Howard 300 rotovator

[vhgmcbuddy]

What’s the operating instructions for these 300’s? How does the gears work when there isn’t any clutch? Help please.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi, it’s got a clutch. It’s operated with a lever and cable, if not used for some time it’s probably seized. Hopefully it’s just the cable. heres a diagram.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Owen
That picture is like the howard 350 but this 300 I have isn’t set up like that. I would say it was set up more like the merry tiller where you pull the lever which puts tension on the belt to make work.

[stuart]

Im sure the model you have Junior is a Dowdeswell 352.Early models had a 5hp B&S engine whilst later ones used the MAG/KUBOTA engine.

[wristpin]

I’m no Howard expert but the clutch illustrated has the ball bearing thrust race to disengage it, so doesn’t that make it a 350? Didn’t all? the earlier 300 machines had the “fibre washer” thrust? Also, didn’t the Dowdswell 352 just have a simple fast and loose belt drive engagement/disengagement system – or was that the Dragon?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Sorry for the confusion Junior. Howard 300 with a Briggs engine had the friction disc clutch fitted to machine serial No 643. It was then replaced by a improved friction disc clutch. Later the cone type was used. All this of no use, as previously mentioned you probably got a 352.

[vhgmcbuddy]

The story about this howard is as follows, I saw it advertised as a howard 350 but when I went to see it I saw that it wasn’t a 350 and the guy said he made a mistake and that it was a 300. So I just took his word for it as Even though it was being sold as spares or repair I thought it was a bargain. Along with the rotovator I also got the cultivator, the plough and the potato furrow at a very good price. I have now got the engine starting and going although its a bit noisy just have problems working the gears. I think the engine could be a replacement engine.
Just went and had a look at the tinwork as some of it was off when I got it. It has howard clifford 300 and a coat of arms on it if that helps any.

[wristpin]

Let’s have some pictures! Worth a thousand words etc!!

[vhgmcbuddy]

How do I put the pictures up?

[charlie]

Junior, to add pictures simply upload them as a file usingthe choose file file option at bottom of screen. Note maximum file size is 3072KB so photos may need resizing, I use shrinkpic which does it automatically and is free to install on your computer.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Here are some pics. Phew glad that worked.

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[stuart]

The belt tensioning pulley assy is not original Junior.Its been “modified” presumably because the original clutch worn out.Also the engine is a later 7hp (or maybe 8hp) B&S.

[wristpin]

Definitely a non standard set up for a 300 or 350. Is there any clutch lever on the handle bars operating a belt tensioning/slackening mechanism. If there is not, no wonder you were asking how to select gears! Crashing the gears in and out will not have been doing the selector collars andy good.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Bit of a mix and mash. Looks to me in photo 3, theres a idler pulley under the belt and an cable going in. See if you can move this cable to release tension on the belt, if you can sort this idler out it might work OK.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Stuart
yeah its a 7hp B+S.

Wristpin
yeah there is a lever on the handle bars that operates a tensioner/idler pulley similar to the merry tiller.

Owen
Yeah your right. I think thats what I’ll have to do slacken it all off and get it free then see what happens.

I only paid £50 for the whole set up which I didn’t think was too expensive as I was planning on keeping it for my veggie patch.

[Author]

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