B14 springs problem

I can't remember and haven't got one to look at but I think that the nut is spot welded to the inside of the bearing carrier. That said I think that it's shape may stop it rotating within the carrier so there's little to be lost by fiddling the spring out , holding the nut up inside the carrier and engaging the screw. If the nut is held from rotating, fiddle the spring back in and cross fingers.

If the nut is not prevented from rotating I'm afraid that you are going to bite the bullet and drop the cutter unit out and then remove the left hand carrier and get the nut spotted into place . To make sure that things are properly lined up I suggest running another nut up the screw above the flange of the carrier so that the lower nut may be clamped in place for the welding and stop it cocking out of alignment.

I know that forum contributor, Hillsider, has a similarly constructed Webb in his workshop at present and he may be able to suggest a less drastic way out of your problem.

Oops or words to that effect!

Re the adjusting screw are you saying that has become completely detached from the bearing carrier?

As wristpin says it does seem to be very similar to the Web that I am currently working on so I shall take a look at it tomorrow to check if there is any room to fiddle the nut and spring back into place.

The parts list that I found on line shows a square shaped nut in the illustration but the text describes it as a 5/16th UNF locking nut.

Thanks for your replies. My initial problem is that I can't see how to get to the springs. The cylinder shaft disappears into a housing and I cannot see a way into that to access the spring or the nut. I'm not with the machine at the moment sobcatcarrach photos. I will do so ASAP. 

Not altogether surprised but I thought that there might be a chance as a while back someone else on the forum had a spring problem and appeared to be able to replace an under length spring without dismantling.

If it's definitely no go you will have to drop the cylinder and bottom blade unit out.

Remove chain and sprocket.

Remove deflector plate. Two slot or hex head screws and pull out.

Undo the hex head screws holding the bottom blade stiffener plate to the engine platform

Remove unit, three hex head screws through chassis side plates each side.

Slacken cross bars and hex head screws holding the rh chassis side plate to the engine platform just enough to spread the chassis and drop the unit out.

 Then remove the two hex head screws holding the Lh bearing carrier to the " angle iron" sole plate /  bottom blade carrier.   Those last two screws can fight , especially the one on the underside where it's head has been worn away in use.

There are two different designs of Commodore when it comes to the  bottom blade stiffener and deflector plate. On the original the plate was sandwiched between the stiffener and sole plate but was later modified to just locate on a ledge on the stiffener. There were several issues where an accurately reground bottom blade screwed to its sole plate would be stressed out of true when the machine was reassembled and the screws holding the stiffener were done up but we can worry about that if and when it happens.

If you post on the forum with details or images of what set up you have I will post the appropriate parts illustrations.

I managed a quick look at the Webb cylinder today and as you have already noticed on your Atco there is no fiddle room at all. I am also thinking that the way forward is to take out the cylinder in order to gain access to the bearings, if you follow wristpins advice you should be fine. 

Good luck and please keep us posted re progress.

Here are a couple of photos which I think will show my problem 

Unfortunately no viewable images, just outlines !

Sorry! I tried about six times to include the images. I'll try again. 

If you follow the instructions here, you should be fine:

http://www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/forum/adding-images

No, you won't be able to fiddle the spring back in on that one. Afraid that it's a unit out job, quite a lot of work on that machine but break it down into sections. If you can get it onto a bench or table with enough room to tip it back onto the handle bars it will make things easier. Nothing like being comfortable. You might even consider taking the engine off to loose some weight and reduce the struggle a bit.

Thank you all so much for your input. Wristpin, I had thought of removing the engine, as the mower is not at home and I will remove as much weight as possible to bring it home to my workshop (which is in my loft, up 3 flights of stairs!). You may not hear from me for a while, but I will definitely come back and report. Merry Christmas to you all!!

Attic workshop!  In which case you may want to take the handlebars off for the climb although if there's enough room on the bench or table they can be clamped to stabilise the tipped back machine.

This is what you will end up with when you have removed the cutter unit although if it is an early machine there will be the curved throw / deflector plate clamped between the cylinder and the stiffening plate.

The good news is that with this style of unit ( with outward facing bearing housings) it is possible that to deal with your issue you will not have to dismantle it further.