Howard Reduction Gear Thanks Kirk and others

POPGUN

Member
Thanks for the help on the Howard Reduction Gear all. Been away I am sure you
folks heard about the dam breaking so I been a bit busy in the shop. Anyway he
wont let it go for less then 1600 thats what they supposedly bring on ebay or
so Im told. Things cost more in the west but thats life it is only the second
one I have ever seen for sale. Kirk said 800 to 1000 on Jersey. Any thoughts on
price. A slow moving orchard and vineyard tractor spray,trim and harvest is a
huge advantage year round and we have had Ns on the place for 40 yrs and serve as good as anything new not as many bells and whistles but ez to keep running ya cant wear em out and I can run the whole bunch for years cheaper then 1 new import cost. Thanks for all the diagrams.
 
The howard will slow down the tractor without slowing the PTO. Here's a photo of my wife planting taters. I stepped off the tractor to take the photos. This tractor is slower than you can walk on your hands but it does also have a step down sherman engaged.
I have tilled with the howard rotovator and a dearborn tillit using the howard trans. I have never just used the sherman to run a tiller so I can't say if it's possible. Some will say No and others will say they been doing it for years. I guess it depends on your soil conditions.
I guess the cheaper price on the howards is because in this area most have moved on to those little orange tractors.
I guess I'm still stuck in the passed. I still would rather plow than use the rototiller.

Kirk
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Kirk,
Just curious as to the Howard's operation.
Can you tell me if the bypass shift position of the Howard allows the full torque or normal operation?
With the Howard engaged I can imagine taking it easy on what you are trying to pull.
So when engaged I guess I am asking are those gears somewhat delicate?
Greg
 
(quoted from post at 09:26:04 02/13/17) Kirk,
Just curious as to the Howard's operation.
Can you tell me if the bypass shift position of the Howard allows the full torque or normal operation?
With the Howard engaged I can imagine taking it easy on what you are trying to pull.
So when engaged I guess I am asking are those gears somewhat delicate?
Greg

In direct drive the output from the transmssion output gear is transmitted to the drive axles via a set of dentals machined into the face of the Howard main input gear. See picture one below.

In underdrive the output of the transmission is transmitted to the axle via two reduction spur gears that simultaneously engage the teeth on the Howard's input gear. See second picture below.

The Howard gearing fails in underdrive. Having examined a few of them my best guess is the failure is caused by the gearbox flexing causing the main gear to slip out of engagement with the reduction gears while heavily loaded. The result is tooth erosion on the leading edges of the reduction and main gears as shown in the third picture (transmission shown in underdrive position). I don't think this is an instantaneous catastrophic failure, I suspect it starts with a few chipped teeth and gets progressively worse over time.

TOH

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Without the Howard engaged,in the normal operation, I plow dirt with a two bottom, plow snow with a Dearborn snowplow,and normal farm duty chores without any problems. I don't pull tree stumps or drag logs with it for the simple reason that I have other tractors with twice the power and power steering I use for that.
I engage the howard for tilling and planting duties,or to demonstrate the slow capibilities at a show, again without a problem.
This is not a shift on the fly operation. I've always come to a full stop to engage and disengage. Hope this answers your question

Kirk
 

I would offer him what you are willing to pay and let him ty to sell it for 1700, not gonna happen even here in the west.
Mine has a few damaged teeth that I think happened when the lever got bumped when the tractor was moving. a previous owner installed a lock out pin.
 
Popgun,

I actually have a Howard that I've been trying to make up an excuse to keep but haven't been able to find one as of yet. It's still on the tractor so I don't know the condition. If you're interested let me know and I can make an effort to get out there, split the machine, and get a visual on the gears.
 
By pulling the top cover you will be able to get a visual on the gears to see if its worth making the split. I don't use any glue on my gaskets so removal and assembly is a
piece of cake just button the top cover back up.

Kirk
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Kirk,
I have an 8N with a Howard that I bought at auction several years ago but do not use. It obviously has damaged gears as it jumps out of gear. MY question is, which position is the lever in for standard range and which position is for reduction.
 
Standard range is with lever down position. With the lever pulled up it engages the Howard.

Kirk
 
(quoted from post at 16:21:43 02/13/17) Kirk,
I have an 8N with a Howard that I bought at auction several years ago but do not use. It obviously has damaged gears as it jumps out of gear. MY question is, which position is the lever in for standard range and which position is for reduction.
Leer up is standard range. All the way down is low range. What is jumping out of gear?
 
Good information. I also asked how often do you see a Howard up for sale. In my garden I also like a 2 bottom, dis and finish tilling in compost of sheep and peat. The better you break up your organics the better for distribution to each plant for consistency of nutrients. Less runts. Tilling leaves less and breaks compaction of soil in clay and looms. Try a final till in a spot or two and you will see a difference I am talking about.
 
I have an Everette creeper transmission with extra long shop made PTO shaft if anybody is interested. Heavy. Would be expensive to ship I would imagine.

Zane
 
Finally got out there to take some pics. Been a couple dry days so you know I've been busy! Turns out the draft spring seal doesn't exist so the gears have been soaking in water for the past couple months. I'm not pleased at all, but the top cover's off and that means I can get it all squared away before spring. This is my plow machine so it gets the least usage, don't tell me off for not noticing.

Anyhow, here's some shots of the Howard. http://imgur.com/a/3h6JZ

Gears look pretty good over all. If it doesn't end up selling by spring I'll probably pull the worn gears and forge the temper out, build up some weld, file them to profile and then heat-treat back to a good hardness.
 
Those don't look too bad, looks like someone tried to engage while moving. If anything I might take a file to them and clean them up. Fully engaged, those gears will work just fine. IMHO.
 
Now, looking more closely, the one on John Smith's website appears to be a picture of Marv Baumann's "4 Trans". Marv may have changed the position of the Howard handle because of the Everett trencher transmission gearbox.
 
You can see the position of my howard lever. Possibly your lever has been moved on the shaft to a more vertical position. On the side round cover it will also say Howard reducer
Best to post a photo if you are not sure what you have.

Kirk
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mine is like Kirks, but someone in the past has put a lockout pin on it so that one can not push on it while moving, or with out removing the lockout pin.
 
Like they said clean up the gear and mating gear. It look like you have a crack in the trans wall? I don't know how many they made but that's the highest serial # I have
seen. All mine have been in the teens or lower. Also different patent #.
If you remove it and are going to put the tractor back in service you will need a pto support, bearing race housing for back of the trans,trans/rear connecting sleeve and
round side cover. If selling locally maybe you can make a deal with buyer cause once he installs the howard he will no longer need these parts.

Kirk
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