Challenges three . . . or tales from under the hood.

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Challenge 27
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:19 pm

Challenges three . . . or tales from under the hood.

Post by Challenge 27 »

Had to move some stuff around in the barn. Could not resist the challenge to set some of my treasures outside for a little while. The dog days of summer are here now, so there is nothing better to do than move some old iron around; leading to a dog days of summer type of general discussion topic. Had three gearboxes, in various states of disrepair, stretched out in the sun.
6 8 8 challenge27.jpg

The first photograph shows the three Challenge 27 gearboxes. The closest one is a 6 and 3/4 foot C-27. The middle one is an unfortunate attempt by the Challenge Company at a low-cost or “economy” 8 foot C-27. The far one is a “fully-fledged” 8 foot C-27.

The 6 3/4footer has a stroke of 5 3/4 or 7 inches and the diameter of the main or wheel shaft is 1 inch. The low-cost 8 footer has the same 5 3/4 or 7 inch stroke. The full-size 8 footer has a stroke of 6 or 8 inches and the diameter of the wheel shaft is 1 and 1/8 inches. (In 1927, the diameter of the wheel of what was to become a 6 3/4 foot size windmill was 6 feet and the windmill was marketed as a 6 foot model. Sometime before 1935, the wheel diameter was increased to 6 3/4 feet).

The “economy” 8 footer is essentially an 8 foot wheel, and vane, stuck onto a 6 foot gearbox. There were problems in trying to use the 6 foot motor with an eight foot wheel. The snout of the 6 footer is noticeably shorter than on the full-size 8 footer. The wheel on the lightweight 8 foot windmill must have been uncomfortably close to the tower. But the worse problem was that the lightweight 8 footer had the same wheel shaft diameter as the 6 foot size–only one inch. In my opinion, that wasn’t really adequate.
6 8 8 challenge27 2.jpg
The snout for the lightweight 8 footer may appear to be shorter than the 6 3/4 footer to the left, but in actuality they are the same. Note the difference in the distance between the wheel hub or "spider," and the "nosepiece."

I have a copy of a general catalog for all Challenge Company products, printed about 1940. It includes a list of all repair parts for the various sizes of the C-27. By that time, the lightweight or low-cost 8 footer had been discontinued, but parts were still available. The casting numbers for the 6 foot (and 6 3/4 foot) main castings and the lightweight 8 foot main castings are the same (there was more than one version of the main casting; there was one for windmills fitted with Timken bearings for the wheel shaft, and another version for windmills fitted with bronze bushings instead.). With regards to the specimens shown, the 6 3/4 footer (main casting # 4386) was equipped with bronze bushings. The lightweight 8 footer (main casting #3703) was fitted with Timken bearings. The full-size 8 footer has bronze bushings.

In 1927, when the C-27's were introduced, the 7 inch stroke version might have been regarded as the “regular” 8 foot Challenge. There was also an “eight feet special”–the one with the 6 or 8 inch stroke. But in the dealers price list of January 7, 1935, the “8 Regular” was the full size 8 footer. The “8 Special” was the 7 inch stroke model. By 1940, as stated above, the “8 Special” was no longer available.

The Challenge company was able to sell both both the "regular" and "special" versions; indicating that there was a market for both products. But the company failed to make the changes necessary to the 6 foot size gearbox to make it suitable for an 8 foot wheel and vane. In my opinion, the changes needed would not have been extensive. Not a good way to do business; and daresay there were some very unhappy customers, some of whom no doubt were permanently soured on Challenge company products.

The best use for the lightweight 8 footer: the gearbox as a source of repair parts for the 6 and 6 3/4 foot size windmills. Almost all parts (excluding the main shaft) are identical, right down to the part number. The wheel and vane can used to repair or replace the same on the full size 8 footer, as they are the same. A few parts, such as the tower cap, mast pipe, and turntable can be used to repair 6, 8, or even 10 foot C-27's. The wheel hub and nosepiece cannot be “recycled.” The bolt hole patterns match those of the corresponding parts of the full size eight footer, but the bore for the wheel shaft does not. The wheel shaft itself is totally useless.

Challenge 27

P.S. The full size 8 foot windmill was also available with a 9 foot wheel; I have never encountered one so equipped.

6 8 8 challenge27 3.jpg
The lightweight 8 footer is in middle. It is of an earlier vintage than the other two, and lacks the brace rod for the guide rods. The full size 8 footer is of a later period, when the company had switched to a crosshead with only 1 roller.
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windybob
Posts: 3503
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:59 pm
Location: Ames Oklahoma

Re: Challenges three . . . or tales from under the hood.

Post by windybob »

Walter, you could have really made my day if you had set out a Challenge 26.
Call Dan Benjamin for parts. P M me for the phone number.
Smax
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:06 pm
Location: Ardmore,oklahoma
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Re: Challenges three . . . or tales from under the hood.

Post by Smax »

Thanks for the info and photos
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Todd
Posts: 94
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2018 8:40 am
Location: Churubusco, Indiana

Re: Challenges three . . . or tales from under the hood.

Post by Todd »

Walter: That is a very interesting commentary of the Challenge 27 series. I learned something new today! Thanks!
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