[TrainingWheels]

I always wondered how these threads got the Lazarus treatment....I now see the link(s) on the sidebar

We have a Little Wonder HPV (terrible choice for an acronym, right?). We love it. We ran in the summer when we did shrubs and our cleaning large parking lot...Makes cleanup (shrub/parking lot) an absolute breeze. It is absolutely great for: a small operation, anyone starting up, someone with small storage space or large shrub jobs.

Things I absolutely love: the lift mount on the top of the housing makes it super easy to bungee it to the trailer. The bag, it's very easy to unload and since it fills from the top it's hard to impossible to clog even when full. How much quicker it is than using our 22156 and HRX. I did get the impeller off, it is without a doubt a heavy, at least twice as thick as our deck I'd say at about 1/2".

The only design problem, is that the large fan wheel- Over time may do a number on the engine. At the time of the swap, the shaft on the old engine had quite a bit of play (this could also be due to a rough first life). I think that over time the main shaft bearing will be the first to fail on this product. You'll notice that large leaf loaders have a much smaller impeller...I'm assuming that this is part of the reason fo this design. Also, it (the HPV) has some inerta when full of leaves- But, I'm still able to move it around as fast as a push mower (although, it does take a little hustle). I would also say that the nozzel adjstment is a little annoying trying to figure out how to make a crank system to make it a little esaier.

Our only problem with the purchase was: I bought it used (real cheap)...It had always been difficult to start (I'd assumed the: large fan/flywheel was the culprit) as it got cooler, it was an absolutely atrocious to get running. I adjusted the valves, cleaned the carb....came to the conclusion the rings were bad.

I ended up looking around and found a replacement engine (after trying to work with: Dealer/Briggs/Little Wonder/SEW...Everyone tried to get me an exact replcement....which no longer exists) a Vanguard 10hp 305cc. It bolted right up to the fan housing, I only needed to remove the muffler shroud and drill four holes in the chassis for mounting. Took me maybe 1 hr (I did cut the heck out of my hand on the keyway....That thing is silly sharp)? It's plenty powerful now (do most jobs at 50% throttel) and for a small operations like ours it's a life saver. We blow leaves into a pile run over them over with the 30" suck and bag (at that point the leaves are powder and we can load them on the trailer and stick them in front of our house for collection).

Here is our leaf setup:

20161109_173235 2

• TrainingWheels
• Nov 13, 2016

Overall, for us it's been a blessing and a great help....It also stripes a lawn like an absolute animal. We'll probally add the vac tube and an extra bag next year.

BR,

~TW

 

[V65racer]

I just read this. I just re-engined an old billy goat push vac. Got the vac for free, the old Tecumseh motor had had it, wasn't worth repairing it and the guy didn't want to buy a new motor, I put it behind my shop, and there it languished. Then I stumbled across a relatively new pressure washer with a bad pump, the pump was ridiculously expensive, so I bought it for 50 bucks,cleaned the carb and it ran great. Then I got to thinking......a little tinkering and that Billy Goat is busy sucking leaves up from around my house. I love that little thing......
After now owning one, I'd recommend it to anyone
This is a newer version of mine http://www.billygoatparts.com/PublicMedia/GetClientMedia/30117