Engine slide

[adsm08 2,056]

So this Speedex I'm working on appears to have and "engine slide" clutch deal, which I'm not real sure about. Push pedal, it pushes engine forward, tightens drive belt, tractor goes.

 

The sliding cradle has a fork that goes over a bar on the steering assembly, and engages a spring.

 

When I got this and started working on it things were arranged so that the spring should push the engine rearward, disengaging the belt, which would mean the driver has to keep the pedal pushed down to keep the belt engaged. That seems weird to me, and I know this tractor has been tampered with in the past.

 

Does anyone know for sure if that is correct, since I can't find a diagram that shows that level of detail.

[roadapples 6,983]

I think that's original...

[wh500special 2,179]

I had a speedex- I think it was an S14 - and when the top of the pedal was pushed forward the engine and hood would slide forward and tighten the belt.  I think it was an over-center type of deal where it would sort of lock in place.  To disengage the belt the bottom of the pedal would be pressed which would bring the engine back, loosening the belt.  I don’t remember there being a spring arrangement for either direction. 
 

Crude machines, no?

 

steve. 

[adsm08 2,056]

15 minutes ago, wh500special said:

I had a speedex- I think it was an S14 - and when the top of the pedal was pushed forward the engine and hood would slide forward and tighten the belt.  I think it was an over-center type of deal where it would sort of lock in place.  To disengage the belt the bottom of the pedal would be pressed which would bring the engine back, loosening the belt.  I don’t remember there being a spring arrangement for either direction. 
 

Ok, that makes more sense.

 

There is a second rod with the clutch pedal, which is probably the lock. I wasn't really able to play with it before disassembly because a lot of things were stuck and had to be taken apart to get them moving.

 

15 minutes ago, wh500special said:

Crude machines, no?

 

steve. 

 

And this is what I love about it. It's basic, it's simple, everything is mechanical. I just wish I could find a GOOD wiring diagram for it.

[wh500special 2,179]

Shoot, I think mine had TWO wires on the whole thing: the spark plug wire and the magneto grounding wire that went to a button on the dashboard to kill the engine.

 

I started reminiscing about my Speedex so was poking on YouTube. Some decent pix in this video:

 

 

I bought mine from a guy that thought it was a Wheel Horse.  It came with a dozer blade and a snow blower. I played with it for a while then ended up selling it to a guy in MA who had it shipped.  Apparently the Haban snow blower attachment mine came with was a real hen’s tooth…he was really excited to get it.  
 

good luck!
 

Steve 

[peter lena 8,625]

@adsm08  seams like a good opportunity to  verify , in detail, its intended function , would emphasize smooth clean slide area , use a polyurea rated grease , that will not fail , lucas  hd , also detail its engagement points , and spring assist mount areas . should be a seamless function . pete

[adsm08 2,056]

21 hours ago, wh500special said:

Shoot, I think mine had TWO wires on the whole thing: the spark plug wire and the magneto grounding wire that went to a button on the dashboard to kill the engine.

 

I started reminiscing about my Speedex so was poking on YouTube. Some decent pix in this video:

 

 

I bought mine from a guy that thought it was a Wheel Horse.  It came with a dozer blade and a snow blower. I played with it for a while then ended up selling it to a guy in MA who had it shipped.  Apparently the Haban snow blower attachment mine came with was a real hen’s tooth…he was really excited to get it.  
 

good luck!
 

Steve 

 

This one came with the optional electric start, which is likely why the wiring, or rather the lack thereof, has me so baffled.

 

The starting system is a chassis-grounded negative cable, a push button for the starter, and a cable from the battery to the button, and the button to the starter. Easy. Then there is the magneto, and it's wire for the kill switch, which I am a bit flummoxed by, since there is a wire coming off the magneto, and a wire coming off the switch, and both are bolted to the engine near the carb, so it seems like the magneto is always grounded, which I would think should make it not spark (which is doesn't, but the plug and wire are also in terrible shape).

 

Then there is some sort of 3-wire pick up in the flywheel-side engine cover, and I'm not sure what it is for. The wires aren't substantial enough for charging, and it doesn't seem like it would be needed for electronic ignition on this system. But then I am also at a loss to explain what this thing uses for a charging system.

 

10 hours ago, peter lena said:

@adsm08  seams like a good opportunity to  verify , in detail, its intended function , would emphasize smooth clean slide area , use a polyurea rated grease , that will not fail , lucas  hd , also detail its engagement points , and spring assist mount areas . should be a seamless function . pete

 

Well this will be a full restoration. Wire wheel, sanding, painting, liberal amounts of greasing. I'm finding more and more videos that show the use, if not details of the operation, of the foot pedal. That should help me reverse engineer it's intended operation.