Sears and Roebuck Champion (Stover): Project lost cause

[windybob]

Oh, to actually answer your question, at the moment, the Mod S had bearings, the M had "plain" bearings. I'm wondering if you actually have a S with a Sears tail. Do you have literature on both kinds?

There seems to be too many differences on your "M" than mine. I know they make bigger ones different sometimes, with the loads and all, but still, you have a lot of questions. The book did not say that Sears ever sold Mod S's.

Also, the hubs are different, the back of the cases, and other things. I will look at the book later tonight.

[windybob]

Update! I think you actually have a S Model. Timkin bearings. Look at your wheel arms. If they have angle steel on one side, they're M arms. Also....The S was made in 10 ft, the M was made in 9 and 12 ft.
Also, on the S, there is a coiled torsion spring on the tailpin hinge, but a regular long spring that hooks farther back on the tail frame is on the M.

So there ya go. Surprise surprise.

[TomsWaterPumper]

Thanks guys, such appreciated!

Every sales brochure I've read talks about Timken bearing models used throughout, mine has p/n 2580 Timken tapered roller bearings supporting the mainshaft (1 in the nose and 1 at the pinion support) but the slower turning crank gear support bearing is a plain bearing, steel shaft that rides in a cast iron bore. That's never mentioned in the literature I've seen.

I was told there was no other windmill stuff on the property, but I don't know if it was all together as a unit, owner passed, I bought it from the son who's dad was ,a collector of old stuff. He told me "I moved it onto this cart 20yrs ago, when Dad was still alive" so there's that.

Maybe the Sears buyers struck a deal for a proprietary hybrid design, that resulted in a lower price. Maybe a Timken bearing Stover only has roller bearings on the mainshaft. Curious. What I know now, is the timken bearings supporting the mainshaft are common and available automotive bearings. The crank gear supporting short shaft and corresponding replacement eccentric plain bearing is not, unless someone has some old stock. Hindsight is truely 20/10

I do have the serial number, if that helps.

[Wayne]

Maybe starting with SR means a model S? Maybe somewhere their is a serial number list.

[TomsWaterPumper]

Maybe starting with SR means a model S? Maybe somewhere their is a serial number list.

I'm thinking that's the Sears Roebuck designation, but who knows

[Wayne]

Right!

[TomsWaterPumper]

I have my list more or less together

10ft Stover Model S
crank gear:
(1) casting 6R10, 55 teeth, 11-1/4" OD (outside diameter), 1-3/8" ID (inside diameter) bore, 1" connecting rod hole, 1-3/8" wide

Both pinion gears:
(1)17 teeth, 3-3/4" OD, 1-1/4" (1.250") ID w/keyway, 3-3/4" long
(1)17 teeth, 3-3/4" OD, 1-3/16" (1.187") ID w/keyway, 3-1/8" long

Connecting Rods:
Mine are 80% missing, Crank gear end has 1" pin, sliding carriage end 1-1/2", 12" long c to c

I'll also put this in the wanted section

[TomsWaterPumper]

My project took a turn for the better over the weekend. While chasing down a lead on some parts, I happened across a real good guy, who was in the process of getting rid of the last of his windmill stuff, before exiting the state for greener pastures. He and his sons had serviced windmills in the area for years, ranches mostly, and almost exclusively Aermotor. He closed up that business several years ago, and has a bunch of odds and ends, an old Stover head that peaked my interest, and other parts. "Come on up, you'll be leaving with some stuff I'm sure..." he promised.

Super-nice, salt of the earth guy with a lot of working windmill knowledge. He had an 8ft and a 12ft that he will take with him, but the 'bone yard' had several carcasses and tower parts.

For about the cost of 2 tankfuls of California gasoline, I wound up hauling home enough parts to piece together a 30ft tower plus some, and the Stover head.

Very different from my model S, but the gears are the same teeth count and diameters. After getting it mostly freed up and stripped down last night, the gear inside diameters are all much smaller than my S model, and these pinions look to be 1 piece with their shaft which is internally splined, no keyways, a completely different design. The connecting rods won't work, either. The main shaft is frozen, I'm not sure how it's supposed to come apart.

The pile of tower parts include (5) 20ft sections (3-1/4" leg angle, 2 with steps), several 10ft sections, and enough horizontal and diagonal cross braces to built an Eiffel Tower.

[windybob]

Sounds interesting. I know that there are guys on here with 10 ft Stover stuff, maybe once they get out from under the ice and snow, they will help you out.
I don't much like winter.

[TomsWaterPumper]

A buddy of mine is doing the Route 66 Lemons Rally this week in his 1965 vw bus, Chicago to Santa Monica Pier. His reports feature sideways blowing snow turned to freezing rain on Monday, burrrrrrr!