Anglo Traction

A real shame things have to happen this way. I treasure and use the Tools and things that belonged to my Father. Hope they end up going to the likes of people on here to continue their usefulness, rather than for them to be junked.

Wasn't sure where to locate this, so as it will be 95% Metal, here's as good 'a' place as any. Wanted to use the spare Villiers Mk2 Midget Engine I am rebuilding to power something stationary?, but will also need to have additional cooling. I've been thinking about what I already have laying around in parts n materials I may need and started digging them out from various storage places. Blowing the Cobwebs from my memory, I recalled back in the early 90s salvaging some parts from a 1948 Ransomes Simms & Jeffries Lawnmower, namely 2 hefty brass bearings in Plates that carry a heavy lump of (rusty) cast iron that acted as a PTO Clutch, rpm increase Gear Box and stored a lot of inertia. The Mower itself was way past fixing up. Shame, as it had a large Starter Hand Crank, the likes of which I have never seen anywhere since. Anyway, I managed to recall where they were. There's 2 remote Screw Capped Oilers, an old Line Shaft Bearing block (5/8" bore) with Brass Screw Down Greasers. Length of Box section Steel and 15/16" AF high Carbon Steel. Also dug out some stubs of 1" and 5/8" AF Brass from my Garage Door Counter weights which turned out to carry several other useful bits. Previous owner/resident of my property (60s/70s) must have been a Turner judging by the very dusty tarnished evidence- The inside of this PTO Clutch is similar to a Diff which spins freely when drive is not engaged. A large Brake Band clamps the outer surface and the planet gears inside transfer the drive to the opposite shaft at a 5:1 increase in RPM. I plan for it to act as a speed reduction unit and PTO Clutch. Condition inside is fairly good, considering there was water amongst the old grease. I need to make new heavy bushings, fit new bolts and machine the outer friction face which is pitted, but still has the 'Witness' and number marks Stamped in by the guy who first assembled/finished it- . My main intention on this project is to refresh my limited familiarity with Lathe and metalwork practices on a fair amount of old Brass, Copper, Bronze and Steel parts. I'll be using BSF, Whitworth and BSP thread forms , and I won't be in any particular hurry to finish it, so please bear with me, as even I don't know what it is to look like yet! .

Very nice Items Alan and a good teaser Thread. Just guessing with the Square, but wonder if it's for checking/setting bent tubing of a fixed diameter to 90 degrees?. The Dial Indicator is superb. I love these little precision Tools/Instruments. Reckon It is used for centring round bar or tube stock in a 4 jaw Chuck, either on the circumference, or setting the rounded Ball end in a previously centre drilled end or bore. As for the last item, I think Norm is on the ball with a Plunger type Tool. and hope he solves it for us. I can't be sure from the pics, but wonder if it has included angles of both 55deg and 60 degrees ?. If so, maybe it is for checking threads in some way?. If not, maybe for checking the 'Lead' angle of Worm Drive Gears or something?. What I can't see, is how a measurement can be taken with the instrument/tool just held in the hand, unless there is a 'Stop' or register on it that provides consistency of measurement. Edit- 4pm local. It is as Koen said (missed his link) and Norm vaguely recalls. It's a rev counter....had me stumped!.

From what I have read, learned and tested over the years of using this process, the best Battery Charger set up is to have an older type Charger that has no 'Auto Reduction' or Cut Out. 4 Amps is about ideal, but I've obtained good results with 2.5 amps (or less) and used an Auto Reduction Charger . It just takes longer to do it's job on large pieces/panels. Power/efficiency reduces with build up of corrosion on the Anode Rod(s) and resistance increases ,so you can work with what you have if you clean the Rods regularly and keep the gap between Anode and the Work piece to a reasonably close position. A handy method I use is to have 2 sets of Anode Rods. I use one set then switch them over, but use the process to clean the old Rods, saves a lot of cleaning.

As Darren says re the Tag. The 147cc Villiers (mk15) was introduced after Dec 1953, there is also an HS version that produced 2.5bhp and had a conversion kit available for running on Paraffin (Kerosene). If the Grass Box is original to that Mower, the 'By Appointment' transfer will refer to H M Queen (Liz II) . The Handlebar Style is also a giveaway that tells us it is fairly modern (post WW11) in Atco history. It looks unmolested, so the Tag should still be there somewhere and these were used during the 50's. Another way to get a rough age on some Villiers is to inspect the Flywheel for a date stamp. This may narrow down the date a bit further, but bear in mind that Villiers 'Stock Piled' manufactured parts and so a 1953 stamped Flywheel could be on a 1955 built engine. You can get the manuals for the engine.

Ok, If it is an Osprey and 7hp, then I can offer you some help. The Engine Model, Spec and Serial nbrs on the Engine (1980) in my original Thread is 170702 - 5638-01. If you want to check further, then just count the number of Cylinder Head Bolts. If you have 9, then it should be 17cu inch 7hp............... A 5hp (14 cu in) engine has 8. I have PDF Files of both the Illustrated Parts Manual and User Manual that I can post here or send. Or, you can enter the numbers into the Briggs and Stratton Website Manuals section and download your own. The User Manual has most of the common service procedures and Data you'll need. Any other bits you need, I can check my Manual for you.

Great story. They don't end better than that eh !.

Surprised to see this old thread resurrected, but obviously served it's purpose as a reference as well. But of a challenge Rog, trying to ID the engine in that example. The Shroud look's like it has been replaced, along with the rewind starter. Problem is that the Engine numbers are stamped on the side of the (non original) Shroud. Engines in these machines of this age (70s), I believe were either 5 or 7 hp. I would need more/better images of the engine with any numbers you find. I have a workshop Manual that covers all Briggs up to 1982. Before the No Spark issue is further investigated, check you are trying to start it with the Throttle at mid position. There is a 'Kill System' that cuts the ignition at 'Throttle Closed' position. Note also that if the machine is laid on it's (carburettor) side, the Crankcase Oil will flow into the Carb and subsequently the upper cylinder/Exhaust and Air Filter via the 'Breather'. I can't be sure yet, but I don't think it has the 'Magna- Matic' system. Suspect though, it may possibly have and just need a good clean and service of the ignition system, i.e. points, condenser and Armature Air Gap checked.

Ah, now I see the Engine, it may only have a Single SU or Zenith Downdraught under that Filter. Forgot that it's likely to be a Series III .

Don't think my spares will fit Norm. Not easy to see what size it is, but look's 1/4" BSP?.

Glad to see you released it from storage and got it to yours. Assuming the Floor/Chassis is good, there is nothing that can't be fabricated on it. Superb project. I remember seeing these in the very early sixties. If your able, I would like to see an 'Under Bonnet' shot, and there should be nice pair of SUs bolted to the straight 6. Thanks for sharing.

I take no credit for the ingenuity of the attachment, as it was conceived more than half a century ago by renowned Model Engineers in this form . I just adapted it to my use/machine and so posting it on here, it will inspire others to apply a principle to fit their needs. Reckon looking back into the past can solve many problems we come across, as probably like for example Norm's Dad and mine, a lot can disappear with them .

Maybe it's the same as a Full refurb on a Garden Tractor (without an engine Hoist), or a hard starting Kohler with a Pulstart

Look's like a Slide Weight from an Exercise Machine? . So what is the total addition weight of it Norm?.

Bit limited until I get the new Glasses, but I decided to make a Classic/Vintage looking replacement Spark Plug Screw Cap. Regretfully, I had to make it to fit a modern Metric threaded Plug . I made an Indexing tool a long time ago that allowed me to make and Mark Out a lot of parts for my Traction Engine. It just bolts onto the Change Wheel Quadrant (Myford ML7) and a Mandrel that fits/locks into the end of the Spindle to carry any number toothed Change Wheel. For this job. I only needed to use the 25 toothed Spindle Driven Gear (removed the Tumbler Reverse selector Lever and Stud)- Stub of 1/2" dia Brass turned down to shape, drilled and tapped M4 . I used a 60 deg pointed lathe tool on it's side set on the C/Line and proceeded to manually pass the Tool across the face taking small light cuts to 20thou deep, then turned and locked the Lathe Spindle with the pointed screw in the next tooth groove and repeated. In progress and prior to Parting Off from the Stub- . The result is a nice clean grooved rim to grip with the fingers for tightening on the Spark Plug. I do have Knurling Wheels so I can make a Clamp type Knurling Tool, but preferred the straight grooves for this job. I'll make a BA Threaded one as well for when I find a good genuine vintage Lodge CB3 Plug for the Villiers.

That's one nice project you have there!. (insert Envy Smiley here). 1959, London registered 6/90. Interior is as you say......real good. I had an Eye Test for new glasses today, but do I see 58474 miles on the Clock?. Shame all the Dross on top creased the roof, still, at least it wasn't thrown inside it. Yeah, I also remember Green Shield Stamps. Look forward to following your progress on it.

Ah, ok. 1-0310 is listed (U.S.) as a '71' 12hp with a Kohler Engine in most WH records. So you have a Belgium-ised Model that used up surplus parts from U.S. for the Euro market. Not big deal really, as it is converted to what it should have been, albeit with a later engine.....so call it a Raider 12 and get some new Decals for it

Can't even manage to accommodate an Engine Alan . Have to give the rusty ones a miss now sadly.

I know nothing about modern I-phones or windows 10. To me, it look's like there is an issue with the format of the 'Portrait' image from the phone to the Window PC landscape default format ?. Both are 16-9 ratio, but are ar**s about face, so it lays the image on it's side and then embeds it that way on the Forum............Karl (nylyon) may be your saviour on this.

Should be a model 1-0300 then. Not an issue with having the 2 extra fixings for bolting the engine in, had to be done as the old engine is obsolete. Your Tractor was the last of the 'Short Frames' and was actually a Transition model. The Bonnet/Hood is the new (at the time) 'Long Hood', but the old short frame had extensions added to carry the New Hood hinges. The original Techy was mounted using an Adaptor Plate to get the right Shaft height and so the frame had very few holes predrilled for various engine types. If your not already aware, Charlie Smith has an 'Intact' example of your Tractor. here's a link to his post that has some pics if it helps at all- http://myoldmachine.com/topic/2257-wheel-horse-front-weight-bracketbox/

16:1 is good for the motor's age. I was apprehensive about using modern synthetics in these old engines and so I stick to the old mineral 30 or 40 weight. The new stuff does not have the sealing capabilities needed in the plain shaft bearings (ok for modern ball bearings and Oil sealed engines) . They changed the design of the crankcase, bearings and added Thrust bearings somewhere around 1956 and allowed a reduction in Oil-fuel ratio. Ring wear limit of > 1/32" is a common excessive smoke cause, but then a little blue haze is part of their character . I've been running several tests on certain Oils for some time with claims of corrosion to yellow metals in certain conditions..............no evidence found yet. Again, very impressed with the result of your work. Decals look superb repro's.

I kept looking at replacement Allen Scythe Fingers on a website and thinking they looked the same.....had to wait to see if anyone with the knowledge would endorse it . Wish I could have had the opportunity to have done a full rebuild on that one Alan . .

Look's like you made it to 3 am in the end Darren . Excellent job on the Mower. Look's the Dogz.... What fuel/Oil ratio are you using in it ?.

Just checked the part numbers for a Kohler 8hp supplied to Wheel Horse in the early 70s. The old Starter Motor Bendix drive (16 tooth) part number was 236535-s and discontinued. The 'Low Mount' Starter Motor unit (A232981-S) is also discontinued, but has a revised/replaced part number of 41-098-03 (for the whole starter). I would be impressed if you can obtain a N.O.S Kohler Bendix Drive Kit on it's own, and if you do, it will cost about the same as the cheapest Starter Motor you can import. If it were me, I would replace the whole thing with a new one. I would also,, and I'm sure you have, check to see why the teeth had suffered so badly, like loose mount or worn bearing. I would also check with Simon Smith or Tim Ayliffe at D.W. Ayliffe in Oxted to see if they may have an old useable one?. They can also order Kohler parts for you- .http://dwayliffe-gardenequipment.co.uk/