Question about a Howard Bantam

This topic has 3 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 8 months ago by bill-c.

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July 4, 2021 at 9:05 am #37385

neilinhants
Participant

Hi everyone,
I am restoring a Howard Bantam and wondered if anyone had any knowledge of an un-usual seal that is riveted inside the gearbox – it appears that a bronze bushing that supports the axle is riveted (using copper rivets) and that an oil seal is attached somehow – I haven’t taken it out yet – but a pet peeve is leaking oil so I always try to replace oil seals. Does anyone have any experience of this part of the machine? Any guidance welcome…
Thanks,
Neil

July 4, 2021 at 4:41 pm #37387

bill-c
Participant

Never worked on one or seen inside of the gearbox but I did find this down load but can’t see any seals on the axle bush
https://www.allotment-garden.org/rotavator-manuals/Howard-Bantam-Instructions-Parts-1950.pdf

July 5, 2021 at 6:41 am #37388

neilinhants
Participant

Many thanks for that Bill – it’s part #85 which simply says Gearbox Oil Seal. The whole machine has a build quality you’d struggle to find nowadays and so warrants some effort I feel. I may take just out the rivets and see what can be done – I can always put it back together with new rivets and the old seal if I can’t find a replacement. One person on Youtube claims the bearing and the bronze bushing are all one part which makes sense because the parts breakdown listing that I have specifies OD,ID and W for every other oil seal in the machine except this one. Since the whole machine was covered in oil I’m not 100% sure it’s leaking anyway – and taking it apart for a second time will be a whole lot quicker than the first strip down.
But thanks for the PDF – it gives info mine does not. I also have the Scythe attachment so I’m looking forward to getting it all working as I have areas of my garden that I’ve lost control of and are ripe for a good scything…
Thanks, Neil

July 8, 2021 at 4:29 pm #37397

bill-c
Participant

I did the same with a Howard Yeoman, the build quality was so good I overhauled the whole thing. I’ve also got a Bantam Scythe which I’m overhauling at the moment to adapt to fit the Yeoman. It’s one of those jobs that fiddle with from time to time do among all the other jobs.
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