[vhgmcbuddy]

looks like post box red if i am going to paint i would love some decals but the ones on fleabay do not cover this model??

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Andy
Thank’s for reply. I will put it back together tonight and give it a try.

Phill

[vhgmcbuddy]

just google for vintage pedestrian tractors.

[vhgmcbuddy]

That is interesting what are the details so we can have a look at the site?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi send your photos of your collection,even if they are made in the USA,I’m sure I can ID them for you,as I spent time in the States
Kind regards
Andrew

[vhgmcbuddy]

Yes this is only ever going to get light use on an allotment, maybe 40 hours a year. So hopefully that won’t be an issue for me.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks for the pictures I will work on a solution. Good lick with the Villiers engine

[vhgmcbuddy]

First I got the air filter apart and cleaned the water/oil out of it, I’d checked the engine wasn’t seized before I rolled it home. There was fuel in there, and so I thought I’d turn it over with the starting rope to see if anything miraculously happened. Nothing. Checked the plug and it was bone dry. Checked for a spark while the plug was out. Nothing.

No fuel no spark so it wasn’t going to be a 5 minute fix. I thought I’d start with fuel system as it had clearly been rained on and might have had some water in. somewhere. Very rusty looking water and fuel came slooowly dribbling out of the fuel pipe when I disconnected it from the carb.

Off came the air filter and carb.

Pic 1 – Carb

It is a “pilot jet type” Villiers carbuettor according to the Villiers Mark 40 engine operating instructions and parts list I have.

Inside was not a pretty sight

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[vhgmcbuddy]

I don’t know if those are enough to make parts for it but I can take more if they don’t make sense.
There are 2 parts to it as far as I can see. One lever shown in the 5th picture is activated when the gear selector lever is pulled back to engage reverse. It is attached to a rod which pulls the clutch in too (its called the reverse lock rod on the diagram in the owners manual). Then the mechanism reengages the clutch when you pull the reverse interlock lever.

Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with. My old mate just dropped off his owners manual into my letterbox. I think its an earlier one than the ones I’ve seen online. From my description over the phone this morning, he doesn’t have a dead mans clutch on his, it’s just same as usual, and his reverse interlock is missing too.
I think I’d be better to start a new thread on this as we are drifting away from the original one about sale price 🙂

[vhgmcbuddy]

Here are some photos of the Reverse interlock mechanism. Also the ID plates for model etc. I don’t know if its possible to date it from that?

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[vhgmcbuddy]

With regards to the one wheel the Yeoman does not have diff-lock only rigid 0,1 or 2 wheel drive. If you push the drive engage lever to the second position you get the two wheel drive engaged which would make the unit earlier to use.

It is good that you sorted the clutch out without disassembly – lots of work. Just as background I think the clutch plate is different the Villiers to the BSA (which I have) not sure what the difference is.

You have something very special on your Yeoman that is missing off nearly all the rest, the Reverse clutch safety disengage. It would be really useful if you have some photos of the mechanism with measurements. I would like to fabricate the missing parts for my Yeoman.

I agree that the rotor box is heavy but not impossibly so. The tine situation is good. I did find that the Howard Gen tines fit the Yeoman. I suspect that the Gem tines are beefed up to cope with the extra power so they should last longer on a Yeoman. In my case it is essential as the original engine had to be replaced and now has a 13Hp Chonda unit rather than the orignal BSA420.

[vhgmcbuddy]

It is really good that you can still provide a very necessary service where needed and that the safety of those working in this environment can be accommodated. Part of the army of people trying to stop the economy completely collapsing.

There does need to be common sense, though this can appear as uncommon sense at times, Commercial growers must be our priority and then domestically it is normally the case that the equipment used last year can be pressed into service again this year. I am seeing seed stocks locally depleted but not exhausted but I suspect this is normal growing season purchases with an extra load from new growers.

I am blessed with an environment where I do not need to leave home except food, I am doubly blessed with a job where I have already been working from a home office for more than 15 years which is continuing unchanged, except I have been asked to take holiday earlier in the year. 2 weeks project work coming up which I am looking forward to. Perhaps some of those old projects saved for when I get time might be completed.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Its good to read that everyone is towing the line.The trouble is the Government is in un chartered waters,but we must keep our distance,unfortunately there is a higher percentage of older members in this hobby than young.
I read what Busman says about large items being advertised for sale on internet sites,and it is fair to say,no you cannot collect or deliver,as is not essential,but its times like these that if you think out side the box,it is possible.
I have a horticultural Business that is still working, it has to as it is one of the most important times of the year, we are working on remote sites but have to comply with Government guide lines and have the use of PPE.
Yes the supply chain for spare parts are still open but wholes are appearing,on certain parts as when manufacturers are not working,which will have a knock on effect,when this pandemic is over.
I have just come out of a meeting with a certain Mr Wallingfield!Using social distancing and our carriers.
As we work on remote sites,we have arranged to pack full size rotavators on pallets to be shipped nationally.When ready the carrier collects,with everyone a safe distance away, and when delivery is done again there will be strict instructions,where by the carrier will leave the pallet in a pre determined place, IE a driveway,which will be pre agreed.
It must be stressed,if seeds are not planted now you can forget vegetables in June on shop shelves!

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks for that. I had a look a bit further into it this evening. The dipstick didn’t show any oil at all in the gearbox so it must have escaped over the last 10 years at some point. The engine in a Villiers Mark 40 and runs pretty well. I filled it up with some new oil and cleaned all the moss and crap away from the clutch fulcrum. The clutch freed up after I worked it back and forward a few mm at a time and seems to be working fine.
I walked it up to my allotment about 3/4 mile away this evening with a plan to collect the rotor box, which is too heavy for me to manually get home.
Good news is the rotor box was free running and fitted on a charm. It has some almost new looking tines which would have been expensive to find. However I found out that I’m only driving one wheel and when the rotors engage its not easy to keep up with it even in low range and low drive. The rotors dig in to the surface and propel it along at almost running speed. And I don’t run so fast these days. As the clutch activates when depressed that means if it did get away, it would eat its way through the allotment until it hit a ditch. I don’t think there would be any way to stop it .So I decided to shut it down and go have a think

Now my old mate in his 80’s also has a Howard Yoeman that I’ve used and I’m sure his clutch worked like a dead-mans switch, like the reverse interlock seems it should. Now here’s a thought. If I move the clutch fulcrum around a bit, (guessing it is splined) so its always free running. Will the reverse interlock work to push it into gear like it does when you reverse, or is there some other way to make it operate like a dead-mans clutch, engaged when depressed, if that makes sense.

Normally I’d just take it round to my mate and have a look at how he has his set up. But at the moment its not really an option. How is it supposed to work, and do people usually have it set up the way mine seems to be right now?

[vhgmcbuddy]

i have used the clone coils with no problem. But i look out on the internet sites for used genuine ones from scrapped mowers. My titan gt has a 7hp briggs and that has a bigger version of the magnatron . If the paint has gone from the shroud and has no sticker you can tell the size by the number of bolts holding the shroud on, one bolt at the top 5hp two bolts at the top 7hp. Hope this helps.

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