More motor triple questions.

[disco2]

Hi it’s Will I sorted the walking stick springs so that all works fine . I am doing battle with the reel adjusters at the moment 3 out of 6 now working but the others still seized lots of heat and back and forth is doing the trick. Not sure what those bolts are made of but they reaĺly take some punishment I’m sure the modern ones would have just sheared off. Anyway I have discovered one of the reel drive sprockets is missing some teeth so does anyone know the part number and how they are attached I can’t see any grub screws but they might be hiding in grease. There is a spring loaded tensioner but also a bolt that goes through the casing and would push against the tensioner but that would defeat the object of the spring. Finally should the large springs on the mower arms aid the lifting of the heads? They look pretty tired and I’m no weakling but it’s quite a job to pull the heads up and lock them into transport mode.
Thanks for your help and advice
Best wishes William

[wristpin]

I’ve no specific MT info or experience but quite often in that sort of application the manufacturers will issue recommended counterbalance force for floating or skidding units – bathroom scales job to set them up. Wait for the man who knows !

[disco2]

Ok thanks for that sounds quite likely.
Best wishes William

[trusty220]

So sorry for the delay, Will, but I was in Matlock yesterday and didn’t get back ’til late; high point of the day was a dinner of steak pie and chips with lashings of thick gravy all over it- a plateful and for only six quid! I think I may move to Matlock, I’m still dribbling thinking about it!

Anyway, your problem- part number of the lower sprocket is MBA6772 and it is secured to the end of the splined cylinder shaft with two setscrews that have square heads. If it’s missing teeth then I would suspect the alignment of the chain and top sprocket; the top sprocket is a one-piece assembly with a universal joint yoke on one end and a shaft that runs in roller bearings at the other end. End float of this shaft is handled by two bronze washers fitted at each side of the top casting- try reversing them if they have worn so that the unused back face is rubbing on the casting where the bearings fit.

The chain tensioner is a nylon slipper that is held against the chain by a spring which was never strong enough. As a back-up there was a bolt with a radiused head that could be adjusted to a position just behind the slipper, and I think it had a slot for a screwdriver on the end opposite the hexagon head so you could tell where the radius was in relation to the slipper. It shouldn’t be adjusted hard against the slipper, it’s really only there to take the oscillations out of the movement and it should also be slackened off as the cylinder to bottom blade adjustment is made, otherwise you end up stretching the chain, breaking the slipper and getting very messy with grease.

Talking about the cylinder adjusters, the genuine ones used to be a hollow tube with an internal thread (I think it was 3/8″ UNF), and the hole in the top used to have a plastic cap pushed into it. A good practice used to be to put a few squirts of engine oil down the tube every now and again to stop the threads rusting, but without the plastic caps the oil used to run out when you lift the cutters up to transport position so keep the caps on if you’ve still got them.

The walking stick levers always used to be quite a hefty pull to lift the front units and you may even need two hands to lift one. The front springs on the A-frames do take some of the weight and yours will undoubtedly have lost some of their strength but have a look at them to make sure that the ends of one or two haven’t snapped off- they used to break quite frequently and they were a pain to change- part numbers for these are MBB0248A for the right hand one, MBB0249A for the left hand.

I hope that helps- if you need anything else just ask. If I don’t reply very quickly I may be in Matlock again!

[disco2]

Hi no need to apologise although the pie and chips with gravy has just made my cheese on toast look a bit dreary. That’s a huge help I have found a sprocket but it only had a part number so couldn’t tell if it was the correct one. The tensioner has had a lump cut out of it to get past the radiused bolt I assume the last person that had a go at it couldn’t move the seized bolt. That got the heat treatment yesterday so is now free again. As luck would have it there is a new slipper in the tool box. I will have a look at the alignment of that top sprocket. £6 quid that’s a bargain might nip to Matlock myself.
I would just like to say a big thanks to you and everyone who has taken time to help and advise me with this machine.
Best wishes William

[trusty220]

It’s a pleasure, Will, but it is making me remember things I thought I’d forgotten! What part of the world are you in, just in case you’re local and I can help out?

[disco2]

Hi trusty it’s Wiĺl I’m in Colchester Essex. Thanks for the offer of help I can usually work things out but it’s great to have someone who has a lot more knowledge of these machine’s. I worked for about 6 years as a mech technician at an agricultural college . How do you have such a wealth of knowledge of these machine’s if you don’t mind me asking. Sorry if im writing this off topic for the forum.
Best wishes William

[trusty220]

I did five years in the workshops of a Ransomes dealer in the Midlands back in the 80’s; we used to hire six Motor Triples to the local council and I did 12 months looking after the small fleet at one point before progressing onto the first of their hydraulic and electro-hydraulic machinery. I even PDI-ed the very last Motor Triple- a Kubota diesel engined version- which I think was sold to Solihull Council in about 1987-8.

I’ve now done thirty-plus years working in the industry as a mechanic progressing through to commercial sales and ending up as a hire manager with a Ransomes main dealer. Once a mechanic always a mechanic, and I always travelled about with my tools in the back of the truck so that if I came across a customer’s machine that wasn’t quite right I could show them how to set it up properly.

Unfortunately for you I’m still in The Midlands so we’ll have to keep going with the help on this forum. At least it may be a help to somebody else in the future.

[disco2]

Hi it’s Will just a quick update on the progress with the motor triple. I have finally freed up all the reel adjusters . I made a new grass deflector for the middle unit and got all of the brake calipers free and with new pads. The brake discs are a bit pitted but they are serviceable. I might remove them and give them a light skim on my friends lathe. I also found a sprocket on e bay which is the correct size with correct number of teeth it does not have correct centre so I’m going to remove the centre of the damaged sprocket and weld it to the new sprocket. It only cost £8 for the sprocket so it’s worth a go. The old sprocket was missing it’s grub screw thus allowing the sprocket to move along the splines which probably caused the missing teeth. So far I have not spent much money on the machine although I will need to replace the 2 main drive belts mind you still way cheaper than the 2 belts for our modern Iseki mower £280 for the pair and a special size so that nothing else could be used.
Seasons greetings and best wishes
William

[trusty220]

Keep going, Will, you’ll get there in the end! Those main drive belts were always very expensive back in the day so keep using them if they still work.

Have a great Christmas.

[disco2]

Hi Trusty yes it’s getting there the engine to first pulley is slipping to the Point that if I put it in high transport it just grinds to a halt. I have pushed the engine as far forward as it will go but it still slips so I think it’s new belt time. I’m looking forward to mowing season so I can finally enjoy using it.
Happy Christmas
Best wishes William

[john-e-w]

Could you not fabricate your own belt tensioner?

John E-W

[trusty220]

The belt tension is taken up evenly on both belts by adjusting the variator pulley. This is a double pulley with a sliding centre sheave, the same as you’d have on an old combine from the Fifties- adjusting one belt tension will upset the tension of the other belt which goes from the variator to the gearbox. When I was working on them we found the only really practical way to sort out the problem was to replace both belts, then set them up by putting the variator lever into the mid-way position and seeing which belt sat lowest in the sheaves. The engine was then moved back and forth on the chassis so that the belts sat level with each other in both sides of the variator, then the tension could be adjusted in use by moving the variator pulley in it’s slots to take up any stretch.

Sounds complicated but really very simple. Mind you, learning a few new swear words normally helped the process!

[disco2]

Hi it’s Will I did consider an extra tensioner but as trusty said it’s likely to upset the other belt. I think it’s time for a new pair of belts but I will check the tension set up again in case I have missed something. On a different note I am going to remove the brake discs it looks like I have to remove the centre nut but is there anything scary to watch out for?
Thanks for your help and advice
Best wishes William

[trusty220]

Why are you wanting to remove the brake discs, Will? The brakes on these machines were never brilliant so if you’re worried they aren’t working very well that’s probably as good as you’ll get.

The truth is that I’ve never taken the discs off a triple as I’ve never felt the need to change them. I’ll have a look in the parts listing to see if there’s anything you need to know.

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