Merry tiller No 2.

[Yorkshire lad]

Hi all,

I've just bought a 2nd Merry tiller, my first one is only a 3hp engine and as I now have a double plot up the allotments I thought it's time for something with a little more oomph.

Machine no 2 is a 5hp Super Major,


Now for the problem!! it has 2 levers, the left hand one for the drive belt, also another one on the right handlebar by the throttle.



The cable does not connect to anything as you can see in this photo, so what's it's original purpose?.

[Richard]

A reverse accessory was available for your model, the cable pulled a friction disc, driven by a short vee belt, into the vee of the chaincase pulley. There were other accessories such as a brake drum on the chaincase pulley for use with the Merry Truck but I have only seen these on the earlier 10.5" chaincase pulleys.

[Yorkshire lad]

Richard thanks for your reply, so is it a case of a "cut & shunt" as they say with dodgy cars?.

I've thought about the reverse but can't see if or where it is, do I have a part missing? I'll need to find a drawing of it if I can.

[Richard]

No, I think what you have is what is left of a reverse accessory. When the friction disc gets worn it doesn't engage properly and is ireplacable so the previous owner may have removed the arm etc. Also the belts are no longer available under the part number EC.0517A1 so you need to take the old belt to an engineers merchant and get them to match it when you need a new belt. It wasn't Woleley's finest design as there is no provision for adjustment.

I only have half the instruction book, see picture.

[Yorkshire lad]

Richard thank you so much for the drawing, it's a pity that part of it has been removed.

I've found a photo on the net of a " Back-out reverser" a type of kit that was offered, is this the part that's missing??



or was the "reverse" built into the crankcase?? I'll keep after my lost reverse as that's what I wanted..

Brian

[Richard]

No, the back out reverse was used on front fuel tank Majors and Professionals. When Wolseley brought out the rear tank engined models they came up with the disc rubbing the chaincase pulley idea. To confuse matters further both the US maker and Webb started to use another reverse set up after yours, which used a pulley on the end of the camshaft, this drove a belt running on an extra chaincase pulley, like on the back out machine.

Here is your set up on a circa 1970 machine.

[Yorkshire lad]

Now it's starting to make sense thanks, I wondered why there's a double pulley on the drive, now I know.
I suppose the chances of finding any of what's missing is near impossible??.

Brian.