OK, here goes! The definitive guide to driving a Trusty if you’ve never done it before!
1. Make sure that both levers on the handlebars are clipped back securely under their hooks;
2. Start engine and warm up so that it ticks over smoothly;
3. Stand at the back and rotate right-hand twist grip throttle until the engine is ticking over at it’s slowest speed;
4. Look down the left hand side of the transmission casing- look for the end of the countershaft which is about 3″ diameter and has four holes drilled and tapped in it- this needs to have stopped spinning before you do anything else;
5. Once it has stopped spinning you can engage drive to one or both wheels by moving the large handlebar levers from under the clips to a position towards the middle of the machine. The left hand lever controls drive to the left hand wheel, the right hand to the right wheel so that you can turn it under power. If you engage both together it will drive in a straight line;
6. Increase revs on the engine slowly by turning the twist grip on the right hand handlebar and you will find that the drive engages gradually and the machine moves off;
7. To stop just close down the twist grip throttle to allow the engine to tick over again;
8. On no account must you move the levers unless the end of the countershaft has stopped spinning.
9. To turn the tractor after driving in a straight line you must come to a stop, disengage the wheel on the inside of the turn you wish to make, then increase the revs so that the drive is taken to the one remaining wheel only. Once the tractor is pointing in the direction that you want it to, come to a stop again, re-engage the wheel and increase the revs to drive in a straight line again.
It sounds awfully complicated but it is simplicity itself once you’ve had a go. Let me know the serial number and I’ll put you on the Trusty Register with it.
Above all have lots of fun with it!
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