Can it be converted ?

[Jimbo5289]

Hi all,
I’ve got a 1984 Westwood Gazelle w11 ride on that I’ve taken on as a project. I’m looking to fit it with a powered grass collector and are wondering if anyone knows of a conversion kit to provide drive for the collector? The transaxle has a single pulley on top to drive the axle but nothing to drive any additional equipment, so looking for advise on this if possible please?
Best wishes, Jim

 

[mechanic mark]

Maybe bertsmobile1 can weigh in on this project.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Well it is the sort of age that I seem to be specializing in but not a mower I am familiar with .
Westwood were a UK brand so we did get some down here.
All you need to do is get a double engine pulley.
Then decide if you want to muck around with some levers & pulleys to clutch the collector or go the extra cost of an electric clutch.
If you go the electric clutch then you will most likely need to upgrade the alternator ( easy if it is Briggs powered ) .
Otherwise find a mower bone yard and get the tension arm pulleys & springs off a mower with a rotted out deck.

 

[mechanic mark]

Well it is the sort of age that I seem to be specializing in but not a mower I am familiar with .
Westwood were a UK brand so we did get some down here.
All you need to do is get a double engine pulley.
Then decide if you want to muck around with some levers & pulleys to clutch the collector or go the extra cost of an electric clutch.
If you go the electric clutch then you will most likely need to upgrade the alternator ( easy if it is Briggs powered ) .
Otherwise find a mower bone yard and get the tension arm pulleys & springs off a mower with a rotted out deck.

Thanks bertsmobile1 for responding. Mark

 

[Jimbo5289]

Well it is the sort of age that I seem to be specializing in but not a mower I am familiar with .
Westwood were a UK brand so we did get some down here.
All you need to do is get a double engine pulley.
Then decide if you want to muck around with some levers & pulleys to clutch the collector or go the extra cost of an electric clutch.
If you go the electric clutch then you will most likely need to upgrade the alternator ( easy if it is Briggs powered ) .
Otherwise find a mower bone yard and get the tension arm pulleys & springs off a mower with a rotted out deck.

Thank you for your advise, much appreciated. I did consider removing the existing pulley and welding or fitting another to the top? Refit all that and see how she goes. I’m guessing that the brush may spin quite fast ??‍ Cheers Jim

 

[bertsmobile1]

Thank you for your advise, much appreciated. I did consider removing the existing pulley and welding or fitting another to the top? Refit all that and see how she goes. I’m guessing that the brush may spin quite fast ??‍ Cheers Jim

Jim. don't bother trying to make a double pulley.
Mower wreckers and small repair shops like mine will have boxes full of them
An older cast iron one will serve you better if you do not want to use an electric clutch .
If you want to go the whole hog on speeds then slip a stepped pulley in between the engine & the collector
In fact you could even use a Vari-Drive pulley controlled by some bowden cable pulling against a spring to both speed control & clutch the collector.
In fact being in the UK where it has been known to snow on occasions you might be able to pinch the drive set up off a snow thrower

 

[Jimbo5289]

Here’s what I’m dealing with. So in my mind I need to do something with the existing pulley and shaft, to extend it with another pulley fitted higher up to power the collector. I’d then need some kind of bracket that allows the belt to slacken off, stopping the collector working and lifting it off the ground.

 

[Jimbo5289]

 

[Jimbo5289]

 

[bertsmobile1]

You don't move the transmission pulley or you will start to eat belts
The std PTO shaft is a touch over 3" long so usually the Transmission pulley is over the PTO shaft but the drive pulley hangs past the end.
You will of course need a much longer bolt .
Most repair shops , as opposed to big glass front retails shops will have boxes of old pulleys because they are expensive new and for many older mowers are no longer available.
SO I can replace a worn out pulley on a 1980 mower for under $ 100 & the owner is happy to keep using it.
Tell them a new pulley is $ 150 and they go buy a new mower .

Repair only workshops tend to like a challenge, I certainly do so it would be good to find one near you.
The Brits tend to repair rather than replace so there should be a few repair workshops and even breakers yards around .
Belts can be run at all sorts of funny angles , bent through right angles twisted to rotate the V but telling you how to do it from here on equipment I have never seen is really a bridge too far