Old lawnmower Briggs and stratton

[lordyboy]

I have an old 3.5bhp Briggs and Stratton powered mower (Has model 520 on it) built in 1980 according to the B and S website -however it doesn't pick up the grass once it has been cut, it has had new blades on it but the grass doesn't reach the cutter box. The engine is fine with no problems. The blades are about 3 inches long bolted to a large round plate which is powered by the motor (10 in diameter)

Any ideas?

[connor91]

is it going round fast enough,might have gears on wrong,big one should be on motor,small on cutter.

con

[Thunderbird+]

Briggs and Stratton is a good Quality Americam engine, I've used many over the years and still use one in my own garden now. The trouble is with a lot of these rotories is they are not very efficient at collecting grass, especially if its a bit long and wet, I find it far easier to leave off the grass box and rake up the grass cuttings afterwards. Sorry if this has not been very helpful but thats how I get round it. All the Best.

[Clanad]

There are no gearring mechanism since the Briggs is a direct drive to the cutting blade mower. You say you've had the blade replaced. At the end of the blade (each end actually, the blade should have a sudden bend in it up to abot a 30 degree angle. This will be on the back side, not the cutting side. It will be about 4 inches long. This causes the blade to create a lifting action to eject the cut grass into the reciever. The replacement blade may not have had this feature. Additionally, if grass has been allowed to glue itself to the underside of the deck over time, it will disrupt the airflow neccessary to eject the clippings as well. There couldn't be much else to cause your problem... By the way, here's a picture of the blade I attempted to describe...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4366049029&category=29520#ebayphotohosting

[Thunderbird+]

I think I'm familiar with the type of blades you discribe lordyboy, if so they are designed to swing out with centrefugal force of the spinning plate and also swing out of the way if it comes into contact with a solid object, like a brick. If this is the case its the plate that causes the down-draft to eject the cuttings.

The blades soon become blunt after a while and may need replacing (bolts too) Always be sure to disconect the spark plug when changing the blades, I've found you can get some extra life out of them by turning them over, as most of the wear is on right-hand side of the blade as it spins clock-wise.

Personally I think the grass rake does a better job anyway, as it gets scarified too! Good Luck.

[Clanad]

It may be that, as Sir Winston Churcill, I believe, once stated... Americans and British are a people with similar heritage seperated by a common language...

[Thunderbird+]

Yeah, something like that clanad. Or was it two great nations devided by a common language ? Still we will lose no sleep over it, I doubt.Cheers..

[pawwaw17]

by the sounds of the original desription the blades pictured above are not the correct ones. i think the blades being described are 3 inch long rectangles, but should still be turned up in a similar manner to creat the lift to suck the grass up.

[lordyboy]

Firstly let me say I can't believe how good this site is and the responses from Thunderbird+ and pawwaw17 have it spot on. The blades however are flat and do not have the raised edges I have tried fitting the blade clannad linked to but the motor ran all wrong and sounded like ti was going to break!!!
Where could I buy blades with the raised edges?
Thanks again you have all restored my faith in human nature!!