Blue Boy picture: Spacer thingy in rear end

[drspiff]

Howdy all! I have gotten some photos from the PO of Blue Boy and this one intrigues me. (Still no information on the serial number. The push plate on the nose covers the serial plate. All the photos PO took of the casting numbers are out of focus. So still some mystery to Blue Boy.)



What is it?
How does it do whatever it does?
What does the lever (leaning towards the PTO) do?

I seem to remember something about a speed reducer, but that could have been a different hallucination.

Any information would be helpful.

Rick (The more I learn, the less I know) Dulas

N.B. I'm about to close on a truck to pull the trailer to carry the Cub to the House that Jack built.

[dirt devil]

That is a howard despeeder. It is used to slow the ground speed for when you are using the rototiller. The lever in question engages and disengages.

I have one that I use with my fast hitch flail mower and love it.

Dave

[Trent M]

Rick- I believe those things are rare and highly sought after = high $$ item.

[dirt devil]

Rick

After looking at it again I would say that they have it engaged at all times with a bolt holding it in position (original probabley broke).

Here is a pic of mine, my lever is straight up since it is diengaged. The aluminum handle has a spring loaded ball bearing that is pushed into the holes of the pie shaped bracket.

Trent is right they can be very pricey anywhere from $500 missing brackets to well of $1000 complete.

Is this something that you are looking to purchase? Plus more pics of the tractor would be great.

Thanks Dave

[Bob McCarty]

Rick, Those tend to fall off when a tractor is hauled through Colorado!!
Must be the altitude or something.

Bob

[drspiff]

Is this something that you are looking to purchase? Plus more pics of the tractor would be great.
Thanks Dave

Thanks for the info Dave. I had never heard of this speed reducer before. Actually, it is attached to a Cub Lo-Boy named (wait for it...) Blue Boy. It is currently residing in Idaho and will be making its way, one way or another, to its new home in Texas. By popular acclaim, here are a couple of more pictures I just got from the PO.

This is one of his sons sitting on Blue Boy Notice the 54 blade, pancake lights in all 3 positions and I believe double front wheel weights? Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink Is that cool or what?!



Here is a shot of the fast hitch



And here is the front view of the speed reducer. It looks like they just inserted a bolt into the hole as a temporary stop. Notice the chrome gear shift knob. I bet that adds at least 5HP to the tractor.



All they way around, I am delighted with the tractor. And will be even happier when it gets to Texas. Bob, (rjmac) is working with me to get his Cub from Clovis NM to Longmont Colorado and Blue Boy from Worley Idaho to Bryan Texas.

BTW Bob, I'm about to close on a Dodge Ram 1500 with the 5.7 L motor and towing package. Also searching for a trailer to go with it. So a roadtrip may be closer than I thought. It is a 4 door so there is plenty of room if you wanted to see Sunny Idaho.



For the last week I've been driving around in my 20 year old little Dodge and suffering extreme Pickup Envy.

Dave, Can you shift the speed reducer in and out on the fly or just at a standstill?

Rick (More Levers??) Dulas

[Rudi]

Rick:

That is why everyone was kind of excited about that particular thread and there was a lot of posting about the Howard The Howard Speed Reducer is worth the cost of a pretty good condition Cub.. those things go for a minimum of $500.00US.. or is it $500.00Cdn.. now.. yeah.. $1.0008US = $1 Canadian Dollah.. gee I like that

Run a Search for Howard Speed Reducers, Speed Reducers or the Howard Rotovator.. you will get all kinds of info on the Howard. I have a few brochures and some other info on the Howard, just waiting for some free time to scan and upload.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

I thought there was a manual for the despeeder and the rotavator on Rudi's site, but I can't find it. I do have one scanned I can email you if you want.

[Rudi]

John:

I just haven't been able to get it posted. Need to do up the Howard Page.. real quick..

[dirt devil]

Rick

The manual stats that it should only be shifted when at stand still. Shifting on the fly would result in some big trouble fast and lots of tears. I have a hard time when shifting at stand still and have to let the clutch out just a bit and it will go in. For some reason it will go better when I am in reverse.

Best of luck as I know that it will bring you great amounts of joy.

One more word of advice DO NOT try and PULL ANYTHING when the despeeder is engaged, it was not designed for that and can also cause great damage.

Dave

[drspiff]

Rick
The manual stats that it should only be shifted when at stand still. Shifting on the fly would result in some big trouble fast and lots of tears. I have a hard time when shifting at stand still and have to let the clutch out just a bit and it will go in. For some reason it will go better when I am in reverse.

Best of luck as I know that it will bring you great amounts of joy.

One more word of advice DO NOT try and PULL ANYTHING when the despeeder is engaged, it was not designed for that and can also cause great damage.
Dave

Thanks Dave! All good stuff. I had no idea what people were getting excited about.

John *.?-!.* cub owner: If it wouldn't be too much trouble to email a copy to drspiff at verizon dot net, I'd be appreciative.

Rick (So much to learn, So little time) Dulas

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

email on it's way. I agree with Dave, it appears to be engaged in the picture you posted.