Hi All,

Trying to help an elderly couple with their 'Bosch Rotak 40' mains
mower where the sprung loaded top flap has become unsprung:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5772409/Rotak40.jpg

Now it looks like that spring should have an arm that goes though that
slot on the flap just under the spring itself and onto the body
somewhere and looking at that picture again I think the spring has
been put back on the wrong way round (eg, the lower bent arm should be
on the left and the right / vertical part of the spring that attaches
to the flap would be more vertical).

(Thinks) It now makes sense ... the spring came off, she found it on
the lawn and put it somewhere safe in the shed but couldn't see it
when she went to show me earlier. I couldn't see where another spring
would go and 'of course' it's 'the' spring that someone has tried to
put back on.

Now looking on the parts diagrams it looks like the spring is supposed
to be straight (the arms at 180 Degrees from each other) and I guess
there is a slot for the lower half of the spring to slot into?

http://www.ransomspares.co.uk/parts/brands/bosch/lawnmowers/rotak%2040%20gc%20(3600h81c73)/closing-spring/502117.htm

So, does anyone have such a beast who can confirm my thoughts re the
correct fitment above and have you had similar problems with yours?

Cheers, T i m

On 02/08/16 19:47, T i m wrote:
Hi All,

Trying to help an elderly couple with their 'Bosch Rotak 40' mains
mower where the sprung loaded top flap has become unsprung:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5772409/Rotak40.jpg

Now it looks like that spring should have an arm that goes though that
slot on the flap just under the spring itself and onto the body
somewhere and looking at that picture again I think the spring has
been put back on the wrong way round (eg, the lower bent arm should be
on the left and the right / vertical part of the spring that attaches
to the flap would be more vertical).

(Thinks) It now makes sense ... the spring came off, she found it on
the lawn and put it somewhere safe in the shed but couldn't see it
when she went to show me earlier. I couldn't see where another spring
would go and 'of course' it's 'the' spring that someone has tried to
put back on.

Now looking on the parts diagrams it looks like the spring is supposed
to be straight (the arms at 180 Degrees from each other) and I guess
there is a slot for the lower half of the spring to slot into?

http://www.ransomspares.co.uk/parts/brands/bosch/lawnmowers/rotak%2040%20gc%20(3600h81c73)/closing-spring/502117.htm

So, does anyone have such a beast who can confirm my thoughts re the
correct fitment above and have you had similar problems with yours?

Cheers, T i m

Does this pic from my Rotak 32 help?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/clouddrive/...hare_link_copy


http://amzn.to/2asA1At

T i m wrote:
Hi All,

Trying to help an elderly couple with their 'Bosch Rotak 40' mains
mower where the sprung loaded top flap has become unsprung:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5772409/Rotak40.jpg

Now it looks like that spring should have an arm that goes though that
slot on the flap just under the spring itself and onto the body
somewhere and looking at that picture again I think the spring has
been put back on the wrong way round (eg, the lower bent arm should be
on the left and the right / vertical part of the spring that attaches
to the flap would be more vertical).

(Thinks) It now makes sense ... the spring came off, she found it on
the lawn and put it somewhere safe in the shed but couldn't see it
when she went to show me earlier. I couldn't see where another spring
would go and 'of course' it's 'the' spring that someone has tried to
put back on.

Now looking on the parts diagrams it looks like the spring is supposed
to be straight (the arms at 180 Degrees from each other) and I guess
there is a slot for the lower half of the spring to slot into?

http://www.ransomspares.co.uk/parts/brands/bosch/lawnmowers/rotak%2040%20gc%20(3600h81c73)/closing-spring/502117.htm

So, does anyone have such a beast who can confirm my thoughts re the
correct fitment above and have you had similar problems with yours?

Cheers, T i m


I think the spring has been hit by the blade and acquired an extra bend.
The long straight end is clearly meant to be located in the "tunnel" in the
flap. If the spring was threaded on to the pivot the other way around the
end with the loop on it might rest in the recess in the mower body. The
notch in the flap would suggest that the looped end should be "outboard"
rather than inboard.

You may be able to get rid of the blade induced kink if it's not too badly
damaged but a new spring is probably needed.

Tim

--
Trolls AND TROLL FEEDERS all go in my kill file

On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 21:18:27 +0100, Chris Bartram
wrote:

snip

Now looking on the parts diagrams it looks like the spring is supposed
to be straight (the arms at 180 Degrees from each other) and I guess
there is a slot for the lower half of the spring to slot into?

http://www.ransomspares.co.uk/parts/brands/bosch/lawnmowers/rotak%2040%20gc%20(3600h81c73)/closing-spring/502117.htm

So, does anyone have such a beast who can confirm my thoughts re the
correct fitment above and have you had similar problems with yours?


Does this pic from my Rotak 32 help?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/clouddrive/...hare_link_copy


http://amzn.to/2asA1At


I think it does, it confirms my thought that the vertical part of the
spring probably (on the one I'm dealing with) doesn't lay flat against
the lid as per my picture but away from it as in yours.

That then would match the reply from Tim+ that followed yours. ;-)

Strangely, the image of the new spring in the advert above doesn't
seem to match the exploded diagram at the bottom of the same page but
if it's purpose it so spring the cover closed, makes more sense as per
the advert pic?

I don't know how the spring came to come out or how it got bent (other
than by Tim+'s suggestion of it being hit by the blade) but I think a
new one would be preferred over trying to straighten the old one (it
being spring steel etc).

Cheers, T i m

p.s. Thanks for taking the time to take the pic and reply Chris. ;-)

I have one of these and scratched my head the first ttime I reassembled it after changing the motor.

The hinged flap at the rear is held closed under tension by the spring. One arm of the spring is anchored in the hinged flap and the other end slots into a vertical recess in the body. This recess is really a slot open on one side and is about 1.5" square and about 6" deep.

This recess is behind the arrow in this pictu-

http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...pgprb.jpg.html

To get this arm into the slot correctly, take off the main cover( with the rear flap still attached). Reassemble by locating the front of the cover in the front of the chassis of the mower. Dont screw it down yet.

With the whole cover assembly located at the front (and flap still attached to it), pull the loose arm of the spring so that the torsion spring is twisted under tension. That is open up the arms s that they are at 180 degrees apart. Then whilst it is still under tension, push the loose arm vertically down into the vertical slot.

It's a wee bit tricky but you will get the hang of it after a couple of tries.

Then screw the cover down and you are done.

On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 20:30:04 -0000 (UTC), Tim+
wrote:

snip

I think the spring has been hit by the blade and acquired an extra bend.

You are probably right.

The long straight end is clearly meant to be located in the "tunnel" in the
flap.

But the other way up (the wire away from the flap itself, as per
Chris's model / picture)?

If the spring was threaded on to the pivot the other way around the
end with the loop on it might rest in the recess in the mower body.

Agreed.

The
notch in the flap would suggest that the looped end should be "outboard"
rather than inboard.

Agreed.

You may be able to get rid of the blade induced kink if it's not too badly
damaged but a new spring is probably needed.

If I was to try I think I'd straighten it I'd do it in a vice or
press, rather than trying to manhandle it into the right shape but (as
you say) if they are cheap, it's probably not worth it.

I mean, what made it come off in the first place?

Cheers, T i m

On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 13:59:20 -0700 (PDT), Yvonne
wrote:

I have one of these and scratched my head the first ttime I reassembled it after changing the motor.

Ok.

The hinged flap at the rear is held closed under tension by the spring.

That makes sense as the lady said without the spring it sprays grass
in her face. ;-)

One arm of the spring is anchored in the hinged flap and the other end slots into a vertical recess in the body. This recess is really a slot open on one side and is about 1.5" square and about 6" deep.

Cool.

This recess is behind the arrow in this pictu-

http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...pgprb.jpg.html

Brilliant, thanks. ;-)

To get this arm into the slot correctly, take off the main cover( with the rear flap still attached). Reassemble by locating the front of the cover in the front of the chassis of the mower. Dont screw it down yet.

With the whole cover assembly located at the front (and flap still attached to it), pull the loose arm of the spring so that the torsion spring is twisted under tension. That is open up the arms s that they are at 180 degrees apart. Then whilst it is still under tension, push the loose arm vertically down into the vertical slot.

Great explanation as I know what we are trying to do (insert the
spring in the slot whilst it's trying to shut the flap).

It's a wee bit tricky but you will get the hang of it after a couple of tries.

At least I know what to expect.

Then screw the cover down and you are done.

Sweet, thanks. The 90 Yr old and dying of cancer lady was told by a
lawnmower repair man that it probably wasn't worth doing. ;-(

While I am there, are there any filters in the motor air cooling path
as I found those were completely blocked on a Flymo I stripped and
cleaned the other day?

Cheers, T i m

On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 21:18:27 +0100, Chris Bartram
wrote:

snip

Now looking on the parts diagrams it looks like the spring is supposed
to be straight (the arms at 180 Degrees from each other) and I guess
there is a slot for the lower half of the spring to slot into?

http://www.ransomspares.co.uk/parts/brands/bosch/lawnmowers/rotak%2040%20gc%20(3600h81c73)/closing-spring/502117.htm

So, does anyone have such a beast who can confirm my thoughts re the
correct fitment above and have you had similar problems with yours?


Does this pic from my Rotak 32 help?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/clouddrive/...hare_link_copy


http://amzn.to/2asA1At


I think it does, it confirms my thought that the vertical part of the
spring probably (on the one I'm dealing with) doesn't lay flat against
the lid as per my picture but away from it as in yours.

That then would match the reply from Tim+ that followed yours. ;-)

Strangely, the image of the new spring in the advert above doesn't
seem to match the exploded diagram at the bottom of the same page but
if it's purpose it so spring the cover closed, makes more sense as per
the advert pic?

I don't know how the spring came to come out or how it got bent (other
than by Tim+'s suggestion of it being hit by the blade) but I think a
new one would be preferred over trying to straighten the old one (it
being spring steel etc).

Cheers, T i m

p.s. Thanks for taking the time to take the pic and reply Chris. ;-)

On 02-Aug-16 10:43 PM, T i m wrote:

Sweet, thanks. The 90 Yr old and dying of cancer lady was told by a
lawnmower repair man that it probably wasn't worth doing. ;-(

It might not be worth doing commercially, actually. If he has to locate
and order a specific part, then puzzle out the non-obvious
reconstruction, that could take a couple of hours. He needs to earn a
living, and he has premises to pay for. It could easily be a 50 quid
repair on an old mower.

Plus VAT, if you want a receipt.

It's nice of you to take the time and trouble, but I'm not sure the
repair man was wrong.



While I am there, are there any filters in the motor air cooling path
as I found those were completely blocked on a Flymo I stripped and
cleaned the other day?


Please let us know. I have a Bosch, and it seems to overheat more now
than when new.



Cheers, T i m

On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 09:53:02 +0100, GB
wrote:

On 02-Aug-16 10:43 PM, T i m wrote:

Sweet, thanks. The 90 Yr old and dying of cancer lady was told by a
lawnmower repair man that it probably wasn't worth doing. ;-(

It might not be worth doing commercially, actually. If he has to locate
and order a specific part, then puzzle out the non-obvious
reconstruction, that could take a couple of hours. He needs to earn a
living, and he has premises to pay for. It could easily be a 50 quid
repair on an old mower.

Of course.

Plus VAT, if you want a receipt.

It's nice of you to take the time and trouble, but I'm not sure the
repair man was wrong.

Yeah, I wasn't really questioning the cost justification when seen as
a commercial solution, just that it was a shame that something like
that might be written off for the cost of a flap spring.



While I am there, are there any filters in the motor air cooling path
as I found those were completely blocked on a Flymo I stripped and
cleaned the other day?


Please let us know. I have a Bosch, and it seems to overheat more now
than when new.

Will do. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On Tuesday, 2 August 2016 22:43:11 UTC+1, T i m wrote:


While I am there, are there any filters in the motor air cooling path
as I found those were completely blocked on a Flymo I stripped and
cleaned the other day?

Cheers, T i m

The answer is YES. You will see them when you take off the entire upper cover assembly - which you have to do anyway to get the torsion spring back under tension. See my earlier post.

On Wednesday, 3 August 2016 16:03:50 UTC+1, Yvonne wrote:

OK, are we all sitting comfotably?

The photo I supplied last night was taken in the dark but I have uploaded two which clearly show the correct layout.

http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...ml?sort=2&o=40

http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...ml?sort=2&o=41

The key thing is that the spring ( in the OP's original photo) is the wrong way round on the black plastic spigot. It should be turned round 180 degrees so that the short arm is on the left.

The short arm with the loop is clearly shown going vertically down into the slot.

The sideways bend is likely human intereference and most ulikely due to it hitting the blade at any time. Even withis slight bend the short arm will go into the slot OK.

My forensic conclusion is that the entire upper cover was, at some stage, removed and whoever did it did not work out how to slott the spring arm under tension into the vertical slot.

Min's a Guinness, please.

On 03/08/16 16:29, Yvonne wrote:
On Wednesday, 3 August 2016 16:03:50 UTC+1, Yvonne wrote:

OK, are we all sitting comfotably?

The photo I supplied last night was taken in the dark but I have uploaded two which clearly show the correct layout.

http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...ml?sort=2&o=40

http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...ml?sort=2&o=41

The key thing is that the spring ( in the OP's original photo) is the wrong way round on the black plastic spigot. It should be turned round 180 degrees so that the short arm is on the left.

The short arm with the loop is clearly shown going vertically down into the slot.

The sideways bend is likely human intereference and most ulikely due to it hitting the blade at any time. Even withis slight bend the short arm will go into the slot OK.

My forensic conclusion is that the entire upper cover was, at some stage, removed and whoever did it did not work out how to slott the spring arm under tension into the vertical slot.

Min's a Guinness, please.

Sadly photobucket simply never has worked on my setup.

If I disable AB+ I get adverts, but still no pictures.


--
If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will
eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such
time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic
and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally
important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for
the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the
truth is the greatest enemy of the State.

Joseph Goebbels

On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 08:03:47 -0700 (PDT), Yvonne
wrote:

On Tuesday, 2 August 2016 22:43:11 UTC+1, T i m wrote:


While I am there, are there any filters in the motor air cooling path
as I found those were completely blocked on a Flymo I stripped and
cleaned the other day?


The answer is YES. You will see them when you take off the entire upper cover assembly - which you have to do anyway to get the torsion spring back under tension. See my earlier post.

Thanks, I'll check that out as well then (and goes along with 'while I
am there'). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On 03-Aug-16 12:38 PM, T i m wrote:

Yeah, I wasn't really questioning the cost justification when seen as
a commercial solution, just that it was a shame that something like
that might be written off for the cost of a flap spring.

Oh so true. Things used to get repaired in the past, but I suspect they
were way more expensive (always allowing for inflation, ofc). Maybe
what we need is a massive hike in VAT on goods, but not services?

On 03-Aug-16 4:37 PM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Sadly photobucket simply never has worked on my setup.


Same here - I use chrome. The trick is to let the page start to load and
then hit the stop loading button. Takes a couple of tries to get the
timing right. Plus I am aided by having quite slow adsl.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 03/08/16 16:29, Yvonne wrote:
On Wednesday, 3 August 2016 16:03:50 UTC+1, Yvonne wrote:

OK, are we all sitting comfotably?

The photo I supplied last night was taken in the dark but I have
uploaded two which clearly show the correct layout.

http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...ml?sort=2&o=40


http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...ml?sort=2&o=41


The key thing is that the spring ( in the OP's original photo) is the
wrong way round on the black plastic spigot. It should be turned
round 180 degrees so that the short arm is on the left.

The short arm with the loop is clearly shown going vertically down
into the slot.

The sideways bend is likely human intereference and most ulikely due
to it hitting the blade at any time. Even withis slight bend the
short arm will go into the slot OK.

My forensic conclusion is that the entire upper cover was, at some
stage, removed and whoever did it did not work out how to slott the
spring arm under tension into the vertical slot.

Min's a Guinness, please.

Sadly photobucket simply never has worked on my setup.

If I disable AB+ I get adverts, but still no pictures.


Interesting. It works for me on this occasion, using Ubuntu 10.4,
Seamonkey 2.1, with java script enabled.

"GB" wrote in message
...
On 03-Aug-16 12:38 PM, T i m wrote:

Yeah, I wasn't really questioning the cost justification when seen as
a commercial solution, just that it was a shame that something like
that might be written off for the cost of a flap spring.

Oh so true. Things used to get repaired in the past, but I suspect they
were way more expensive (always allowing for inflation, ofc). Maybe what
we need is a massive hike in VAT on goods, but not services?

It would be insane to do that when a chinese person can make you a
new one so cheaply.

On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 08:29:22 -0700 (PDT), Yvonne
wrote:

On Wednesday, 3 August 2016 16:03:50 UTC+1, Yvonne wrote:

OK, are we all sitting comfotably?

The photo I supplied last night was taken in the dark but I have uploaded two which clearly show the correct layout.

So dark you forgot you hadn't cleaned the mower for a while. ;-)

http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...ml?sort=2&o=40

http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/sa...ml?sort=2&o=41

Excellent, both pictures come up fine in this 10+ year old XP. ;-)

The key thing is that the spring ( in the OP's original photo) is the wrong way round on the black plastic spigot. It should be turned round 180 degrees so that the short arm is on the left.

I think that had been confirmed upthread somewhere but would good to
see the pictorial version (so thanks for taking some more).

The short arm with the loop is clearly shown going vertically down into the slot.

Agreed.

The sideways bend is likely human intereference and most ulikely due to it hitting the blade at any time.

Ok?

Even withis slight bend the short arm will go into the slot OK.

I didn't try (it was a quick look and photo and was raining outside)
but will.

My forensic conclusion is that the entire upper cover was, at some stage, removed and whoever did it did not work out how to slott the spring arm under tension into the vertical slot.

Quite possibly but such hasn't been mentioned (not to say it didn't
happen of course).

Min's a Guinness, please.

I'm afraid it's only tea a biscuits but have one on us. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 16:51:35 +0100, GB
wrote:

On 03-Aug-16 4:37 PM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Sadly photobucket simply never has worked on my setup.


Same here - I use chrome. The trick is to let the page start to load and
then hit the stop loading button. Takes a couple of tries to get the
timing right. Plus I am aided by having quite slow adsl.


'Trick'? Click on link and it opens ... (I happen to use Firefox).

Maybe my OS / Browser combo is 'just compatible'. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

replying to T i m, Andy wrote:
Without your question on here Tim and the replies from Chris ,Yvonne, GB, Rod
Speed, The Natural Philosopher & Capitol, I would have struggled even longer
on my Bosch Rotak 36!
Thank you to you all, Andy.

https://www.homeownershub.com/img/lv
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/lw
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/lx