On Friday, 26 October 2012 17:45:23 UTC+1, Baz wrote:


Thanks for the info.

When I was passing this over the allotment today, and was splattered with

drops of mud I was thinking what would happen if it stalled and stroked

backwards. I think I have some cricket gear somewhere.......


You won't need the pads with the diesel, it's the Kohler petrol engine that tends to chuck stuff at your shins.
The hood over the rotor was originally in 3 parts, the 3rd part - a flap about 6inches wide on the back edge is easily damaged and often missing on older machines, though even the in absence of that it shouldn't kick too much out of the back.
I wonder if you are mollycoddling it and not letting it dig deeply enough?
Handling a beast like this is an art form - lugging it about by brute force will just hurt you, all manoeuvres should be done under power at low revs with the rotor disengaged. Let the machine move it's own weight about, it's stronger than you are.
If you back it up against a wall or fence, just make sure your hips are between the handles and if correcting your course near a wall or fence watch your knuckles.
It's worth looking after it and learning how to use it because nothing nearly as good has been made since.

Rod