RJ special belt guard

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

Finished making the new belt guard I needed for my 1958 Wheel Horse RJ I restored! The guard normally used on this would not mount correctly as I needed a belt guid to assist the clutching on this tractor. The belt guide needed to mount in the Kohler motor threaded hole that the right side bolt for the RJ belt guard! So I used perforated plate to make a belt guard that would protect your right leg from getting into the idler pulley and Drive belt. Came out pretty good and the one inch hole spacing on the perforated sheet metal matched up perfectly with the wheel horse holes.

 

 

The belt guide did not  work correctly on the bottom of the motor (first picture)  so I had to use the top left hole on the motor for the guide .

 

[ClassicTractorProfessor 5,255]

Great job on the belt guard...and beautiful machine

[wallfish 15,907]

I see the correct belt guard there on the floor. Maybe getting that idler pulley spaced out a little or moving the other pulleys in to line them all up will help it work.

Seems a shame not  to use it on that nicely restored tractor.

Could just be the pic is deceiving in the alignment of them.

Belt looks loose on there too. 1/2" x 29" belt for the RJ.

Some can be a real pain to get working correctly. Just ask @Ken B, we played with a Suburban belt for a while at Stevebo's M&G last Sat.

 

 

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

John: I  also thought I might try another belt but did not get around to it.    

 

In the [pic you drew the line on you can see the  belt guide in the lower part of the motor .  This is a threaded bolt with a  nut on it to tightened up in one of the Kohler K 91  bolt holes.   I think the second photo the belt is loose which is why I put the belt guide on it.  The  pulley alignment may not be perfect but appears pretty good.

 

It would not work to tighten up the blet in the lower location  but  would in the hole on top -directly above the one in the photo.   This belt was a new Wheel Horse RJ  belt  ( #1561 belt)  but I have used NAPA 248-029 belts on my other RJ's and they worked great. I guess I should try another belt out  .

[Ken B 3,116]

When I installed an 8hp electric start Kohler on my sons Suburban I made a custom belt guard from scratch for it.  I put different pulleys on it to make it a little faster. I must have got lucky because the first time I tried it it worked perfect... 

Edited October 27, 2016 by Ken B

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

Thanks Ken.  Looks great.  Looks like you used the upper right hand bolt hole to place the guard in .   My guard I made  goes up a little higher and goes over the left hand hole on the top of the Kohler as that is where the belt belt guide is bolted in.

 

 

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

John/Ken and other Red Square Members:

 

I think I found the source of my belt guard problem.   I decided to go back and look at this RJ  belt and compare to the two others I have to see what was happening as I started to clutch to change gears and brake.     I noticed that without the belt guide the clutch/brake on the tractor was not stopping the transmission!

 

 

I recalled that I had reglued to original brake band on the brake shoe but I did not recall testing it to see if it stopped the transmission pulley from turning and thus the drive belt.

 

Well I took off the brake band and could readily see that it had worn the surface down so far that it could not grab the brake drum on the tractor.

 

So  I am reshoeing the brake band with one of the bands Bob Maynard makes and sells and going to reinstall tomorrow.   I believe that the  new band will solve my  belt issue and thus I should be able to reinstall my regular RJ belt guard.

 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2016 by Lane Ranger

[TIGman 2,006]

  Wow!! That guard turned out great Lane. 

  An RJ is definitely one on my wish list...Along with many others..... 

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

The RJ Wheel Horse brake band needed changing and I can use my RJ belt guard!

 

I had to use another old RJ  brake band to make the transmission clutch properly to stop the drive belt and clutch properly.

 

After changing I could use the original tyoe RJ  belt guard and everything is working as intended!

 

Runs and shifts great now!

 

 

Short video of everything in operation!

 

004.MOV

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2016 by Lane Ranger

[AMC RULES 36,941]

Looking much better now Lane.  

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

Yes  back to original Craig and  I just did not realize that the brake band on it was so bad that  I could not use it to make it work correctly!

 

[AMC RULES 36,941]

Now you just gotta work on that seat.  

How's the Schnacke working out for you...original cable still in it? 

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

Craig:  the Schnacke is in excellent condition.    I  found it on a Kohler  K 91 in Peoria, Illinois that I bought two years ago.     I had Joe Papke rebuild it with a new cable, new handle and a new plate with the three dogs that grabs the hex nut that goes on the crankshaft.  Joe did an excellent job.

 

I sold one of these severals years ago and yet decided I wanted to put a variety of recoil starters on my Wheel Horses for show, etc.      I have a Fairbanks Morse that is N.O.S.  with cup , etc that I would also like to place on one of the three RJ's I have here.

 

The motor on this one starts best with just a little opening of the choke on the carb.   One pull on the Schnacke gets her running.  

 

 

PS:  Seat is correct it is a square seat cushion which I  put on it which is not correct!

 

Edited October 30, 2016 by Lane Ranger