Continental Belton Post Hole Digger

[big a]

New owner of a Continental Belton Model C post hole digger.
Been sitting outside for years and got everything freed up and working, mostly.
When I trip it to raise, it winds up the cable, but seems to stop about 1-1.5 short of catching on the hood up latch.
Havent tried it under pto powerjust turning pto shaft with a pipe wrench.
It compresses the spring on the end of the cable solid, just acts like its out of cable travel. I can lift the gearbox assy up, and catch the latch, so I know its not binding.
Any ideas what to check?

 

[SVcummins]

Cable stretched a little bit ?

 

[Tx Jim]

Under gearbox there's a part shaped similar to an "H" that has a plunger with a tube & roller on the end of plunger. Is this plunger free to slide inside the tube & roller must roll freely so roller can go up over hump inside of PHD frame pipe. This "H" controls mechanism under gearbox that has slanted teeth that powers cable & also applies pressure on clutch under gearbox to control auger decent speed when digging a hole.

 

[big a]

Yes, that plunger & clutch mechanism moves freely. I can snap it over center by hand, but takes some effort.
It really seems like the cable might be too long.
Under the springs (one inside the other) is a washer brazed onto the cable. Was that original setup?

 

[Tx Jim]

I think washer was brazed on end of original cable. It's been 35 yrs since I've been around a C-B PHD. IIRC cable attachment to sheave can be relocated by loosening a set screw when gearbox is at bottom of pipe frame