[Kempe]

Hope someone can help.
I have an approx 40 year old Scott Bonnar Diplomat with a burned out clutch, no spares or new parts are available and no repairer wants to do the job so it has to be a DIY.
I have attached a pic of the clutch assembly but my problem is I dont know how to take it apart to replace the drive plate.
Do I need a special tool and that is what the 2 holes are for?
Can anyone help please?
Also has anyone any recommendations what to replace the drive plate with, I have been advised that maybe a motorcyle shop will have something suitable, or dense cork, but firstly lets get this taken apart

 

[Mark / Ohio]

Since that outer clutch plate looks welded on to a shaft, I wonder if it might be threaded? Maybe the holes are to put a fork like tool into them to unscrew it in the opposite direction of normal belt travel while running.

 

[Kempe]

I think you are right about it being threaded but it rotates freely and I cant see where I would lock it off at the other end

 

[Mark / Ohio]

Do you have a picture of the rest of the mower and where the shaft connects to?

I never saw a Scott Bonnar mower. I'm guessing with most of us here being in the US the others probably have not either.

 

[Kempe]

Never realised you didnt have those machines in US, but I am sure you are correct about it being threaded, but I can't see how it would go through the rear rollers as it's off centre

 

[Brad]

Probably a gear inside there. Take a look at your last picture. There is an allen headed screw on the housing at the left side of your big roller. Maybe that will open up the gears???

 

[Mark / Ohio]

My grandfather as I recall had a pipe wrench with about a 3' handle that would probably fit that roller.

Since the pulley is offset from the roller there must be some additional reduction gearing in there somewhere.

 

[aeroland]

Outer end of shaft looks to be either welded or swaged and original. Inner end almost certainly has a small pinion driving a big internal gear in the roller. You might need to pull the roller shaft out from the non drive end. Keep pulling things off until it comes apart. Cork is OK for a wet clutch (running in an oil bath), but not dry. You may be able to buy some vintage motorcycle clutch insert segments made from asbestos replacement material and may well find that was what was fitted originally.