OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Question on Digging Equipment Rotary Hoes & Tillers Simplicity Walk Behind Cultivator

Firstly Im sorry to ask this question in th wrong place but im having finding what might be the right place
having said that maybe someone may help me to find my way
Im in need of a workshop manual for a Simplicity walk behind cultivator
MFG MODLE NO 990189 L90 I think built in or sold 1961 or 2
distributed by WHIRLWIND SALES PTY LTD
44 NEPEAN HIGHWAY VICTORIA
WE have the motor running nicely but the gears wont engage
also on the left hand side of the handle bar there is a leaver same as the right hand side but the connecting rod is missing and im not sure where it wou go to gear box maybe of idler wheel on belts ???
WED LOVE TO SEE THE OLD GIRL PUT TO WORK
HOPE SOMEONE WILL TALK TO ME THANKYOU ;o)

Hello Red Amor

I have moved your post to a suitable forum.
(thanks Aussietrev).

There is no shortage of parts manuals for the 990189 on the web.
I believe that I can help you with a service manual, but you would
need to confirm that is what you are chasing.

A photo would be most helpful.

Simplicity itself.
----------------------
Jack

G'day all,
Interesting jigger you have there, Red Amor. Looks to be a 'Model W 2-wheel walk behind tractor', going by that model number. As CJ says, a photo would be very helpful.

It seems that in the US, these were marketed as a powerhead unit system, with quite a variety of optional attachments - rotary, sickle bar and reel mower decks; snow thrower; fixed tyne cultivator; dozer blade; disc and single furrow ploughs; rotary tillers; sulky seats combined with a lawn roller or cart; and a rather scary 20" circular saw. Pics of these are on THIS webpage.

The Owners Manual/Parts List for the powerhead unit can be downloaded from:
http://bsintek.basco.com/BriggsDocumentDisplay/heCBEN8ctO3rE3CSl5kbp796Dq.pdf

The lever on the LH side is the implement drive clutch, as the RH one is the wheel drive clutch. Both act on idler pulleys, to apply tension to the respective drive belts. It is apparently not used with the rear-mounted rotary tiller attachment, if that's what you have - only with front-mounted driven attachments like mowers.

A couple of useful websites: http://www.simpletractors.com/Main/simplicity.htm
http://www.simplicityva.com/index.html

Holy %#$& Gadge, that saw attachment is not just rather scary, it is freaking scary! OH&S would probably just go into fetal position in the corner if they came across someone using one.

Hi Gadge & Aussietrev

That's a fantastic 'unofficial' Simplicity page Gadge found!
I see that the W model also took a front mounted mower.

I know that Gravely also made a two wheel tractor range that were
popular with municipal bodies both in AUS and NZ.

Simplicity also offered a weed cutter for their ride on range at the same time that was more or less like a dozer blade with I think 4 rotating blades mounted to it. It apparently went through just about anything. For Simplicity and Alice Chalmers info I find it worthwhile looking at Michaels Tractors. It's an American forum pretty much solely dedicated them.

thankyou so very much CyberJack the manual would be fab
if and only if you would like to you could ring or text and I would return the call to save you the costs0408348232
once again thankyou

We had a play with the hoe this morning now now mind outta the dirt ;O)

the motor runs strong and very quietly as in not smoke not rattles very nice
the tiller blades want to turn always even with the belt disengaged so some tinkering there to do
there is a leaver on the right and left handle bar but the left one is missing a connector rod and WHERE would it go anyway??
the tillers main shaft is wobbly and the tillers blades are off two different machines it looks like as the right hand set as you stand behind are quite different to those on the left
can we still buy pasts if so can anyone offer me as to where ??
we are so looking forward to have this old girl up and running as we intend to put her to work in a few veggie gardens

G'day RED AMOR

This is so frustrating!
I have a Master Service Manual - but it does not cover the Model W.
Whilst it does cover all cultivators, it does not cover two-wheel tractors
with a cultivator attachment.

I was hoping Gadge's link the the operator manual would have helped ...

Next Step:
I feel the next step will have to be American websites:

Some parts links here:
http://www.simpletractors.com/simplicity/new_in_1962/model_w.htm

slashnburn's recommendation:
http://www.michaelstractors.com/forum/default.asp



Please let us know how you go, as this would be a great one
to see saved and running and working.

Hope this helps.
--------------------------
Jack

G'day all,
There is a separate Operator Manual/Parts List for the 32" tiller attachment, model 990191, which fits the Model W tractor.
It's here:
http://bsintek.basco.com/BriggsDocumentDisplay/heCyEN8ctO5rE3CSl5kbp796Dq.pdf

This at least shows the drive belt setup [and that there's no idler pulley on the tiller belt], and has the two [LH and RH] tyne blade part numbers to look for. It looks like these are still available in the US, but I don't like your chances of finding any locally.

Pics of a used set, pinched from FleaBay US:

thankyou CyberJack well done mate ;O)

Nice work there GADGE THANKYOU BOTH GREAT JOB TO YOU BOTH

It would run to up forward of the engine, to actuate the drive clutch on the front-mounted attachments.

Unless you could find one of those, like say a mower deck or weed slasher, it won't be of any use to you.

yeah thought as much olson thankyou
tellya what though im enjoying messing about with this thing and looking forward to getting it sorted of for me oldmate thanks to you n JACK for ya help yeah

Gday Trev
mate thanks for your help and yes the saw atttchment looks a killer haha but id sure like to have one ive some logs id like to sleeper and it would be handy

If your handy with a welder or have a mate who is and you can pass him beer then surely you could make a widow maker saw attachment. It's a two wheeled tractor so pretty much anything you could want for the garden can be adapted and mounted running off the PTO belt drive. If you look around things like old pumps and generators with blown motors turn up cheap enough and they could be easily adapted to your tractor. I've got an old scythe cutter I plan to Magyver onto one of my simplicity ride ons. Then there's all kinds of ploughs that were made for them and the trailers that you could sit on and drive around.

thanks slashnburn
Im into fabricating things and I might even have a crack at one myself

I can't remember for the life of me where but I have seen old brochures of these with the lists of attachments that were offered. You really are only limited by your imagination. They could even be used as mobile shearing plants. You could easily cut up an old hot water service and make a grader blade if you have a gravel driveway. It's definitely worth your while looking at simple tractors and Michael's tractors. Have you spent a little time on Google?

Mmm, OK then.
Try this for size; the saw manual/IPL:
http://bsintek.basco.com/BriggsDocumentDisplay/heCBEN8ctLZrE3CSl5kbp796Dq.pdf

Still not as high on the scary scale as some of the swing saws we used to make in Oz though.
A Mobilco one that was made into the 1960's as I recall [pic pinched from an ad] :



They could be used without the firewood bench attachment pictured, and the blade swivels to horizontal for falling use.
These things could run a 36"+ blade, and there were at least a couple more local makers [Hargan and Morton] of similar units.

Gday Gents
up date on the cultivator
engine running nice just trying to line up some tiller blades
not much help forthcoming two mobs contacted no answers so far
thankyou all for your help thought fantastic