Hand crank to key start conversation

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Dean1234
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Hand crank to key start conversation

Post #1 by Dean1234 » Fri Sep 30, 2022 11:24 am

Has anyone on here ever converted a hand crank dumper to key start, and is it expensive or easy and cheap


mechman
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Re: Hand crank to key start conversation

Post #2 by mechman » Fri Sep 30, 2022 12:21 pm

Hi Dean
Easy and cheap would depend on the dumper concerned. I converted a Winget 4s to electric start. (It's on this forum somewhere) I used a wrecked Petters PH2 engine as a donor. Would I do it again? No.
Norm


cobbadog
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Re: Hand crank to key start conversation

Post #3 by cobbadog » Sat Oct 01, 2022 7:09 am

In theory it is a very simple and straight forward conversion. Biggest headaches to work out are the correct starter motor for the direction of your make and model engine, does it need a spacer block as on some but not all Listers, a generator to charge a battery and appropriate switches and wiring. All very easy. Look for a complete system on the same make n model engine you have then bolt it up.
I have a crank start Liner Roughrider and since it starts so easily on the crank I would never bother to make the conversion. Having said that, I am not using this dumper as a form of income, that would be a different story.
Cheers Cobba


essexpete
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Re: Hand crank to key start conversation

Post #4 by essexpete » Sat Oct 01, 2022 11:35 am

Ring gear, and then adding an alternator got to be factored in.


dixie-normous
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Re: Hand crank to key start conversation

Post #5 by dixie-normous » Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:38 pm

A friend and myself added a starter to an old dumper years ago, it was a pig to start on the handle and we did it more as an experiment when we were bored one day. Found an old bendix style starter that turned the right way and welded a small wheel with a solid rubber tyre on to the end of the starter. Then made a bracket to fix the starter to the side of the engine, with a pivot so it could be pulled against the flywheel, added a lever to the side of the starter to pull it onto the flywheel and a spring to hold it away when not in use. One of us would pull the starter against the flywheel and connect the battery terminal to spin the engine while the other operated the decompressor. There was no charging system and it was all a bit primitive but it worked, and i'm sure with a bit more time and some better engineering it could easily have been a one man operation. Hope all that makes sense, it was long before mobile phones and i didn't own a camera!
Black smoke don't mean it's broke, keep it flat out like a badger on a bypass


cobbadog
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Re: Hand crank to key start conversation

Post #6 by cobbadog » Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:27 am

Yes John it does make sense. Friction drive will and does work and yes your design could be improved from what you have but it does work for you.
Cheers Cobba


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Re: Hand crank to key start conversation

Post #7 by dixie-normous » Mon Oct 03, 2022 11:17 am

It was almost 35 years ago we did that, and i think the old dumper has returned to nature by now. I'd definitely do it again but with a better design and build, i'm the wrong side of 50 now for a hand crank!
Black smoke don't mean it's broke, keep it flat out like a badger on a bypass


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