Rebuilding the Trail King Gear Box (Photos Added)

#1
I've posted on other post I started to replace the seals in the gear case on my Homelite Trail King. After removing the seals for replacement and the hunt for the "'Holy Grail" to find replacement seals,Kaman came through. The 2 nd set of seals showed up today to stop the oil leaks. I also noted that the 50 year old bearings had had a good long work life. I replaced all four of the bearings. The bearings are not common and had to ordered as well. Expensive as well. But you have to do what needs to be done.
I installed the seals and bearings. The re-installation of the gears,sliding speed sleeves and chains looked simple. After I invented new four letter words,I was finely got the transmission back together.
The only markings on the transmission is Browning Industries, Chicago Ill.
It is a true two speed heavy duty transmission. All gears and chains are in an oil bath. It has a Deepco Maximatic centrifugal drive/brake input and a #50 chain output. It is simple (yea right) and very strong.
I an filling the gear box with Lucas high cling 90-140 weight oil. This is the special oil that clings to gears and chains. You've seen it at Pep Boys and other Auto stores. It the stuff inside the clear plastic column with the white plastic gears. You turn the crank and the oil seems to climb the gears and clings like a cheap suit to them. I've used this lube in other gear boxes. It works so well that almost no wear can be detected after many years of use.
I was going to post photo's of the re-build of the transmission. The crud on my hands would have ruined my camera!
I'll take photo's after I clean it all up.
 
#2
I finished the assembly of the transmission last night and gave it a coat of paint. I was going to use a paper gasket to replace the old brittle one. While the surfaces of the top cove and gear box are perfect, I went with a silicone sealant instead. I was going to use a good Garloc gasket and cut it to shape using a ball-peen hammer but the sealing edges are not very wide. A ding from the hammer head would lead to a leak.
I'll fill the transmission tonight with the Lucas oil and see if it will "Hold Water" over night.
 
#3
I took a couple of photo's before I stuffed it back together. you can see the two shafts and chains. The linkage shifting the ratio's is almost bullet proof. The transmission looks flimsy, but it really is very strong. It powers a #50 chain.







The bike has this really neat driven drive / brake. It works very well.

 
#6
Thats a very nice bike! Please take time when you post, the Vintage US area (where you've been putting them is only for small wheeled us minibikes. The large bikes need to be posted under general.
 

dang151

New Member
#7
The bike has this really neat driven drive / brake. It works very well.





could you please post some pics of this brake?
 
#9
As requested, I've added photo's of the mini-bike. I have not
re-painted the frame as the original paint has " character " with the mini being in use since 1960.





Left and right side of the bike. You can see the articulated hinge just in front of the engine. They used a double frame at the hinge and you see then doubling the frame as a mirror image.



Rear view of the bike the rear tire is not original to the bike. It would have been an Agriculture tread ( V-tread ).



Front view of the bike.


Close up of the two speed gear box. Shiftier moves in/out,not left / right.


right side of engine.


Clutch/brake/torque converter


Behind the large variable speed driven wheel is a V-pulley that is really a brake. A tapered brake shoe fits in the "V" providing a surprising amount of area to allow the shoe to touch.
 
#10
:thumbsup: Thats how I thought the brake worked but have never been sure. My trail king came to me disassembled without the brake pad. Thank you for posting these pictures.
 
#14
V-belt on this brake would burn up in a few minutes. I was going to try to use V belt.
I found a flexible 1/2 thick brake material to replace the worn pad.
 

rmm727

Active Member
#15
Ok. This was on one of those 3 wheeled flea market mobility scooters. 3hp engine with a belt slipper clutch with some serious gear reduction. Only went about walking pace. Brake was for parking only as it pretty much stopped on its own.
 
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