The Lister Tractor Project
Page 3
Click on the pictures for a larger, more complete, color view.
Use your browser's BACK button to return to this page
These 4 pictures are of the Lister after it's simple tear down, clean up and paint job. The oil and fuel filters were relocated and replumbed with copper tubing, along with a new crankcase breather tube being fabricated and installed. The only work the engine got was a valve lapping, some de-carbonization, and some work done on the governor system to allow a variable speed setting. Without a doubt, the little engine is VERY beefy, with 2 1/4" main bearings and a 2 1/8" rod journal. Also, a nice pressurized oil system is incorporated using a plunger type oil pump. Externally, the proper fuel tank was fitted to the engine by a custom mounting system. The small shaft protruding on the left side in picture 3 is the modified governor control yet to be shortened and finalized.
With the frame flipped up on it's top again, the complete brake mechanism is fabricated using the original David-Bradley brakes and all new control linkage. The frame halves were machined slightly to allow the brake bands clearance to operate. The individual brakes are linked together by an equalizing arm within the frame, allowing equal braking power at each axle. This equalizing arm also combines both brakes to operate from a single control rod from the brake pedal. Also visible is the pillow block bearing supporting the input shaft for the rear end.
An overall view of the underside with the steering, differential, and braking components in place.
A view of the brake linkage from the pedal back to the bands. The black 'Tee' rail across the frame is used to support the inner bearing for the brake pedal, form the front mounts for the foot pads and also acts as a cross member for the frame.
As time goes, things change and the lastest revision of this project is changing to larger rear wheels and tires. Once most of the basic tractor was constructed, it had obviously 'outgrown' it's original 12" rear wheels. At a recent farm equipment swap meet, I found another piece of David-Bradley gear, a walk behind motorized plow with 16" wheels. Unfortunately, upon later inspection, one of the wheels was rusted through, but I, at least, now know what wheels I will use. Adaptor plates had to be fabricated to run the slightly larger bolt pattern of the new wheels on the older hubs.
As luck would have it, the hub design of the triple belt pulley I had bought to run on the input shaft of the transmission was not what I could use. Instead of using the taper hub bushing, I opted to machine a full steel hub that would make use of the entire inner diameter of the pulley. Seen here, the keyway is being broached into the hub using the arbor press.
After the shaft hole was complete, three holes were drilled and tapped for bolts to attach the hub to the pulley. I used the mill for accuracy on this.
Another item that needed to be addressed, was some kind of belt tensioner for the belt between the transmission and the differential. A simple idler pulley with a sealed ball bearing will be mounted on a plate that can moved perpendicular to the belt to remove the slack from the belt. Here, the right frame is in the mill being slotted to allow the required travel of the tensioner.
A view of the inside of the differential. There is an approximate 10 to 1 ratio between the input shaft and the large cast gear. From the large gear, there is an additional approximately 3 to 1 ratio via the triple chain to the differential itself, resulting in an actual 31.13 to 1 between input and axles.
These 4 pictures are of the Lister after it's simple tear down, clean up and paint job. The oil and fuel filters were relocated and replumbed with copper tubing, along with a new crankcase breather tube being fabricated and installed. The only work the engine got was a valve lapping, some de-carbonization, and some work done on the governor system to allow a variable speed setting. Without a doubt, the little engine is VERY beefy, with 2 1/4" main bearings and a 2 1/8" rod journal. Also, a nice pressurized oil system is incorporated using a plunger type oil pump. Externally, the proper fuel tank was fitted to the engine by a custom mounting system. The small shaft protruding on the left side in picture 3 is the modified governor control yet to be shortened and finalized.
With the frame flipped up on it's top again, the complete brake mechanism is fabricated using the original David-Bradley brakes and all new control linkage. The frame halves were machined slightly to allow the brake bands clearance to operate. The individual brakes are linked together by an equalizing arm within the frame, allowing equal braking power at each axle. This equalizing arm also combines both brakes to operate from a single control rod from the brake pedal. Also visible is the pillow block bearing supporting the input shaft for the rear end.
An overall view of the underside with the steering, differential, and braking components in place.
A view of the brake linkage from the pedal back to the bands. The black 'Tee' rail across the frame is used to support the inner bearing for the brake pedal, form the front mounts for the foot pads and also acts as a cross member for the frame.
As time goes, things change and the lastest revision of this project is changing to larger rear wheels and tires. Once most of the basic tractor was constructed, it had obviously 'outgrown' it's original 12" rear wheels. At a recent farm equipment swap meet, I found another piece of David-Bradley gear, a walk behind motorized plow with 16" wheels. Unfortunately, upon later inspection, one of the wheels was rusted through, but I, at least, now know what wheels I will use. Adaptor plates had to be fabricated to run the slightly larger bolt pattern of the new wheels on the older hubs.
As luck would have it, the hub design of the triple belt pulley I had bought to run on the input shaft of the transmission was not what I could use. Instead of using the taper hub bushing, I opted to machine a full steel hub that would make use of the entire inner diameter of the pulley. Seen here, the keyway is being broached into the hub using the arbor press.
After the shaft hole was complete, three holes were drilled and tapped for bolts to attach the hub to the pulley. I used the mill for accuracy on this.
Another item that needed to be addressed, was some kind of belt tensioner for the belt between the transmission and the differential. A simple idler pulley with a sealed ball bearing will be mounted on a plate that can moved perpendicular to the belt to remove the slack from the belt. Here, the right frame is in the mill being slotted to allow the required travel of the tensioner.
A view of the inside of the differential. There is an approximate 10 to 1 ratio between the input shaft and the large cast gear. From the large gear, there is an additional approximately 3 to 1 ratio via the triple chain to the differential itself, resulting in an actual 31.13 to 1 between input and axles.