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Haven't posted in awhile. I bought a house! Been very busy! Since then I have removed my old smartphone from my life and took a step back to a flip phone hence no posts. Those things are distracting! Anyways, I'll post some pics of the 657 over the past year. I have a couple from the 2016 Delmont Apple festival fort Allen tractor show, and a few recent pics of the mid mount grader blade, back blade, and aerator. I also restored the garden trailer, finally! The old rustic shed was torn down and sold to a good friend. The 657 now rests in a 24x24 pole barn that I have been re-siding with 1x6 decking and added a 24x16' car port. I apologize for some blurry pics, the flip phones quality isn't the best😣 The clear pics are from my wife iPhone. The last photo is from the show, parked along side my recently hooked WH fan Dave. And my lovely wife trying to look like she is enjoying herself haha.

Just picked these two up this afternoon. A few fixed wires, carb cleaning, couple fresh batteries and they're up and running. 1973 8 4speed and 1975 b100 8speed....900 for the pair.

Thank you all for your kind words and support. I am back, albeit in a limited capacity. Please bear with me as I gather my wits and try yo regain my navigation skills. Got home today about 12 noon. Promptly sat down in my living room chair and had an uninterrupted talk with my wife. Followed that up with a short nap, then back in the saddle for some catch up readin in here. Looks like I'll be at that for awhile. Thanks again for all your caring and concern. You all are the best.

Brand new 0 hours

Thanks so much Doug. You have no idea how much I've missed this place and all my friends here.

My dad and I bought my 312 new in '93 as a retirement 'present' for him, he passed away in 2000.... the tractor has been good as gold and is always a reminder of him to me.

WELCOME BACK HOME BROTHER JIM. WE MISSED YA BUDDY!!!!

Last year while doing some house cleaning I also did some Horse Trading. I Acquired this Loader and the best I can tell it is an ARK 500 Loader. It is missing the undercarriage mounting so no doubt I will have to fire up Ole SPARKY and do some fabrication. I am in need of a MANUAL for it if indeed it is a ARK 500. I also will be mounting this up on a Newer 520 with gear reduction and front swept axle. I have a couple 520's both of which have one foot in the grave. One is late 80's and the other early 90's the 90's model has a running Onan but is Suspect on how good of an Engine it is. I would have to combine both tractors to make a usable machine. I would prefer to purchase a Better 520 that needs nothing done to it for this project just because this year I have enough on my plate. At that point the others will most likely be parted out Just to keep what I have running. Anyway If anyone has a very fine 520 I may be Interested. I also would love pictures of the undercarriage framework and measurements for a 520 if possible. And last but not least I could use a Manual for the loader. Thanks ~Duke

If the pto clutch engagement lever kicks off the clutch is slipping. Shorten up the link between the lever and the clutch a few turns. The lever should snap down with some authority when you apply it. If you still hear a squeal when under load it is still slipping. Give it another turn. Garry

Duke here is one of my 520 undercarriages used on the FEL I built. It worked pretty good. The tubing is 1 1/2" x 1/8" thick except the cross bar is 3" x 1 1/2" x 1/8". I ran the tube out the back to attach the oil tank and some plates for weight. I used the attach a matic on the front, but for some reason I didn't trust it will all the down force exerted by the frame, so I added a couple angles from the frame to the cross tube. The frame width worked out just so the pump could be mounted on the side with adjustment. I think the ARK Loaders are just a hair wider than mine but you got that unit to measure from. Any Q write. Joe

Doesn't take much with this crowd. All it takes is a candid picture. I'm the poster boy for that!

Well considering we were a dealer, I have my Dads personal tractor we used at at home. It is a 701 that we assembled right out of the crate after we pick it up in South Bend. I bought a new 314-8 in 94 and still have it. It's got s whole 350 hours on it and still looks like it came off the show room floor.

I have an RJ58 that my Greatgrandparents bought new. My Grandparents bought it from them and used it when my mom was a little girl. As a kid I remember seeing it pushed over to the corner of the barn with 4 flat tires and a bunch of junk stacked on top of it. I bought it from my grandma 2 summers ago and am in the process of restoring it. I have an RJ58 that my Greatgrandparents bought new. My Grandparents bought it from them and used it when my mom was a little girl. As a kid I remember seeing it pushed over to the corner of the barn with 4 flat tires and a bunch of junk stacked on top of it. I bought it from my grandma 2 summers ago and am in the process of restoring it.

We all know how they work but do we know WHY they work ? I found this interesting . Maybe someone else will ....

Free to anyone who wants what is left, What's left is in the pics. Can help load , no shipping anything. Hope someone needs this. Located in Laddonia Missouri 63352. Call 573-473-6944

You can download the operator manual that has a wiring diagram from here There is not much wiring in this model. The terminals can be removed from their plastic holder so wire and terminal replacement is fairly simple. If you don't know how to do that we can explain it. If you can solder the connections even better. Toro wants $20 for a switch you can get locally for less than $5. Garry

Welcome back Jim ... make sure to drop by the Basement...aah Attic...Dungeon... Whatever it's called . We'll behave...promise ..... !!!

I was just looking at that group photo above, and it is amazing how many of the guys in that picture appear to have attention deficit syndrome.

The receipt...

That's awesome guys I figured there would be others like me that bought them new off the showroom floor or lot and still have it, mine is my winter rig now with the 2stage and cab even though this winter wasn't for the blower and has 755 hrs all original with regular maintenance and few small parts and AG tires over the last 19 years also fun fact 1996 was the anniversary year but serial number has it as 1997 and I bought in March 1998 as my dealer was just getting in the new Xi's, Jeff.

Never dreamed this would get so much mileage... by the way, Steve and I are the same age...

If the impeller stops due to a snow clog, you should see the engine load up and lose RPM. Something is not right in the drive line. ie PTO clutch slipping, belt slipping, key or pin sheared in a shaft/pulley. Like Garry says, the PTO should not trip if the clutch is adjusted correctly with adequate pressure on the plate.

Have you checked BOTH gearboxes for gear oil level? And ever changed the gear oil out? When I bought mine 2 years ago I had to rebuild it as the PO "wrecked" it ,impeller bent, drive chain rusted stiff, auger end bushings worn through to the holders ect ect ect, also the auger gearbox was nearly dry because of the seals were shot and leaking, the jackshaft gearbox oil was thick and nasty, all drained out and refilled with full synthetic 75/90, and the auger gearbox was torn down and replaced bushings, seals and gasket, and refilled same lube, Jeff.

Duke, You may want to consider finding an XI with power steering. I love my 522XI with loader. Power steering is the cat's meow.

Hopefully some of us will actually live to be 88

Here's some pics from the 2015 show, that's Dave's horse still stock, and Doug's 63' Jacobson, heavily modded. He ended up needing a tow back because his old carb was sticking. The last pic is Dave's horse as it sits currently. Giving trailer rides at last year's show. Dave is a member on here as well. 98layinframe is his username I believe.

WAIT UNTIL YOU GUYS ARE AS OLD AS ME. (88 IN APRIL) RUSS

I think we were all up for a little fun. I know it helped to make my day. It is always good to type back and forth with friends. Thanks Jay.

Thanks Guy's... A trip across the pond would be nice, but rather unlikely as I'm not that good at flying.. Some machines just like to fight you, and the RJ has picked the very last stage to er.. Pick a fight! With the fuel tank sealed up inside and painted, and the carb passing the leak test before it was installed the time had come to fire the RJ up and have a drive/adjust the shifter linkage.. I'm not sure if he didn't like coming off the bench or is just scared of being at ground level but the fighting started! Problems with the pull start not being able to keep hold of the end of the cable and the re-coil wasn't! Cable and re-coil eventually sorted only now the jaws bit that grabs hold of a hexagonal shaft on the engine wasn't grabbing any longer! When the pull start is off the engine it works fine, but once fitted!! Sometimes walking away is the best option and go back to the problem with a fresh head.. Which will be happening tomorrow.. The dull weather makes the paint look darker than it actually is.. So what can I say about the RJ... I think AARRGGHHH sums it up quite well! I don't know what the RJ has against us but it's really fighting us at the very last stage!! You would think something as simple as putting the steering wheel on would be easy, but no! When the RJ arrived the steering wheel was held on with a bent nail.. Now most of the time it's because the original roll pin? has been lost at some point in time.. Not this time.. The holes in the wheel and column didn't actually line up very well so a nail was the only thing that would fit in! I guess the steering wheel isn't the original! Anyway, some very careful drilling and the wheel is now held on with a custom made quick release clip thingy "Deep breath"... Now onto the engine.. The very nice looking Schmacke or is it Schmacko? (It's hard to read on the photo's) has been driving us nuts! The recoil didn't want to which was eventually sorted, the the "gripping" bits that grip the hexagonal shaft on the engine decided it didn't want to to the gripping bit! Quite why we just can't work out, nothing is broken and it works 90% of the time when not fitted to the engine.. Fit it to the engine however and it will work for a couple of pulls then stop again! If I had to count the amount of time the recoil unit has been on and off the engine both Nigel and I would have to remove our boots and socks as we would run out of fingers to count on very quickly!!!! In the end for the sake of our sanity we decided to swap the recoil until over for one that works the more normal way, which in it's self is almost a straight forward swap... Woo-Hoo we can pull the engine over again.... But why is the engine cover moving around so much??? That would be because there should be a bolt where this hole is... The trouble is the backing plate is missing most of the threaded bolt hole as it had been broken off at some point in it's life! We do have another good backing plate to swap over, but that involves a lot of stripping two engine down to swap parts.. Forward one step, back two or is it four? It's not all bad news though, we have had the engine running.. For a short while anyway.. Once started it would run quite nice for a few mins, then start running rough, then eventually it would stop! Best have a look at the carb again, pulling the pin out that holds the float in place was nerve wracking as the casting one side which holds the pin in place isn't as strong as it should be.. Can you spot a problem? Yep the new O ring doesn't like petrol and has grown somewhat! No chance what so ever of getting this jet thingy out!!! It looks like someone has been at the float valve thingy already! Getting it out was er... Shall we say interesting! The carb has now been put back together and will be going back on the engine once the backing plate has been swapped over and the "will it run ok?" sequence can start over again.. What a day Thursday was in RJ land, the first job was to swap the engine backing plate over. I didn't get any photo's of the new backing plate in place, but here's the old one against the donor engine. Along with the new backing plate came updated electrics as there didn't seem and point in swapping the parts between plates.... So, with the engine bolted back together again it was time to see if it would run... Third pull it started right up ticked over well, revved up well and sounded generally very good.. To celebrate having finally got the engine sorted on went the kettle.... It was while the kettle was boiling that I noticed bubbling oil coming out from the head gasket! No photo but it will be on the next video.. Anyway, as the head has a slightly chewed up spark plug thread... We thought we would swap heads over as well as sorting he gasket.. Off it comes. HHmm, interesting.. The piston looks quite clean, but the amount of oil on the piston is a worry! I'd say that's a new piston which explains why the little engine has such good/high compresson which is also why the head gasket went pop!! The new cylinder head has a slight recess about the inlet valve and slightly different fins but it bolted right on.. The engine now felt to have a lot less compression when pulling it over, it also ran very rough!! Back off with the head to find it was oil coated! Does the exhaust valve look like it has had a hardened insert er.. inserted? The exhaust valve is where all the oil is coming from which means the guides/seals are shot!! Oil was also bubbling out from around the exhaust itself, as you can see at some point it had been broken off and wound back in at a pished angle! Quite where to go from here I'm not sure, Nigel and I did have a natter about swapping the RJ's crankshaft into the donor engine as it ran quite well and doesn't blow oil but the end of the crank is tapered not straight!! So close but yet so far!! Sigh!!

A subject of a previous thread is the 1976 I bought new at Chandlers in South Bend. Sold in 2000 when we moved here I was reunited with it a while back when I discovered the neighbor of our kids in Walkerton has it. I was up there last week closing on a house for our move back and was informed that there's only one destiny for that tractor. That is for it to become mine again. The circumstances are unfortunate as the lady lost her husband a little over a year ago and she no longer can care for her yard herself. She has been letting some of her late husbands things go but the Wheel Horse was his favorite tractor and, knowing that we we moving back, she has been holding on to it for me until we get there. So yes, I bought it new but just didn't own it for 17 years in the middle. BTW, I paid $1626.00 for it with a deck. Adding a blower, chains, a light kit and taxes it totaled $2250.00.

I bought this 312 with the rubbers already on it and I almost took them off as I have always 2 link Vee bar steel hooks on my snow movers. Luckily we got a snow and I had an occasion to try the rubbers a few years back. I was amazed at the traction especially on paved driveways. With the steel hooks and blower on the 520, I had trouble getting up my steep driveway with the blower raised and no snow on it. With this 312, I can plow up and down with no concern even if a wheel would slip.

Thanks! The barn originally looked pretty rough, wasn't having that haha. And yes Blasterdad, nothing like a nice fire going while plowing! Here is a shot of the barn last spring.

In 1973, bought a new 1972 floor model Bronco 14. Still using it today, but had to replace the drive belt on it about 4 years ago. By my math, that only 40 years out of one belt... I was expecting more.

I bought my C-120 new in May 1977 been used hard. It's now a C-120/180 with quite a few modifications.

bought my 308-8 in 1986,still have it but not orig engine,its my go to tractor.wish I had it with a larger engine though

This started my love for these tractors when I was 14, '78 C-81 8 Speed, bought new on 05/31/79 by my grandfather. It is still my favorite & always will be... (currently being rebuilt).

Bought mine in October of 1976. One of those purchases you look back on over the years and think "boy, I'm glad I stepped up to the plate on that one"!!!

What else all these Advanced Seniors got to do Jay. I mean, how many game shows can one watch?

As Nigel said, no I do miss having an electrolysis tank, a very handy bit of kit you get going and leave it to it for a few days I'd love to have another E tank, but due to my workshop now being on a nursery (the plants growing kind) no leakage can be risked.. Thanks Jay? Neil's RJ is so close to being done I can almost taste the first test drive A few detail jobs, the points cover was missing a gasket so I had to make one... The exhaust was missing a clamp and little doo dat that clamps between the exhaust and frame... Sorted The foot pegs didn't have the optional? foot rest thingys (I don't even know if RJ's could be ordered with them?) so Nigel put some rubber shrink wrap stuff over the pegs to give a bit of grip and stop the paint wearing away. Sorry Neil, a change of plan for the wheels... We thought gold would look much better and Nigel had all these cans of wheel paint kicking around you see.......... Only kidding A second coat is needed at this point.. As is first coating the other side Wheels second coated and bolted back on...... I can't help but grin every time I look at the RJ

smoking deal! Very nice of you! Wish it was closer! A lot closer...

Good to have you back Mate.

Here are some before cleaning pictures.

What a bunch old geezers! I can almost smell the Bengay from here! Maybe those fumes are what makes that pic a little hazy.

Haha she intentionally made that face since I shot it in her phone. She actually had a good time as usual. I also play my cards right and we always drive separate. Buys me more time to b.s. With awesome people😁

I totally agree Huntem. At WOT, the temperature inside my heated cab stays 30 degrees above the outside temperature, so about the only thing my 520 could be used for in the summer is a SAUNA. Once the WHA disease really takes full effect, and you have over ten Lil red tractors, this problem of changing implements and enclosures with the seasons will disappear.

Yes amazing to see the original hand written sales slips and what they cost in the day. That was quite abit of coin in the those days and I would imagine a person had to think hard about putting down that kind of cash to get his lawn mowed or garden tilled (I'm sure there wasn't much plastic with a chip in it flashed around back then) for these machines. Think about how many cows a farmer had to hand milk to afford say an RJ 57?!?! Jeff.

I bought a new 312-8 in 87 and still have it. 2000 hours and still going strong. It is my Wife's go to machine.

That better be Kool-Aid in your cup young man!