1955 Toro Sportlawn 18 model 2PD-8-20127
Briggs & Stratton 5S-700071-1635120
rated @ .83 HP @ 2200 RPM
rated @ .97 HP @ 2700 RPM
rated @ 1.0 HP @ 3200 RPM
Procured 08/23/15 from original owner's son, who kept it under cover. Fuel tank is half full of what appears to be boiled tea, although I suspect at one time it was gasoline.
Appears to be complete and original, although the muffler in the photos sticks straight out toward the rear, which in light of the shape of the fuel tank seems the logical original location. I suspect the previous owner added the 90° pipe elbow to direct the exhaust away from the operator.
The Fairbanks-Morse recoil assembly came with the mower, and appears from the bolt pattern, patina on the (original) paint, and scratches on the blower housing to have been original.
The recoil mechanism is jammed, and the previous owner was using a rope to start it.
What I am puzzled by is a notation in the original Briggs & Stratton operating instruction booklet pertaining to the removal of the flywheel:
To Remove Flywheel
ROPE STARTER:
Remove blower housing. Place a block of wood under flywheel fin close to flywheel and hold it solid. Use a large wrench 10” or longer. Turn to RIGHT to loosen. After removing nut, washer and pulley, loosen flywheel by holding a wood block against the end of the crankshaft and striking it with a hammer. Pull off flywheel. Save the key.
RECOIL STARTER:
Same as above, except turn clutch housing to LEFT (Right-hand thread.)
So, considering that it came with the (unattached) recoil starter, is it reasonable to assume this engine has RIGHT HAND threads on the end of the crankshaft?
I wouldn’t want to snap off the end of the crank on this one.
I am also curious as to the OE paint color. Even taking into consideration the age of the machine, and knowing what UV does to bright colored paints, this appears to have more a "brick red" color on the engine than the "fire engine" red used on contemporary Toro models.
The mower deck appears to have a more "orangy" red tone than the "fire engine' red used on contemporary Toro models.
Any insights you might be able to provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Here are the photos:
![]()
toro_sportlawn_2PD_owners_manual_1955 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
briggs_and_stratton_5S_engine_manual_1955 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_mower_identification_tag by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
briggs_5S-700071-1635120_engine_identification_tag by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_01 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_02 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_03 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_04 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_05 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_06 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_07 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_08 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_09 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_10 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
fairbanks_morse_recoil_assembly_for_briggs_5S_01 by four.cycle, on Flickr
![]()
fairbanks_morse_recoil_assembly_for_briggs_5S_02 by four.cycle, on Flickr
---
It's obviously in need of a couple new tires. I managed to find a guy in Georgia who had a pair of brand new # PD-440A tires, but his are for the 21" model. The 18" model uses # PD-340 tires, but I didn't have much luck finding them, although admittedly I didn't spend a lot of time searching.
Here's the reply I got from Toro regarding the tires:
"8/26/2015
Thank you for contacting The Toro Company. We apologize for the trouble you are having finding information on your machine. It appears that the color on the machine should be an apple red. The part number we have for the wheel would be PD-340, we do not have a cross reference number, so we could not tell you if the other wheels you found would work on your unit."
---
If there's anyone here who can offer some help on this one I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks very much!
Briggs & Stratton 5S-700071-1635120
rated @ .83 HP @ 2200 RPM
rated @ .97 HP @ 2700 RPM
rated @ 1.0 HP @ 3200 RPM
Procured 08/23/15 from original owner's son, who kept it under cover. Fuel tank is half full of what appears to be boiled tea, although I suspect at one time it was gasoline.
Appears to be complete and original, although the muffler in the photos sticks straight out toward the rear, which in light of the shape of the fuel tank seems the logical original location. I suspect the previous owner added the 90° pipe elbow to direct the exhaust away from the operator.
The Fairbanks-Morse recoil assembly came with the mower, and appears from the bolt pattern, patina on the (original) paint, and scratches on the blower housing to have been original.
The recoil mechanism is jammed, and the previous owner was using a rope to start it.
What I am puzzled by is a notation in the original Briggs & Stratton operating instruction booklet pertaining to the removal of the flywheel:
To Remove Flywheel
ROPE STARTER:
Remove blower housing. Place a block of wood under flywheel fin close to flywheel and hold it solid. Use a large wrench 10” or longer. Turn to RIGHT to loosen. After removing nut, washer and pulley, loosen flywheel by holding a wood block against the end of the crankshaft and striking it with a hammer. Pull off flywheel. Save the key.
RECOIL STARTER:
Same as above, except turn clutch housing to LEFT (Right-hand thread.)
So, considering that it came with the (unattached) recoil starter, is it reasonable to assume this engine has RIGHT HAND threads on the end of the crankshaft?
I wouldn’t want to snap off the end of the crank on this one.
I am also curious as to the OE paint color. Even taking into consideration the age of the machine, and knowing what UV does to bright colored paints, this appears to have more a "brick red" color on the engine than the "fire engine" red used on contemporary Toro models.
The mower deck appears to have a more "orangy" red tone than the "fire engine' red used on contemporary Toro models.
Any insights you might be able to provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Here are the photos:
toro_sportlawn_2PD_owners_manual_1955 by four.cycle, on Flickr
briggs_and_stratton_5S_engine_manual_1955 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_mower_identification_tag by four.cycle, on Flickr
briggs_5S-700071-1635120_engine_identification_tag by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_01 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_02 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_03 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_04 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_05 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_06 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_07 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_08 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_09 by four.cycle, on Flickr
toro_2PD-8-20127_sportlawn_1955_10 by four.cycle, on Flickr
fairbanks_morse_recoil_assembly_for_briggs_5S_01 by four.cycle, on Flickr
fairbanks_morse_recoil_assembly_for_briggs_5S_02 by four.cycle, on Flickr---
It's obviously in need of a couple new tires. I managed to find a guy in Georgia who had a pair of brand new # PD-440A tires, but his are for the 21" model. The 18" model uses # PD-340 tires, but I didn't have much luck finding them, although admittedly I didn't spend a lot of time searching.
Here's the reply I got from Toro regarding the tires:
"8/26/2015
Thank you for contacting The Toro Company. We apologize for the trouble you are having finding information on your machine. It appears that the color on the machine should be an apple red. The part number we have for the wheel would be PD-340, we do not have a cross reference number, so we could not tell you if the other wheels you found would work on your unit."
---
If there's anyone here who can offer some help on this one I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks very much!