recreatingmydadssnapper
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- May 17, 2014
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My name is Jeff and I'm in NC. I'm known on MyTractorForum.com as iwantmysnapperback and I miss the snapper riding mower I was taught to cut the grass with by my dad. I never thought that I would miss it till one day - when it Really hit home. What happened was at that time I took my 1 year old son (now 23 months old), Max on a ride on our 42" poulan mower. Unfortunately my dad passed away from esophageal cancer on May 23, 2005 - the day after my birthday May 22, 1978, and so he never got the chance to meet his grandson. =( My mother was watching on the deck while I was giving him a ride and she stopped me and said why don't you let him put his hands on the wheel? I told her with my legs straddled to accompany the wheel that he has to sit on my leg with my arm around him to steady him. And then it hit me.....this was like my dad holding me when I was small riding on the snapper. I'm not ashamed to admit it, but it made me drop a tear or two. I usually have a TERRIBLE memory short term at least but if it happened back in 84 or so, I have things memorized down to a fine detail.
So now I have a mission: I tried to find and buy my dad's snapper riding mower. but after a lot of trying I found out it was impossible. So I tried this - find the same model as his was and if that wasn't possible try finding one very similar to it and make it the way his was. I remember every single detail minus two things; what blade width it was (think it was a 24-28") and what hp it was.
Here's all the details I can remember -
Throttle plate - chrome with black chainlink or diamond look on it, lever itself was a hard white plastic tab
The blade deck - blade engagement handle had a black hard rubber grip on the handle, the blade height lever had a hard rubber White grip on the lever the blade deck on both sides has some kind of long C metal loops on it. Actually I take that back - I am not 100% sure if they are on both sides but I AM 100% sure it was at least on the left side.
Blade deck cover completely red with white sticker with a coupon cut look telling the warnings, instructions, etc on the left side), outlining safety usage in black writing. The grass chute was flat, tire tread pattern of the front and rear wheels -(pneumatic fronts with a /// \\\ pattern and I think the rear wheels were skinny possibly pneumatic as well with a diamond pattern), gas tank was rectangular black plastic with black plastic gas cap, elevated on left side of mower.
Pull start white Tecumseh motor with a white can looking air cleaner cover with multiple holes believe its a 5 or a 6hp. The key switch plate I remember same style sticker as the one on the mower cover. The main steering handle was white with a hard black triangular look with white writing in the center of the bar, and two rubber grips with a weird kinda raised up i dunno what you call it ribbing or something. The seat was a gloss or semigloss black with SNAPPER molded into the back part of the seat, the metal part of the seat is black. That's about all the details I can think of right now. Man I wish I had a pic of it, mom took some of me on it growing up but we can't find them. =(
Thanks to the great folks on MyTractorForum.com I learned a lot of great info about the mower. And was successful finding one on craigslist near me. Found one - the guy wanted $100. Once he said that if I or someone else doesn't buy it he was going to have it scrapped. After finding that info I talked him down to $25. It has the main parts I was looking for - bicycle handle bars with the grips, the center triangle cover, the red cover on the blade deck, the correct style of font lettering for the BRAKE/CLUTCH and AUX pedals, and Most important of all, the throttle was on the front center Not the side mounted ones. Its the wrong engine but I didn't care I figured better this than nothing b/c I haven't seen a 5-6 hp tecumseh motor in a Lonnnnnng time.
The seat was trashed so I got a new SNAPPER imprinted on ebay. The motor is a tecumseh 8 hp engine didn't turn over b/c there were only two bolts holding the shroud and then the boss inside was broke. Got a nice one on ebay, changed oil, cleaned out gas tank, cleaned out carb bowl sprayed the carb down with carb cleaner, replaced O ring and the fittings to the bowl. Replaced fuel line, added fuel filter, got new grommet and gas fitting for the tank. Also got some genuine tecumseh bolts for the shroud and replacement tecumseh white tabbed throttle. Tried firing her up. Nope....nothing. Found out that might need to change points, condenser and ignition coil. Watched a video on youtube that showed how to get the flywheel off. THAT took a day or two but finally got it off. Saw a vid on changing out points, condenser and ignition coil. However he had the whole magneto off disassembling and reassembling it. So got new points, ignition coil and condenser along with a new Beautiful throttle plate and flywheel key just in case the primary one sheared. However - I had Never heard of whatever you do DO NOT TAKE OFF MAGNETO! hehe Found that out too late but with some close up pics I took of Before I took it off I got lucky. I did the spark plug test and my fingers slipped and touched the metal while I pulled the cord I got BIT! At first I jerked and dropped it but then I realized I got spark! Put fuel in the tank and pulled and ......Nothing. Disappointed to say the least. Finally I decided just have the carburetor cleaned and rebuilt. So I did. I took the whole thing to the local mower repair place. Carburetor still bolted to that long tube thing and detached the linkages and from the governor. Well after a day or two I got it back. Reattached everything the way it was, put the throttle on choke, turned the key to on, and in One pull SHE FIRED right up!! Oh I was sooo happy for about two seconds before that engine started sounding like a NASCAR engine just racing like crazy! I brought the throttle down to go to STOP and it raced even harder! I put it back to choke, the speed came down some and I shut her off. I was like, ok that's backwards what on earth happened? Here's a vid showing the latest test fire.
IMG_2001_zps3f2dd23b.mp4 Video by kittesvsr71 | Photobucket
I've read and seen governor vids but I'm still confused on how you actually do it, holding this twisting this, pushing this, I mean can you twist the governor shaft b/c if not the lower metal part the rod goes through it can only go left or right and I'm hearing turn it clockwise or counterclockwise which sounds like it can spin. But again are you supposed to twist the shaft alone?
Oh and can any of you all help me please? Ever since I've started this project I've been on the lookout for the black grip that goes on the blade engagement handle and the MOST important one of all, the WHITE tecumseh grip that goes on the blade deck height adjustment handle. I can't find these parts anywhere - been looking on ebay, asked on the other board - nada. I got lucky and found two like new black rubber grips on ebay for the gear designation handle. The part number doesn't match up on the manuals but it looks like the one my dad so I'm happy with that. Although his might have been a hard black plastic grip on that handle seems like it anyway. Also looking the pre pneumatic front tires - Not the rubber ones and the skinny diamond pattern rear tires. Also I would like to get my hands on a tecumseh 5-6 hp motor if anyone has one they are wanting to sell.
I'm hoping with everyone's help - we can get this engine to idle down so I can take my first ride then my first ride with my son. I'm ready to make some new memories with my son and with a "new" old friend.
Thanks all and Great to be here!
Jeff - recreatingmydadssnapper
So now I have a mission: I tried to find and buy my dad's snapper riding mower. but after a lot of trying I found out it was impossible. So I tried this - find the same model as his was and if that wasn't possible try finding one very similar to it and make it the way his was. I remember every single detail minus two things; what blade width it was (think it was a 24-28") and what hp it was.
Here's all the details I can remember -
Throttle plate - chrome with black chainlink or diamond look on it, lever itself was a hard white plastic tab
The blade deck - blade engagement handle had a black hard rubber grip on the handle, the blade height lever had a hard rubber White grip on the lever the blade deck on both sides has some kind of long C metal loops on it. Actually I take that back - I am not 100% sure if they are on both sides but I AM 100% sure it was at least on the left side.
Blade deck cover completely red with white sticker with a coupon cut look telling the warnings, instructions, etc on the left side), outlining safety usage in black writing. The grass chute was flat, tire tread pattern of the front and rear wheels -(pneumatic fronts with a /// \\\ pattern and I think the rear wheels were skinny possibly pneumatic as well with a diamond pattern), gas tank was rectangular black plastic with black plastic gas cap, elevated on left side of mower.
Pull start white Tecumseh motor with a white can looking air cleaner cover with multiple holes believe its a 5 or a 6hp. The key switch plate I remember same style sticker as the one on the mower cover. The main steering handle was white with a hard black triangular look with white writing in the center of the bar, and two rubber grips with a weird kinda raised up i dunno what you call it ribbing or something. The seat was a gloss or semigloss black with SNAPPER molded into the back part of the seat, the metal part of the seat is black. That's about all the details I can think of right now. Man I wish I had a pic of it, mom took some of me on it growing up but we can't find them. =(
Thanks to the great folks on MyTractorForum.com I learned a lot of great info about the mower. And was successful finding one on craigslist near me. Found one - the guy wanted $100. Once he said that if I or someone else doesn't buy it he was going to have it scrapped. After finding that info I talked him down to $25. It has the main parts I was looking for - bicycle handle bars with the grips, the center triangle cover, the red cover on the blade deck, the correct style of font lettering for the BRAKE/CLUTCH and AUX pedals, and Most important of all, the throttle was on the front center Not the side mounted ones. Its the wrong engine but I didn't care I figured better this than nothing b/c I haven't seen a 5-6 hp tecumseh motor in a Lonnnnnng time.
The seat was trashed so I got a new SNAPPER imprinted on ebay. The motor is a tecumseh 8 hp engine didn't turn over b/c there were only two bolts holding the shroud and then the boss inside was broke. Got a nice one on ebay, changed oil, cleaned out gas tank, cleaned out carb bowl sprayed the carb down with carb cleaner, replaced O ring and the fittings to the bowl. Replaced fuel line, added fuel filter, got new grommet and gas fitting for the tank. Also got some genuine tecumseh bolts for the shroud and replacement tecumseh white tabbed throttle. Tried firing her up. Nope....nothing. Found out that might need to change points, condenser and ignition coil. Watched a video on youtube that showed how to get the flywheel off. THAT took a day or two but finally got it off. Saw a vid on changing out points, condenser and ignition coil. However he had the whole magneto off disassembling and reassembling it. So got new points, ignition coil and condenser along with a new Beautiful throttle plate and flywheel key just in case the primary one sheared. However - I had Never heard of whatever you do DO NOT TAKE OFF MAGNETO! hehe Found that out too late but with some close up pics I took of Before I took it off I got lucky. I did the spark plug test and my fingers slipped and touched the metal while I pulled the cord I got BIT! At first I jerked and dropped it but then I realized I got spark! Put fuel in the tank and pulled and ......Nothing. Disappointed to say the least. Finally I decided just have the carburetor cleaned and rebuilt. So I did. I took the whole thing to the local mower repair place. Carburetor still bolted to that long tube thing and detached the linkages and from the governor. Well after a day or two I got it back. Reattached everything the way it was, put the throttle on choke, turned the key to on, and in One pull SHE FIRED right up!! Oh I was sooo happy for about two seconds before that engine started sounding like a NASCAR engine just racing like crazy! I brought the throttle down to go to STOP and it raced even harder! I put it back to choke, the speed came down some and I shut her off. I was like, ok that's backwards what on earth happened? Here's a vid showing the latest test fire.
IMG_2001_zps3f2dd23b.mp4 Video by kittesvsr71 | Photobucket
I've read and seen governor vids but I'm still confused on how you actually do it, holding this twisting this, pushing this, I mean can you twist the governor shaft b/c if not the lower metal part the rod goes through it can only go left or right and I'm hearing turn it clockwise or counterclockwise which sounds like it can spin. But again are you supposed to twist the shaft alone?
Oh and can any of you all help me please? Ever since I've started this project I've been on the lookout for the black grip that goes on the blade engagement handle and the MOST important one of all, the WHITE tecumseh grip that goes on the blade deck height adjustment handle. I can't find these parts anywhere - been looking on ebay, asked on the other board - nada. I got lucky and found two like new black rubber grips on ebay for the gear designation handle. The part number doesn't match up on the manuals but it looks like the one my dad so I'm happy with that. Although his might have been a hard black plastic grip on that handle seems like it anyway. Also looking the pre pneumatic front tires - Not the rubber ones and the skinny diamond pattern rear tires. Also I would like to get my hands on a tecumseh 5-6 hp motor if anyone has one they are wanting to sell.
I'm hoping with everyone's help - we can get this engine to idle down so I can take my first ride then my first ride with my son. I'm ready to make some new memories with my son and with a "new" old friend.
Thanks all and Great to be here!
Jeff - recreatingmydadssnapper