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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Ransomes Motor 3

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Hi all,

Recently I obtained a Ransomes Motor 3 reel mower (6ft 4in) for restoration. The mower has one front cutting unit and two rear cutting units, which means that the driver has to look backwards to prevent hitting obstacles. This inconvenience plus the heavyweight design obviously prevented it from becoming popular. Here in Holland sofar nobody knew this mower and it seems not to be well known in the UK either. Nevertheless I'm very interested in the history of this mower. I already downloaded a parts list from the Jacobsen website, which is a great help. Now I'm looking for a Users Manual.Thanks in advance for any other additional information.   Ranso-mess 

Forums

hortimech Tue, 16/10/2018

It seems I was wrong about seeing two of these, what I actually saw was two junior motor triples. I did however see one at the old Motspur park show back in 1976, they were released for the 1977 season (yes Wrispin, you aren't the only one to keep old records). I personally never had much to do with large Ransome machinery in my early working life, the company I worked for sold just about anything but Ransome machines, the company was, however, one of the largest Toro dealers in the country.

Ranso-mess Wed, 17/10/2018

Dear hortimech,

Thanks for your reaction!   On Youtube I found this video of the Ransomes Junior Motor Triple:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZLp-WQTgxY . Is this the mower you meant?  Sofar I could not find any video's of the Motor 3. I'm surprised that the Motor 3 was still on the market in 1977 as you mentioned.  

 

hortimech Wed, 17/10/2018

Yes that was the machine that the company I worked for scrapped. The Motor 3 wasn't released until 1976/7, I think it was meant as a lightweight triple for Golf courses, but, even by that time, Toro had a large slice of that market with the 70 inch triple.

Ranso-mess Wed, 17/10/2018

I'm still mowing with a Toro 58"  (Toro "baby") .

My neighbour has a Toro 70" (Toro "Junior"). 

We keep them going and are both very happy with our oldtimers ;-)

hortimech Thu, 18/10/2018

Toro 58, the only domestic machine with a 'professional' decal on it. 5HP B&S engine and a shrunken version of the Toro 70, 7HP Kholer on early versions, 8HP on later versions, became the 108

Both belt & chain drive and fairly easy to maintain, but usually costly.

 

wristpin Thu, 18/10/2018

We didn’t see many Toros, the first was a 58 in the early 80s and I remember being a bit shocked at the parts prices. Would I be right in remembering that the bottom blades were as a unit with the sole plates and that there were some spherical bronze bushes or U/Js?

You mentioned Motspur Park , a nice friendly little show and the weather was always good!!  I seem to remember that the site had some connection with the BBC - social cub sports ground  may be.

 

 

Ranso-mess Fri, 19/10/2018

Yes Wristpin, new Toro 58 parts were very expensive  and most are not available anymore. Sofar I managed to find used parts from scrap mowers, but that's getting less easy. The bedknife/soleplate is one piece indeed and the front cutting units  are driven by bronze driveballs. These, plus the cast-iron differential gears, are the most critical parts to keep the mower running. 

hortimech Fri, 19/10/2018

I saw lots of Toro's, I spent 25 years repairing them and have a jumper to prove it ;-)

A lot of the wearing parts on a 70 are fairly easily obtainable, they are just standard bushes, chains etc, but the biggest problem would be the drive balls on the end of the front cutting cylinders. The bottom block was a one piece design but there was a block with removable blade available towards the end of production. They only went out of production because of a decline in sales and that was caused by the fitting of safety switches to the 108 (the 70's replacement), you couldn't get off and walk beside it.

Chris G Fri, 19/10/2018

have a jumper to prove it ;-)

How's the wear on the jumper :-)

A friend of mine used to design chippers etc for environmental manufacturing as they call it, he was telling me that the safety aspects they need to adhere to over EU are mind boggling but also not really set out overall. He was part of the EU working committee on it just for chippers ! Its still work in progress just for chippers

 

 

Ranso-mess Sat, 20/10/2018

Dear hortimech, here in Holland it's getting difficult to find used Toro 58 & 70 parts. Do you have an idea about the situation in the UK?

hdtrust Fri, 02/11/2018

I'll hold my hand up, I worked them on High Hazels Golf Course in 1977, A Municipal Golf Course also known as an assault course within the trade.

Commercially they were not popular, as was an out dated design,except that is for Sheffield Recreation Department, the saying goes that if a Donkey walked by with Ransomes on its back Sheffield Rec would buy it!

You appear to be in Holland, the agent there was Verbeek , the same family as the makers of Fairground Organs.If Verbeek sold them,then a different engine may be on, as they always supplied their own.Verbeek went to the wall when Textron took over Ransomes, but luckily their archives are with us!

I do have spare manuals for the Motor 3, now for the good news, you will be able to get bottom blades and cylinders from Garfitts in Killamarsh, Sheffield

Hope this helps

Andrew

Ranso-mess Sat, 03/11/2018

Dear Andrew, Thanks for your reaction! Yes I'm living in the east of Holland. The OLC helped me identifying this mower, that's why I joined the club ;-).  Verbeek doesn't ring a bell, do you have more info about them? I already downloaded a partslist from the Jacobsen site: too many, too heavy parts!  I'm still looking for an operators manual, could you send me one? Do you think there are still Motor 3 mowers in use? Thanks in advance, Ranso-mess