Jump to content

Unofficial Home of Old Simplicity & Allis-Chalmers Garden Tractors

Picked this Little guy up today


Deezil

Recommended Posts

Seems as this is a Simplicity made 1962 ish Montgomery Ward Lawn Trac.  It has a 32" 3 bladed deck.   It was listed for sale as the 7hp only and the mower just came with it.  I primarily bought it for the 7hp briggs for a Springfield Toro I have.

The Fella I bought it from didn't know much about it. He bought it because it was cute several years ago... It runs great but we didn't know much about what controls what. After a few scary wheelies and reverse peel outs we drove it around his driveway a few times not knowing how to get it to stop.    The engine cover is missing and lost to time.     I'll probably keep it and put a older engine I have on it to match the age. 

The deck works as well. No major noises.  I'll probably keep it.   I still don't really know how to run it. Handles and knobs everywhere. And I still cant get it to stop.  

 

Good times.

53873437_1108207069381967_6148026181330403328_n.jpg

54435133_1108207106048630_5513675849766797312_n.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe it's a Simplicity "Wonderboy" in MW clothing: 

garden_mark.jpg

Simplicity version:

wb_600.jpg

Info here:

https://simpletractors.com/research/other-labels/montgomery-ward/1962-catalog/lawn-trac-r1364/

 

https://simpletractors.com/research/simplicity/new-in-1962/

1 hour ago, Deezil said:

 It runs great but we didn't know much about what controls what

Go here:

https://www.simplicitymfg.com/na/en_us/support/manuals/results.productmanuals.html?searchrequested=990230

and you should find manuals for a Similar Simplicity tractor (mfg#990230).  If you can find the mfg# somewhere on your tractor, try that number for an exact match.  

Maybe someone else can find a closer mfg# for you.  But I would think the operators manual would explain most of the controls.  

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just spent a few hours with it.  It was mean to me and I to it.

I rigged up a Tecumseh tank for the time being and put that on it. The other one was leaking and I was afraid I'd torch myself.  

 

I found the manual and started going over the manual or arms....er what knob does what.   I think I kinda have it.   It needs bushes big time in the steering neck.  The deck works and the big 7hp totes it along at full clip with the deck running.  The blades look brand new.   Literally .

 

The deck supports in the front are fatigue cracked.  The yellow pieces are braces put in place to keep it together.  They really do look manufactured.  Maybe something simplicity did for them later on?  I'll take the factory ones off and have the kids down at the race shop weld them up.  Young steady hands are a blessing.

It has a data tag on it. I'll grab a pick of it in a bit.

 

Hope I can find a hood sometime. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice machine. I had seen it listed several times on STL craigslist. Nice to hear it finally landed with a good home. The Wards units are a bit harder to find and aside from the hood being gone, that one is in very nice condition. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey! I bought a brand new 1978 10 HP engine that I do not intend to use, such a machine as that would have made it to the back of my truck, too. Have fun with the group!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

This contraption sucked me in.

 

lm slowly making some headway with this thing.  The 7hp briggs found a new home in my 1968 Toro Suburban and that project is finished up.

 

The Little Montgomery Ward lawn trac has had a few Heart transplants as well.  First a grubby 6hp briggs made its way onto it but I changed my mind on that after a dig through my Stash.

A few years back I came across a Big wheel walk behind Yazoo Mower that had been crunched (Ran over by company truck) by the landscaping company that owned it  The engine was fine so I saved it and scrapped the rest.   The engine is a Wisconsin Robin ey25w 6.5hp.  Its a Friggen beast.  It is taking some creative effort to get the lug to fit but I've tried doing it all without modifying **anything** permanently on the Lawn trac.

Here's a Pic of a ey25 with a different pull start that I have.   The shroud is what is doing it for me especially on this little mower..  My ey25 tin is red btw.  I hope to be able to use the Wisconsin robin fuel tank as well./

Should have some pics in a few days. Fingers crossed.

 

s-l1600.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Wisconsin Robin engine is on.  Had to machine two aluminum bars to raise and move the engine back to the position the 7hp engine was in. Didn't want to jack up the geometry with the belts and gizmos running everything.   All the tin will eventually be painted....Maybe.    Notice how the shroud follows the same lines as the mower?  That's what got me thinking about it.

 

.The goal was to not try and modify anything permanently.  The belt guard and friction finger on the pto side was about the only thing to get modified. But even then it was only a piece of flat stock tacked to it to reach a existing hole on the Wisconsin block.  Choke and throttle are not hooked up yet (see em hangin?)..    And I couldn't find my other recoil starter.  Have to use this one for now.   It's in bead blast finish. I'll have to paint it and put the screen on it.

The Wisconsin engine is rated at 6.5hp but I'd wager to bet its a whole heck of a lot more than that especially at full tilt. I ran it around and cut my front yard. Deck needs a idler and maybe some bearings but it does leave a nice cut path.

Next up.. Steering needs to get sorted.  I'm having issues getting steering wheel and shaft combo off.  It needs a bushing made for the pitman arm shaft and it all has to come out with the steering wheel and shaft first.  Top shaft is slip fit and is rusted to the pitman arm shaft coming up through the bottom..   I was able to spray a substantial amount of sea foam deep creep down the steering tube. I hope it helps.  I really don't want to damage the shaft or the steering wheel.

 

Good times.

20190515_174618.jpg

Edited by Deezil
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Still working on the steering. I soaked the steering tube with kroil  this time on the inside and I'm trying to drive it out through the bottom.  Super sketchy but that's the only way it'll came apart.

Took the deck off for the most part. Spindle bearings are smooth as silk. The Idler.....Not so much. I'll have to come up with a new one of those.   I'll take the deck brackets to the Kid's at the race shop this week to weld up.

 

 

Fun stuff. I just hope I dont wreck the steering wheel..

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I  have a first few years of production big wheel Yazoo that is in some bad shape. Restoration will include taking it to a fab shop and having the tubing copied and welded together. I used the mower as a kid. My Dad bought it from a local priest that had had it donated by a parishoner when new, to keep the playground at the adjacent Catholic school in shape. I also have his Gravely, but it has found a new home. Projects like yours and the Yazoo are more a labor of love than of necessity.

The transmission/Drive system looks an awful lot like its counterpart on my 2 wheel, 1952 model M1 tractor. If you disassemble it for any reason, let me know. I figured out how to make the shaft seals, and have a couple rubber blanks left over, sitting quietly in brake fluid to keep them soft. The M1 tractor, as best I can tell, has 2 speeds, changed by moving the belt to another groove in the engine pulley, have not gotten it moving under its own power as yet.

If you are going to use the mower, you might remove the idler and drop it in a cleaner, blow it out with air a few times, then drop in oil to let it soak, blowing oil to the inside with air to add oil to the inside. If is not completely frozen, that might make it work for a bit. Idlers can be bought from a decent small engine shop that has been around a while. You might check with Brenda over at Sandy Lake Implement, a sponsor, here. She might have parts on the shelf, or in her used inventory. Brenda is also a collector and is very knowledgeable.

My Landlord has a mix of parts from Brenda and Motion Industries.

Have fun!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I was able to find a deck idler on ebay of all places.  It had a 1/8th needed ground off of the center to get it to the same thickness on the spindle shaft (hub) to use it but it works and I am glad to have a new spindle.  

 

As far as the steering issue...

I tried using a huge beefy bearing separator under the steering collar to try and get the steering wheel and shaft combo off the steering shaft that runs down to the Pittman arm.  The separator had tapped holes and I ran allthread up to a very substantial puller that I ran the ram down into the steering wheel shaft.  It didnt work.  Its rusted up tighter than all get out.   I am really lucky I didnt collapse the chrome tube steering wheel shaft.  I put a ton of force on it.

 

I think the safest thing to do is either cut a slit into the tube up to where the shaft ends inside it and spread it open......or....Cut the actual arm off the end of the steering rod that goes down into the steering neck and then make a brass bush for it there and then weld the arm back on.    Im looking at that option first.  If I can do that and get it back together I want to try that.  

 

Both of these will save the steering wheel and rod .   

 

The steering wheel tube is rusted up tight.  The kroil was pooled up in the shaft and NONE of it worked its way done to the steering rod coming up into the steering wheel shaft even with heat!    Super crazy...   Really hard work trying to get it off without wrecking the whole steering unit

 

This silly things been more work than dang near everything I have worked on in the last few years...  I'm glad the deck was a simple fix.  5 Minutes with a grinder had it back into working order. 

 

Rest assured..............I'm gonna get it though...And this thing will be cutting with the best of them.   You just watch!

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Success!!!    I cut a slit into the chrome tube and was able to remove the lower steering shaft.   

 

It was dang near near cut in half from 50 years of steel on steel.  No bushes at all on this shaft.   There will be in a bit though. :)

 

The way this is set up I was able to cut the pitmann off then cut the damaged section off and then re-weld the pitmann arm back on.    Being 7/8's shorter in length doesn't affect the setup. 

 

Anyhow... Here's pics below and I hope to have the Bushings made up and fitted this weekend.   Top and bottom of steering wear. :)

20190624_102259.jpg

20190624_102312.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bushings!  A friend made these for me on his lathe at home.  I have a decent old Southbend but its down for some cross slide work.  

I'll bush the top and bottom of the lower steering shaft.  The Bottom of the steering tower near the foot rest will need to get cut out and a new piece welded in where the lower steering rod has egged it out over the years.  I'll have to get pics before and after. It's super gnarly right now.

Annnnnnnd...I'm dealing with a Kidney stone so may need to take a break one it for a few days.  Ouch!

 

Good and not so Good times!

 

imagejpeg_0(1).jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A little bit of work down while the kidney pain subsided a tad...

Lower steering shaft mocked up.  Washer has bushing press fitted Into it.  The washer is conveniently the size needed to repair lower steering column section that is damaged from years of wear.  I plan on cleaning up that end and welding the washer to the lower column on the underside. The top of the column will get punched open to press fit the upper brass bushing.  Should be good to go here shortly! 

 

 

20190628_105811.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...