soak in rather than set fire to it...

A 50/50 mix of acetone & atf is the best penetrating fluid, you can use celly thinners instead of acetone.

 

[Onoff]

I win! (Well, 2 out of 3).

Finally got the pullies off both gearboxes!

Heat with MAPP gas, rub a candle over the shaft and watch as the wax gets sucked in. Beat it with a bfo knocking stick and punch. Repeat.

Pretty sure having it all on the sturdier trestles / angle iron helped. Exactly as the lad showed on YouTube tbh.

The orange, better looking pulley took two evenings. The rusty as Hell pulley on the new gearbox about 2 minutes!





Pullies degreased and in the citric acid bath to derust now.

Still got to do the wheel

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Result!! I'd never heard of that thing with the wax, another thing learned......

 

[Onoff]

Result!! I'd never heard of that thing with the wax, another thing learned......

Pretty impressive tbh. I heated all round the boss from the top as the MAPP torch wouldn't fit underneath like the one in the video. I then concentrated the heat the opposite side to the keyway and dabbed a candle (scented tea light actually) down in the keyway. The wax runs / gets sucked round the joint between shaft and boss and it keeps on taking it. I imagine its going into the microscopic gaps that open up because of expansion under heat.

Now for this effing wheel!

 

[Onoff]

The wheel still refuses to budge. Time to admit defeat and take a trip to use the neighbours oxy I think!

Took the gearbox shield out of the citric acid bath along with the bolts and gave them a quick coat of zinc and in the case of the guard some VW Brilliant Orange. What original paint wouldn't come off.....stayed on there. Not going for concours! Yes I know the match is way off, yes I know I should have picked a Ford colour!

I salvaged the fixings as they're odd sizes to what I usually play with (UNC). They'll get lubed before fitting.







Started sand blasting the gearbox but had very little medium to start with. It's got promise, just look at the two halves on the gearbox lever! I'm not prepared to use ordinary sand either, don't want silicosis!



Compare bolts left (blasted) and right (untouched):

 

[angellonewolf]

copper grease the bolts ?when putting in ?

 

[Onoff]

copper grease the bolts ?when putting in ?

Aluminium anti seize spray.

 

[Dcal]

Right then, who knows anything about Bentonite clay based grease?

It is what was apparently specified originally in these Peerless transmissions. You'd like to think the designers knew their stuff but they might have just spec'd as it was their goto lube!

The question is can it be replaced by something else? Thinking soap based open gear grease.

I've also read "80-90 gear oil with a Lucas additive".

The genuine 788067C stuff seems hugely overpriced, about £40 to do the box.

It just needs to "cling" to the teeth in there and be waterproof surely?

I've a MTD mower with the same (or similar) axle.
Years ago I changed the grease in it the box.
It must be over 5 years ago and the box hasn't missed a beat.
I used L2M Hammer grease which was recommended for the tripod type CV joints instead of the GKN grease which should be used but that was almost £40 for a 300 cc tube!
I've haven't had a problem with either the CVs or the gearbox since.

I can't find photos of when I'd the gearbox apart, but I did find some from the next time I stripped down the mower years later.
This time it was because the chain drives to the wheels started jumping.

The parts were hugely expensive for what they were so I fixed it by using standard chain and sprockets from Simply Bearings and modifying them to fit with an angle grinder before welding them to the shafts. This was before I had a lathe and was gone by eye with simple tools.
The bronze bushes I needed, I got from a local shop and they were not expensive.

Any sane person would have scrapped it but I do like a challenge and it's still going strong.

 

[jpmillermatic]

love a good tractor story...keep the updates coming....

JP

 

[Onoff]

I've a MTD mower

Got an MTD too that I stopped using due to the pressed cutting deck finally giving up. A resto project for another thread.

 

[jpmillermatic]

My YardMachines is made by MTD. I sold the mower deck a few years back it was still really solid. no issues, but i have seen them rot terribly due to being stored outside all year and from not being cleaned underneath for winter storage.

JP

 

[mechman]

I went into a nearish (to me)lawn mower sales repair place to ask some advice on a ride on mower. I thought I had walked onto the set of the deliverance, felt guilty for asking a question, must have been a radiation leak there in the past, never went back in case what ever it was, was contagious.
Norm.

 

[Mick Annick]

In my experience they’re all like that!

 

[Dcal]

Too true,
Has anyone seen Taryl Fixes All on YouTube