howardman

I use my one every so often in my landscaping business ....its surprisingly powerful for a 5 hp engine....it can really move . We load it with a mini digger and it handy for moving soil or gravel. Its a bit tricky to control to say the least......a more modern machine nowadays would be hydro static. It takes the equivalent of 3.5 normal wheelbarrows at a time and its manual tipping (hydraulics would be nice)...but it was a freebie so i wont complain. Post a pic of your one you get a chance ...haven't heard of that make.

Took photo with my phone and ran into trouble with file size...anyway i have 2 Howard dragons ..one of which stripped for a gearbox repair hence the photo with engine removed. Its a while since i took it apart but from memory the side panel is removed , the clutch is bolted on with two bolts onto the side of the gearbox, and onto the front mechanism. Those clutch cables are of course hens teeth. Your one looks a lovely machine , my good one was used for landscaping and while still working is battle scarred. The one in the photo i posted a few years back on the VHGMC forum...i bought it minus the rotor box.. a non runner with a gearbox issue. Amazingly i met an ex Howard employee at a vintage show in 2019 and he had a dragon gearbox and a gear change cable ...he worked for Howards Ireland operation (Closed in 1982)..the gearbox he had was replaced under warranty ,so was damaged .... but had the bits i needed.

H

I changed those coils several times on different kohler gems. The circular black coil bit is removed from the metal horseshoe bit of your old coil after removing the metal clip on the side. The replacement coil (black circular piece only ) is pushed down onto your old metal horseshoe shaped piece . Do not get hung up on the tecumseh marked on the old plastic coil ....the replacement round black coils on ebay or from Guy parts and service (where i got mine) will fit down on to the metal section you have ..once you remove the black tecumseh piece first.

Those coils are easily sourced on eBay UK.....one Chinese seller has one for just over a tenner...... just type in kohler K301 and scroll down.There is also a company called "Guy parts and service" (just type this into google).. a chap called Mike Hitchin in kenilworth who has the coils and also electronic ignition units ...that eliminate the points ... worth getting as the points often need cleaning on these machines. There are also plenty of non original carbs for theses engines available on eBay and other sites.

Nice collection ..what is the one with the propeller ? assume its for cooling!!

Nice collection especially the rare early allen.....i have one of the common later 2 stokes in bits in the loft of my shed i keep meaning to put together!!

This is the trusty Greyhound plough i am restoring along with my Douglas engine Trusty tractor....the plough has been well used!! i am hoping someone out there could give the original measurements/ thickness /photos of a good landslide as this one is almost completely worn away!!

The last time i dealt with him i paid for a part with pay pal but couldn't get him to sent the part on despite numerous phone calls . Got my money back by opening a dispute with Pay pal. Howard dragon parts are very scare especially those push pull cables for clutch /gear change .... their like hens teeth.

I got the plough off Chester Hudson about 10 years ago ..i Have only seen one once for sale and that was on ebay some years ago.

Nice variety of machines ...your howard dragon caught my eye as i have two of them and the reversible plough and sickle bar attachments.

Thanks wristpin will give them a try .

Hi would anyone know where i could get a set of centrifugal clutch springs for a briggs engined 26" hayter roller drive. I damaged it a few months ago (hit a big stone in high grass) and it sent bits of the clutch flying ! anyway have done a repair but need 2 x clutch springs. They are a mighty machine to cut high grass.

Thanks Mark that is the detail i need . Will measure it up at the weekend...got one of those power fix micrometers some years ago . The trusty was outside since the early 1980's so its in a bad way..but i have it nearly sorted now.!

I am restoring a 1947 single speed trusty tractor that was outside for a very long time and need to source new gearbox chains (3). have tried motorcycle shops but nobody seems to have a match. Anyone got any suggestions?

I have a 2 wheel trusty tractor that i am restoring . The hubs were shot but i have sourced a set of adjustable hubs . I am told wheels for tyres can be made up from land rover defender rims .....anyone ever done this?

Lucas sr1 tapered shaft

I need the 15 tooth sprocket that fits on the magneto of a howard gem . can arrange courier/pay with pay pal

Managed to reverse the lucas sr1 magneto ,. Got a pdf Lucas workshop Manuel for the SR1 magneto in pdf form on line and it covered cam timing. The points cam is held on a taper with a screw and can be loosed and moved . Part of the timing needs a gauge of .076 of an inch ..so i used a micrometer to select a thin drill bit ...took a few goes but the spark seems stronger in the anticlockwise rotation now., than when it was set up to go clockwise .

Thanks wristspin but i had it mounted in a vise and had attached a new lead ... that i touched off the side of the vise ...to discharge the current.

Cant see any other way of mounting the points, but at least it has an excellent spark since i changed the condenser. It has no impulse but still gives a good spark when turn over by hand. I have a new found respect for the lucas sr1.

I picked up Lucas Sr1 magneto for my jap engine howard gem but need to reverse the rotation (clockwise to anticlockwise) has anyone ever tried this before ?

Looks fabulous ..I really must get to some of the big shows in the Uk to see great restorations like this . The picture of the yours and Gareth's stunning howard Gem line up really had we wishing i was there!!!

Thanks for the replies /suggestions. Great photos Gareth as usual. I will have have to get a sprocket from the only source i can unfortunately think of ...in the south east... I have a good wico A but after a one hour battle some years ago putting a new impulse spring into it ...i cant bring my self to remove it again ..so will track down a new one. I will remove the head tomorrow to have look at the piston /bore/valves ..but i think it will be some time before it looks like yours Gareth!!

Thanks Gareth.. It was the sprocket end ..or a magneto off the engine i need to see, but appreciate these chain driven mags don't exactly slide out!! . Anyway will post a few pics at the weekend ...it will no doubt keep me entertained /challenged in the dark winter nights!! The engine is seized solid after 30 yrs under a tree..