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I went and got the lawn ranger out of storage so thought I would post sum pics it poured rain on me about the time I started loading it uphttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/09/52c2b1de7ee2490d7622ec0c3c9d970c.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/09/43b58136e2a9e1de7c00f52c9293a634.jpg]

OK ... here all you get for now, an unfinished peek at the BUTT of the Beast!! Thundies rollin in so I had to stuff her in the hauler quick. Hopefully I can get her in the garage tomorrow and finish this round of little items. Honestly, I don't see this ending any time soon, 23 guys looked at it today, and I was given at least 10 cool new ideas. Damn. Guess the only way it will ever be done is if I hide it!! LOL

Mrs Rules picked up this all original, A-81 at this years big show... little video here of me, checking out how well it mows for all the hecklers.

A guy in the South end of Lansing had over 150 garden tractors in-and-around his house, mostly hidden by trees and shrubs, probably 6 old Wheel Horses in there, he did let me walk around and look, but he was "collecting tractors" and didn't want to sell any (about 1993). He did do a few crude modifications but not even minor restorations on any. Got most of them for free or very minor cost. After many warnings, City of Lansing came in and hauled everyone of them that were outside away (junk yard?) and added $1200 to his taxes that year. He now moved to within 1/2 mile of me (2006), probably is up to 75 garden tractors, most are in an old pole barn, I can come and look when he is home, but to just look, he worn't sell anything or even trade parts off of them, I asked if I could take pictures, he said no. He has to have help when he goes to get new ones, doesn't even mow his own yard, just collects the tractors to look at I guess, they are all 600' off the road and can't be seen. Actually he is a very nice guy, about mid-70's, not highly knowledgeable about them, but he just likes them, any brand, and I think he actually enjoys it when I come over to look at them (he's up to 8 Wheel Horses now). "Go Figure . . . it makes him happy'. Glen

I recently picked up a front mower from the big show. I got it for a whopping $90!. It works great under trees and bushes. Took me quite a while to find one. Here are some pictures after getting it hooked up.

Eureka! Lawn cutting succes with the super C. Albeit only a couple passes. The real test will be in a few days when the lawn requires a cut. I replaced the Clutch and bearings on the PTO. Also found an old thread where Baerpath suggested roughing the friction material as it had glazed appearance and followed suit. Now the deck cuts like a dream! Still getting used used to the higher center of gravity. I am starting the thread by i-phone for first time and will try and upload the pic of the C195 at work....since lawn was under control. Also my c161 and one of the GT14's.....

Hello wheel horse people. Through lot's of talking and hunting I got the old battered horse home. This horse was another one headed to the shredder to become soup cans, but it was saved by one of my co-workers before I started at the recycling yard and after much talking and some trading it's mine now. A 416_8 with electric lift. The tractor is in very ruff shape with a ton of little problems. There are many parts on the tractor that would fit the old faithful 312 but I think I should just fix it and keep one more horse out grazing. Tell me what you think. Oh and before I go the infamous rock shaft under the seat is intact that was my unicorn part

Picture time..... I've selected some pictures that show where I'm at with this. Some are parts that I took off in hopes of getting that part looking better. Some parts are in some stage of paint or prep. There are examples of trouble I've had (brought on by myself and my lack of experience) LOL. For example the 1st pic is of the drive belt cover. My 1st body panel attempt. Scuffed the paint with whatever i have laying around. Wiped it down poorly and shot some regal red. I taped off the original paint just to see what it would look like next to new paint. ( like I said previously, i fully expected the worst and that's exactly what i got.) I don't have much in the way of budget. I'm not terribly poor mind you, my thinking is use what you have and improve your tools as your skills improve. As my skills increase so will my budget. Pic 2 is of the start of the hood. This one REALLY scares me as it is what everyone looks at. I'll get over that and get some paint down though. Pic 3 is the deck. Spent more time prepping and got better results. Let's face it. It's a friggin mower deck. Just how good should it be? You'll see in pics 4 & 5 some of the deck parts. Haven't decided how far into the quality barrel i want to go. I also found a "test" as i call it. The blade carrier under the deck is cracked. I talked to someone that said it could be braised. Again, beyond me but I'll get help and learn more still. The rest of the pics are just pics. More will come, just like you guys, as time allows. Thanks for looking and keeping this hobby well informed.

I think we are going to have drag races up and down the street and tractor pulls on Steve's front yard, that's what I think...

Well, guess it's a good thing I didn't make the show ... ticker having some issues, spent a long weekend in the "Big House" with Congestive heart Failure ... simply, I was filling up with fluid .. they drained 31.4 POUNDS of pee off me in 4 days!! Out for 3 days then back mto the ER with a kidney stone. life sucks!! Anyway, with my bottle of diet cranberry juice, and pee strainer in hand, I'm back at it!! Just about finished with the roof, installed sound system, back up camera and GPS, and some more chicken lights!! Can't have enough of those!! Got some top secret goodies back from my buddy and his CNC machine .... NO ... no peekin!!! Hopefully we will mount the roof tomorrow, and I will sneek you a pic or two ... maybe, I mite just make you wait!! Hell, I'm waitin too!! LOL Ok ok ... geez ... here's ONE speaker ... happy??? Very nice ... suppose we could use that big thing on ther front to clear palm frawns from the driveway after the wind storms??? lol

Great, we hope to see you there I'm not sure if others plan to bring any tractors but I hope they would, and encourage all to bring em if they can. Lenoir is not far at all! As far as parts I will have a load of parts to trade or sell very reasonably .

I have the same front mount carrier and used it for a few years with a 48 inch deck. It worked well - my only complaints would be that you get some blow back of grass clippings in your face especially if there is wind. Also, standard deck wheels will dig into the grass in a sharp turn - I put some larger more rounded wheels on my deck to help limit this issue. The carrier does come with 2 rods with smaller wheels that bolt to the flat bar (nearest to the tractor) but these are essentially useless. What it really needs are 2 additional wheels that are beefy like the 2 swivel casters in the front. Another benefit is that it is much easier to take on and off than the standard belly mount. Brice

Ok. Here are the pictures I took last night at 11:00pm. It's dusty and dirty in the pictures. I gave it a quick wash today and it looks even better. This weekend I'll give it a full cleaning and detailing, change the oil and filter, fuel filter, and spark plug.

You know what they say John, "when it rains, it pours". Glad you are on the mend. Sorry for the hood damage. Let me know when you are feeling up to it and we can get together for coffee and a t-shirt delivery.

Some push in but most screw in with sizes from 1/4"-28 to 3/8" and 1/4" pipe thread and 1/8" pipe thread (and metric). I believe the center axel is 3/8" and most of rest are 1/4". You would use a deep well socket wrench or hand wrench to unscrew the threaded types. Various opinions on grease amount. Bearings (roller, ball ect.) only need a small amount while spindle (steering) and sleeve type might need more than a couple squirts. I used to over grease everything till found too much can be bad in some applications as well as correct type. Definitely if known dry, stiff, squeaking feed it some grease. Google " How much grease to use" and some stuff will pop up.

You better get that D-250 before he sells it to someone else!

I took a few passes on this machine and Jeff is right the engine is very quiet and the mower is super smooth and quiet. A few little tweeks and she should be ready for a new home !!

Retired, enjoy maintaining the Horses. They need it, they get it! Speed? I really don't care. Settle in for all the seat time I can get, or the grandsons, or sons. We all need seat time, ride 'em cowboys! Today I was offered a D-250 ran great with a jump start, dead battery. Owner uses Kubota's now and, if I ask, probably zero bucks or, pay me sometime. Should I pick the Stallion up? I never cared for Renault. Guess I'll get the Horse dropped off then find room in my barn. I am part German so......................

Yeah Mike, this model line of tractor really does nothing for me as far as looks. I have really never driven this exact model but I did enjoy a ride on it and tried it out by mowing part of Steve's lawn. Really like the strut on the clutch that releases it nice and slow so you don't "pop the clutch" so to speak. The oversized steering wheel also has a nice feel. It has switch next to the seat that lets you mow in reverse. The deck has new Gator Blades and is whisper quiet. The engine is surprisingly very quiet even at max rpm. If I actually had a lawn big enough to mow I would consider keeping it given its condition.

WOW WOW WOW! What a rump. Cant wait to see more. Oh you tease you. Glenn

Good for you Dino... Smokin Jo knows how to pick 'em

here is the belt arrangement.

Not sure what his name is on here. I can ask if he has one for you, I am going down this week to pick up something. He may just have one. He had a bunch before the show but I know he sold a lot. Thanks Kyle

One brand of small engines made in the USA that is hardly mentioned is Robin Subaru now known as Subaru Industrial Power Products. I have a SP-170 single on my log splitter which has been a very good engine. It never fails to start and has plenty of power. One thing that I prefer about the Subaru is that it uses a timing chain running in oil as opposed to the Honda engines (and assuming the HF Predator engines) using a timing belt running in oil. I'm sure that Honda has done their research but a rubber belt will not last as long as a chain, besides I question the constant oil bath. It could be one reason that they offer a three year to five year Limited Warranty (depending on engine model) to a consumer. If one of the Kohler Commands failed on the two air-cooled 5xi that I have, I would look at the possibility of doing a swap to a Subaru. The reason is that I have never seen a decent price for a new/used Command engine.

Small drill, under 1/2", then use a reamer. Install bushing and add "tighten bolts" to the PM list.

They should be very snug in the holes - as Ed said they have gotten loose at some point and wallowed out, this is fairly common. A relatively easy fix is to bore/drill the existing hole out to 1/2" and put a 1/2x3/8" shoulder bronze bushing in it. Try and sneak up on the 1/2" hole, a drill bit tends to bore over size. Try for a nice snug fit with the bushing (dont want IT wallowing out!) I usually try a 15/32 first followed by a 31/64" bit.

If anyone knows Bill Jenkins phone # or email address maybe they can post it up. I see the original poster is in Pa. and Bill is also. If Bill has a rear diff for this tractor and he says it is good then it is good.

Found these on CL today. They were given to the guy so I offered $75 and he took it. I'm not sure what they are worth but I know at least the $75 I paid, right? I have a pair I got last year that are white, and the weights I picked up today are black. Did WH make them different colors for different years?

Thanks for all the ideas. Driving in circle was not an option since the tractor is not in running condition yet. I finally put a bottle jack between the wheel and hitch. Finally popped off. Got it flushed out. Drive belt and clutch spring installed. Gotta pick up some tranny oil tomorrow. How much do I need?

I thought this would be a good setup for those of us who have high grass that doesn't need mowed all the time. High grass/weeds get smashed down by the wheels but not so with a front-mount deck that is wider than the wheelbase of the tractor. I always wanted to try one but bulked at the costs of the carrier. You got a nice deal at the show! Congrats!

This will give a whole new meaning... to them big brothers that are always watching.

Uhhhh Karl ??

Steve if they have the capability for muti-screen buzz me in. I could go for some back row heckling right about now!

Smokes man, if you have a 607 with only 5° of play I think you are doing better than factory! But yea, just make sure the fan gear is shimmed as close as possible to the pinion on the pivot point. Also check for ovaling of the spots where the pinion and the fan gear shaft rotate in. You can either replace the parts or get clever with bushings like some have on here.

Now that I'm a supporter, I'll try n post pics from start to present....

Make sure you pack your Wisconsin state bird repellent. They're big and hungry this year.

When the time gets closer, we'll begin to request teams. The one thing to keep in mind is that the WHCC show is not a RedSquare event, and we must work within the guidelines of the WHCC show. I think that if done right, this activity will compliment the show and give those who can not attend the show an activity to watch thereby (hopefully) bringing more participants for the next show!

Got any pics of the drive belt arrangement?

There are collectors, and then there are hoarders. It must give him some kind of psychological security. If that 'floats his boat', let him have it. It's good to know that his old tractors fill a need, just as my eleven WHs satisfy me. I have to be careful not to become a hoarder whenever I see a WH for sale. I guess my wife and my budget keep that from happening. Just hope that the old guy's descendants appreciate the value of the good tractors. Jim

yea i'm sorry i was looking at the picture and assumed wrong. i have had my share of run ins with the township over my tractors and so called "junk" in my yard and on my car port. i ended up enclosing my car port so i did not have to get rid of my 69 Dodge Dart GTS. so i feel his pain eric j

I agree with Ken on this. It is too bad for you that you couldn't score a good project, but the love of this herd is what keeps him going. I would hope he has a friend or two who will act on behalf of his estate to find new homes for them. We lost a member of our antique tractor club this spring and several of us have helped his widow sell them off slowly.

If the tractors keep the old timer happy that is what matters. I think the sad thing is the poor old guy needs to drag around an oxygen tank...I'd be willing to bet that when the times comes he has some good old buddies that will want his tractors...

I'm interested in participating. The show before this last one, my brother came to the show without a tractor so we bought all the parts at the show and built one. We did it right in the dirt road in front of our display area. It did take some time away from doing other things around the show but that kind of stuff is fun for me. We had a couple of spectators and few hecklers as we did it plus quite a few people stopped by to check it out so there was plenty of interaction going on. After getting it all together and dumping about a quart of water out of the engine, we had it running and driving. It actually ran pretty good without cleaning the carb and didn't smoke. Cost was about $375 but Jdogg (Jordan) hooked us up with some real good prices on the engine and MANY of the small miscellaneous parts which made it possible. We could've just bought a $250 or $300 tractor and drove away with it but doing it this way was MUCH more fun!

club here is my opinion on these CLONE engines. if you purchase one you are SUPPORTING a THIEF. they do not pay any royalties to the company that they STOLE from. thank you. boomer

BDE, I would look for a Kohler Magnum replacement in your local Craigslists and online classifieds. I do like what was done with the C-175 and the Preditor 22HP engine but for even cheaper money and an engine with a solid reputation, look for "TWIN" Magnum 16's, 18's and 20's that had been on some cubs and some Sears GT5000 and GT6000 tractors. Both models came with vertical and horizontal shaft engines. These are also on many other Garden Tractors too. You just need to find what will match up to a WH PTO. Some of the cub cadets had larger diameter cranks than the inch and an eighth on the wheelhorse. You can always use an inch diameter shaft with a sleeve and over-sized key which are available on ebay. I like that Predator Engine and Honda parts are "suppose" to swap out on them but they are Chinese and they are not the best quality. And if you spend 650 to 750 bucks for this engine with tax, better check the warranty that HF gives you. From that warranty, it sounds like they don't have a whole lot of faith in them either! (90 DAYS)!!!!!!! A 20 hour break-in period will take up most of that 90 days for most of us. New Briggs Vanguards give you three years. Kohler and Honda at a minimum give you 1 year! It's a Wheelhorse Tractor also! Try to keep it Made in America! (But I'm also tempted to try that motor too so this is a "do as I say, not as I do)!

This poor foot is taking a beating. It's the same foot that I had my toe surgery on last year and now this. I didn't want to post the photo without the boot as this is a family site!

It's a ....mini airboat? ..... a very short tree stand? Nah... just a horse roof, upside down, gettin some finishing touches ...Off to the sunbrella babe this afternoon ... now take a few days off and sit with Mom!!

John, you can ride through the parade in my dump trailer. I promise not to hit the lever!

Well, I have mow only briefly with a Wheel Horse, my 314-8. My best mowing machine is my, grasp, JD '06 X320. It just does an excellent job, with it's tight turning radius, it's foot control hydro and the excellent 48" deck. The 314-8, from what I can tell when I did mow with it, leaves a good smooth, cut. I think most decks will give you a good cut as long as you have sharp blades, a level deck, and maintain a proper ground speed and blade tip speed. Just my 2 cents worth. :thumbs:

Interesting question, as I have never mowed without a Wheel Horse so I too have nothing to base it on. What I can tell you is when the 416-H is humming along, it is truly relaxing to spend some time in style. I have the recycler on my 42" and take it good and slow. I don't think that I have ever wanted to "rush" to get finished.