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Hi All, Well ive finally managed to finish my latest fun video on building my snow plow, not that ill get to use till next winter, but its done:) Hope you enjoy it! Now i need to find time to get the charging system tested. cheers, Daniel

I made my decision yesterday on my new chainsaw with a 20" bar. Although I have bought Stihl products for the last few years, after reading other forums specific to timber I decided to buy a Dolmar. I had initially thought of the next model up from what I bought which is their PS-6400. The Dolmar dealer, after lengthy discussion, led me to rethink my actual needs. I rarely fell a tree (I have large trees and will go to a pro for that) so do more limbing and bucking. The Stihl MS 261 C-M was what I compared the Dolmar PS-5105 to. To start, the Stihl was $180.00 more than the Dolmar. The horsepower is lower on the Stihl by .15 and the Dolmar's weight is .3 pounds heavier. The Dolmar is easier to maintain the top end as the cover is one piece covering the filter and cylinder head. This Dolmar model also has a one-touch lever by the right thumb similar to the Stihl. This last item is actually better than the Stihl as "Stop" is actually a downward movement. Both can take a 20" bar. Bottom line though is that the Dolmar has nice balance and "feels" right to me. So I bought the PS-5105. This is considered a "Pro" saw as the crankcase is made from magnesium instead of aluminum. This lightens the saw (powerhead) by .4 pounds and has an increase of .6 horsepower over their PS-510. Later on into the two-year warranty and just to make sure that there are no problems, I plan on replacing the muffler with a non-cat type plus doing some port work as well. That should bump the performance a bit more. It also helps that it is red and the dome is black! I plan on using it today.

Pic of the tractor with the decals on and a link to the loader build

I think it is time to throw in the towel and just send my C160 over to Martin's for a Magic Carpet Ride!

I wired an old 120V. thermostat up to a light bulb in one of the cabinets under my bench. When it gets real cold the light keeps things stored in the cabinet from freezing.

That's ok...I was planning on transplanting a new 302 in the spring...going to have to cut a little sheet metal away though to make room for the headers!

Just change the filter when you get a chance. Maybe a blown head gasket and seeping antifreeze

Didn't have a lot of time today but did get the bucket built. Just need to weld the inside and make new attachment plates to mount it to the loader.

Does that threadlocker release with heat, or do you need to use EXLAX ? I can't help myself.

Good evening everyone, First post here, is going to be a big one but i need some help. I've been eyeing Wheelhorse rigs for quite sometime for snow removal. As a kid i can remember every surrounding neighbor blasting there driveways out with Wheelhorses & Blower attachments. It seemed as if the snow would throw for miles.. My current snow apparatus consist of a new Airens Pro 32 with a 21hp briggs, a old powerstroke that plows when it wants to & a decent toro that crapped out right before a storm. I had to buy the airens in a pinch when my toro went down and the "Polar Vortex" was headed my way... haha. It wasn't something i really wanted to do as i really was in the market for a Horse & blower but naturally nothing was available while in a pinch. So my question to you guys/gals is, 1. If i wanted to run a two stage horse or a berco, what machine is going to throw that snow the furthest. 2. Does engine size even matter if you can run smaller/larger pully sizes? 3. I see 520's, 416-8 & a one 518 up for sale. I understand the two 5 series i mentioned have bigger engines & there is also alot of other variables to consider rather than just the motor. Which of these is going to perform the best for me running a 2 stage blower. That's all it will be used for. 4. To who ever would, don't take this the wrong way..What is reasonable in terms of pricing? I've seen some of these units going for what i consider, astronomical prices like 3k+.. I understand alot of times ppl in general think there stuff worth it's weight in gold for some reason, but what is it with these 15-20yr old tractors? My neighbors weren't rich when i was a kid so i can't imagine they were spending huge coin every few years when they would turn out there old Wheelhorse's out for new ones. What would they spend on a bigger unit, $4000maybe $5500 hundred if they were getting getting the wool pulled over there eyes..? I know the commercial use Wright Stander i have was something like 8k new in 08, I've used it, added all the attatchments i need, replaced the motor for $1200. If i was to sell the 6yr old machine with a brand new motor id probably ask $3-3500 & it wasn't even used commercially. I don't see how the value of a lawn tractor thats been run for almost 20yrs & only cost $4000-5500 new can be worth $3000 also. I also remember as a kid, when my old man was fed up with fixing his lawn tractor it would go to the scrapyard because it was done, clapped out, used up & worth nothing. So i must ask, Is this just a niche where some ppl will pay big $$ for really old equipment thus the reason i see them selling for $3000? Hopefully someone can fill me in on reasonable prices & why they are really worth. Some of the hardcore horsemen might take all that the wrong way, it wasn't meant to, I'm just kinda boggled as to how some of these units are priced. 5. Here are some pics of the 520 I'm considering. Do any of you see anything obvious i should be aware of & anything missing that would prevent me from from mounting a blower..? & no it's not selling for 3k but i still don't understand how it's selling for what it is..lol. Thanks for taking the time to read the questions i laid out. Maybe you can help shed some light on them? Good day yall.

I went to the bi-annual Mount Gilead Ohio Farm Auction today at a moments notice. I got a call yesterday about the auction and found out it was today!! So no prep time on this auction. Didn't even have time to empty out my van! I figured it would be cold and windy and muddy as all get out. It was all of the above! They had several Wheel Horse's, Cubs, Sears and even a old Bush Hog tractor that was pretty old and cool. I had my eye on a couple WH's and most of them went for cheap! One was a 1970's C120-8 Speed, it went for a very good price of $175.00 with deck and all original paint, a very nice machine. There was a 1968 Lawn Ranger in good original condition with mower deck, it went for a mere $110.00! I didn't see the price of the 312-8 Speed w/snow blade or the Bush Hog. I bid on a descent 1056 with a Briggs motor instead of the 10 hp Kohler and a rare 1962 WH snow blade was on it. It got over my budget of $120, by one bid so it went for $125.00! The best tractor of the bunch was a very nice running 1972ish Charger 12 Automatic with a nice mowing deck. The seller was there running the machine most of the day. I talked to him and he got it 2 years ago with a house he bought. He mowed with it for 2 years and got a new mower because he didn't like the large turning radius of the WH. It was the very last tractor in the auction(ain't it always like that?!!) The auctioneer started off low and at about $50.00 I had to ask him what tractor they were auctioning right now? He stopped the entire auction and said to me, THE WHEEL HORSE!! Everybody looked at me like I was stupid but nobody was bidding on it. It got a few more slow bids and I bid on it at $100.00. There was 2 other bidders and everybody else was talking and carrying on and they didn't realize the nice WH that was up for bids! So I got it for $175.00 when the gavel fell! The seller didn't even know they were selling his machine and not many people knew that it was over until they saw me shut the tractor off. A few guys asked me what I just bought and I said with pride, that nice WH right here! They couldn't believe they missed out on it, since they had been waiting on it all day long! So I got lucky on it and was prepared to bid up to $250.00. The seat was in mint condition until the seller parked it in his garage a day before the auction and his Boxer dog chewed it to pieces! He said the dog got a good thumping after that! KJ

I started out last summer picking up a 1990 520H parts tractor that had no rear tires, front axle, engine, gas gauge, volt gauge, hour meter, and no steering. The hood and fenders had a lot of rust pits, and paint was pealing off in many places. I got it cheep and wanted for a loader tractor. I already had the forward swept axle, and gear deducted steering, And as for the rear tires I wanted 26x12x12's on it. I picked up a good running kohler 18hp Magnum from Kelly and started piecing it together bit by bit. I installed one of Matt's foot control assembly's on it and painted the tins (hood not finished yet still in primmer). I got it running today and took it for a spin with NO hood on it as it isn't ready yet. I have to say that it is faster then any of my other tractors by far! and the pedal control is just SWEET!!! It works Great from slow to fast and centers when you take your foot off. I am so happy with the way this tractor is turning out that I may need to find another one to put the loader on It's a blast to drive and is so much easier to drive then my 96 520H with the foot control! I have worked on this tractor hear and there as not to brake the bank if you know what I mean. I got all the gauges to work but the tach. Still need to play with that a little more to find out whats wrong with it. I got some new decals from Terry coming soon and we will see how they look in a few days. Hear are the pics Look at the lift lever, I moved the control from the steering wheel to hear as it will have a 3 point on back. this way I won't get bumped while using the loader. Hydro motion lever is also removed

A friend has a Kubota diesel that is starting hard in cold weather. My experience with Mercedes diesel engines tells me valve adjustment is key to easy starting in cold weather. I have found that engines that would not start in cold weather, easily start at zero degrees after a valve adjustment and without using the block heater. The reason is the temperature of the air in the cylinder is raised significantly when it is compressed. It is the hot air that ignites the fuel. The purpose of the glow plug is to help raise the temperature of the air. The glow plug does not ignite the fuel. The hot air does. If the valves are not properly adjusted the air will not be compressed sufficiently to reach the high temperature needed to ignite the fuel in cold weather. Proper valve adjustment is also important for the longevity of an engine. Valve adjustment on garden tractor engines is often neglected until the engine does not run properly any more or the engine destroys itself. Here is a publication from Caterpillar that explains why valve adjustment is important. I believe the ONAN Performer series engines have gotten a bad rap partly due to owners neglecting valve adjustment.

Well lets see loader project with power steering rebuilding a KT17 II for a tractor I haven't even picked up yet Install new rings in the 875 rebuild a snow cab frame for my blower tractor restore my c160 repair the back lip of my bathtub trailer refresh the engine on my 417 v blade tractor and on and on with what ever comes next LOL

Personally, the side discharge deck works better for launching unseen objects. They are also better for blasting holes in vinyl siding, with even the smallest of those objects. Rear discharge decks, on the other hand, don't score nearly as high in this feature. Still, as a counter-point, the rear disch decks leave most of the object exactly where it was found, or just a few feet away.

Right on brother! That's the main reason that I sold/traded my Cubs and got Wheel Horses!

A week ago, I was just finishing cleaning up the latest 12 inch snowfall with my single stage blower on the 416, when things started flopping around in the PTO area. I quickly disengaged and determined that the thrust bearing on the PTO had finally given up. It took me about 15 minutes to remove the PTO pulley, remove the snap ring, and drive out the old bearing. It took about another 15 minutes to clean things up, go to my stash and get a new bearing, some new snap rings for the stub-shaft, and re-install everything. 30 minutes later, my machine and I are good to go back to work. Try that on a Cub-Cadet.

As stated above.....get a copy of the wiring diagram, see what connectors you need and completely re-wire that GT!

Snuck out to get a few more hours on the loader today. I got my surplus center order last Monday. Started to cut the ends off. And weld the old ends back on the new cylinders Mounted them on the loader for a test fit Made up some brackets to mount the bucket to the loader Just need to Make 4 of the holes in the plates square to fit the factory grease able carriage bolts. Then I can weld them on.

Thanks very much for all the very prompt and detailed replies. Much appreciated. It appears that photos are in demand, so two taken by the prior owner are posted. I will be following the recommended troubleshooting steps next weekend. The loader operated fine, good speed and capacity. There is a hydraulic leak on one of the hoses or reservoir connection and a slight leak from the transaxle. So fluid level is a good suspect. I looked through the manual postings, but the designations are a bit of a mystery for a newbie. Is there a basic manual for the D-180? And again, apologies from a newbie, but where is the tractor id plate located? Thanks very much.

I figured it out, so now you can view the pics. Thanks JimD for the IMG hint! Thanks for looking and your comments are welcome....Keith

There is a chart some where. Look in manuals

no worries a friend of mine makes new main mounts just take all your hard wear off and install on the new one email me if interested

Update.... Once I got inside, as expected, the spider gear popped off with relatively little effort. The spider looks fine, no cracks, just a little stretched. Instead of purchasing a new or used cam gear with a better spider, I decided to Loctite Blue the old spider on. If it does not work, I will have to get a new cam gear anyway to get a better spider, so I'll just replace the whole cam gear along with the crank gear if I have to go back in. The spider does not move now; not at all. Also, I did the job with the engine on the tractor. Surprisingly easy job over all. I used wheel bearing grease to hold the three bottom steel balls in place. Checked their position in the cup with a flashlight to be sure. The rest of the governor parts look real good and the governor pin is right on spec. I'm just waiting for a new gear cover seal and gear cover gasket from onanparts and I'll button it up. Thanks again, Martin. I'm pretty confident this will fix things the rpm spikes..

Nice looking saw. I have never heard of DOLMAR, but I am not in the market for a saw, therefore not active looking at them. I have had a Stihl 028 with 20" bar for 25+ years, but do not use it very often. The ex got the fireplace, and I got the saw!

We have a rinnai unit at home also. Awesome, and never looked back...for sure. Ours hangs on the wall directly under the bathroom. (right next to the Bridgeport miller)

Yeah, It's already growing roots in the shop Craig. It probably found a home.

That's one good lookin' Lane.

Here is our SMS-50 Sickle Bar Mower on our 1965 -1054-A tractor. [ These parts are from a 50 inch sickle bar mower but this is a Model 7-1312 . The U Shaped piece on the end of the bar is where you bolt up the sickle bar on the back of the tractor -in front of the transmission. The SMS-50 does not have this type of "bolt up" and instead has a plate that bots to the back side of the tractor (or front of the transmission actually).

Welcome Jim! answer(opinion) to #1...............The 520 will throw it furthest! answer(opinion) to #2...............Size does matter! At least on a two-stage blower. You require a 16 horse minimum motor and the overwhelming majority will stand with the Onan 20HP in the 520 model. The 518 comes with a different hydro trannie that you want to avoid if possible! (Eaton 1100 verses the Eaton 700). All 520's have the Eaton 1100! 2cyl better than a single for a 2-stage blower! Other options are a 417A and a C-175 though these are older tractors than the 520's. The 520 is best period. Answer(opinion) to #3...............See Answer(opinion) #1 Answer(opinion) to #4...............As stated above, the 520's are higher in price. A low hour great shape 520H in the US East will run between 800 to 1500 bucks with a mower deck. The good deals go quickly. Add to that a two-stage thrower at 700 to 1200 bucks and some weights, chains, and your total rig should cost out average between say 1500 to 2700 bucks for a decent deal. Answer(opinion) to #5...............Looks good. Make sure you run any automatic tractor while test driving it until it is completely warmed up and try to push something or drive a hill looking for a weakening unit! Also look at a package deal for a WheelHorse/Toro Xi series tractor. They are newer, heavier and actually better in many respects than the 520 series including some equipped with power steering. An Xi package is more $$$ buck may well be worth it to you! Good Luck!

I like your starter! I used to use an old B&D 1/2" drill to start an old Gravely walk be hind I had.

maybe at idle its borderline too low oil pressure and the light is working fine,maybe the filter you used doesn't flow quite as good as the oem,and the light is sensing this?

This is what I use I insert the valve in the block like this I spin the valve while slowly grinding material away You can take off too much very fast if your not careful

Take the plastic dust cap off they should fit WH that is, otherwize you need a deep dish cap like some aftermarket ones, maybe Simplicity they I think are deeper dished

• I put colored electrical tape on every-other size socket; like Green for 1/2", orange for 3/8", blue for 5/8", and the in-between sizes I can guess when they are all lying there in order. The tape does get nicked up and needs to be replaced every few years. • Stopped at a print shop and got a damaged box of big paper, 23x35"; always keep a 2-3" pile of it on the work bench and I work on that, it's whitish, can write notes on it, it's coated but reasonably soft and absorbs spills. When messed up, just discard it and have a clean new area to work on. • Mounted a small $10 fan near the ceiling, blowing down on my work bench, warm air down in the Winter, a breeze in the Summer and dries & moves fumes away, turn on-off by plugging in-out the plug, low speed, just noticeable, not fast.. • Mounted several of those 2' magnetic strips, on the wall in front to hold tools temporarily while I'm working, rather than leaving them on the bench and in my way, then they're put away when I'm all done. Also use a bunch of those magnetic trays to hold screws & small parts while working. • Got a adjustable pull-out 30" work-light mounted on the wall behind the workbench, with a bright 100w bulb, great for angling to look horizontal into something. • Put some electrical outlets just under and in front of the workbench, keeps the cords of my tools off the workbench & out-of-the-way, can leave them plugged in and just under the bench for quick access anytime. (Got 4 cheap $10 small 4x4" sanders, one for each grit that I most use). • We use the large heavy-duty Wastebasket on wheels, and put a 3/4" board on it with a triangle hole (dust pan just fits in it, to dump), the board is the same height as my workbench and the whole thing is very mobile and still a handy wastebasket 'right there" (board lifts off to empty). RL] • And then, my Hoist. Securely bolted on 24' of square Barn Door square Track into the ceiling joists, hung a '$79 Harbor Freight' electric hoist on a bar with the barn door wheel hangers, and for electricity, used a ceiling mount re-coil cord (just cut the light off). It can lift 750# easily, for engine onto bench, tractor up, or hanging anything heavy.

Uh, who came home with a nice B-100 from the 2010 WHCC raffle, hmmm?

The enema bulb is used for Turkeys!

Really had no love for 2 wheel walk behinds. My Dad had a 2 wheeler that I was "required" to use to work the garden when I was a 60 lb. 10 year old. I learned to hate that killer tractor .It had a clutch for each wheel, and if they were not engaged at exactly the same time the handles kicked me in the ribs....It worked me more than I worked It .. Humm,.maybe that was Dads plan. Anyway I had a couple hours this morning to play with this little Model L. I checked the oil, pulled the plug, and spun her with my homemade electric starter. No fire at all. Should I go back to my original plan and CL it as a non-runner ? Well it only has 3 bolts holding the tin on, so off it comes. shined up the magnets with some scotch brite and spun her again. She threw plenty of spark. So , now I think this little tractor is startin to grow on me, and I need to see it run.. So I took the frozen up throttle cable off and pulled the wire out of the sheath and soaked it with PB. OOPS...gotta run to a Grandsons Basketball tournament....update when I get fuel in her.

Buckasaurus? Bobasaurus? Better stick with what you got.

Terry, if everyone bows out, I may stand a chance. I was at a union meeting one night, and they used to raffle off things. They had 50 prizes and 51 members present...and you could only win once...guess who went home with nothing. I'm in...Thanks Mate. I was thinking of changing my name, but "rmaynard" is already taken. BTW...so is "Buckrancher".

They can be run in the box , if your crafty

I would not want to try that on a Cub Cadet. I have one and thats enough. Actually I'm glad there are Cub Cadet nuts out there. Those people make it so there are more Wheel Horses for me

I would much rather have a XI series than the 520. Sold my last two 520's last year

Here you go, Glen! http://smllengns.tripod.com/

Tried to upload some new pics on the latest project on the Horse but it says "you have exceeded your allotted disk space for attachments"... Is this something new? Do i need to erase my old pics to upload new ones?

I really appreciated viewing this entire thread and the work you are doing Actonhorse! This is also going to help other Red Square Wheel Horse members!

Whats up everybody, alot of you guys kind of already know a little bit about this project. There comes a time of when you can do things and finally its has come to life as we know it. It moves, runs fantastic. Kind of like excited if you know what I mean. Anyways I am not computer oriented so if I don't succeed at this I am pretty sure that Bob will get it straightened out. Well here goes.

My tractor is 37 years old and still shifts fine. Couple of things to mention. All gear changes must be made with the tractor stopped. There are no synchronizers in the transmission, so shifting on the fly is a no-no. If the belt guard is removed, the input gear never fully stops making shifting impossible or difficult at best. So with that in mind, I don't think you are using the tractor without the guard, but a tab or guide wire may be bent or missing, causing the same effect. If it is not grinding, but just hard to shift, I would again check the dog-point set screw for adjustment. If that is okay, it may be time to check for low fluid, or water in the oil again.

Most of the bolts will be 1/4"-20, 5/16"-18, and 3/8"-16. There may be some other oddball sizes. I think there are a couple of 7/16"-14. The sticker on the Raider is correct. When that one came out, they called the 3 forward and 1 reverse with Hi/Lo a 6-speed. In later models it was referred to as an 8-speed when they decided to include reverse as one of the speeds. And Until you decide to become a supporter, where you will be able to load larger files, you can get a free account at Photobucket.com and upload your pictures there. Then copy the link to the location on Photobucket, click the "image" button in the tool bar here, and paste the URL

I am torn between buying an old wore out loader for my C 121 or just starting from scratch. Any thoughts from you loader guys? My fab skills are decent, so that would not be a major hurdle. Having a loader sized just for my tractor does have a certain appeal. Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2