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Went to a garage sale and came home with a 1988 wheel horse 520 H. Included a 42 inch snow blade that has been widen out to 57 1/2 inches, a new set of four link chains and tensioners. 48 inch mower deck, and IH weights on the rear. Previous owner was experiencing intermittent problems with starting and running. Got it home and discovered that a plug wire was shorting out. The Hydro lever was converted to foot control. Also included a replacement dash.

And...the oil pan gasket made it safely and fit in the mail box without getting bent . Got the pan on so things should move along now. I tidied up some wiring on the brake switch and verified its operation. Drained the lift cylinder since I'm changing from ATF and got it back in place. If the weather allows I'll get the welder out to do some repairs on the battery box and belt guard. Things should move along quickly if that happens. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

May 23, 1785, Benjamin Franklin reveals his design for what would later be called bifocal glasses. The Pennsylvania inventor, printer, author, diplomat and American Founding Father had grown tired of alternating between two different pairs of glasses to help his near or far vision. So, he came up with an idea to, quite literally, split the difference. Franklin is widely credited as the inventor of bifocals.

That hefty spring provides all of the tension. If your belt is loose, it's too long or worn out.

Nothing like the slapping of vacuum wipers on a deary day. Drove the '47 Chevy to town and began to sprinkle on way home. Don't get to use the wipers much. 20260522_093425.mp4

Bought this 312 new in 89. Same exhaust, garage kept.

Simple things are the worst. I've had jobs that would take me 20 minutes at work take all day at home. And $50 just isn't that much anymore.

The whole mess in the end. How can something this simple take an entire afternoon and $50? I won’t be sure it works until tomorrow. I have a deed restriction on my property that prohibits ever having the correct size hardware or clamps on hand, so I’ll have to run to town & look for a 1- 5/8” muffler clamp. Will advise. Everybody have a great holiday weekend!

Found 1-1/4” pipe to have about same ID as the OD of the elbow (1-3/8”). Cut a piece to length, and split the end a bit to hopefully allow enough springery action for a muffler clamp to work.

Nice package you picked up

Might be. I know tip speed is a big contributor to quality of cut. I modded my 48SD with the smaller pulleys from a 42 and I cut the chute back to just outside the track of the right side blade. That deck mows like none of my other 42 or 48 decks. It is a beast! I mow at about 3/4 throttle and it never bogs down. And it slings clippings much better as well.

Looks like a great low-hour machine. I would be interested to know if that's what the dozer blade was used on and how, and what the hours are on the unit but it looks great!

I have this deck and just sharpened the blades. The spring must adjust out the slack in the belt otherwise the belt is TOO LONG.

I've never owned that deck but your routing looks correct. Are you sure you're using the correct belt and that it's riding in the pulleys under the guards correctly?

I had a Rambler station wagon with vacuum wipers, they were assisted by the fuel pump with a diaphragm vacuum pump incorporated in it.

Wheelhorse all done restored

I just ordered a free test kit from Tennessee Radon Program @sqrlgtr Grok AI says this is a high risk area. https://secure.airchek.com/cgi-bin/tn-free-test.cgi

Dig a big enough hole to burry them so you don't trip over them.

Adding a vacuum reservoir to the line going to the wiper motor would help.

@ebinmaine nice pick up on that , literally , opportunity for a creeping lubrication soak down , highest available access point to any closed area , tailgate , doors , cab to body areas , days out will show you tracking , what's. effective , what needs improvement . inside upper tailgate access , is a lubricant line showing itself days out with related film . like a lighter oil first , for tracking , then open gear and cable spray follow up . creeping on the lighter oil . napa , macks , cable oil is a good buy . would personally go over that paint with penetrant / then mineral oil , will clean up to an always slick looking finish , get the wheel wells first , or go to home depot parking lot for rust reference ! remember ford frames , have punched in holes ? they hold onto moisture , insuring rot . try a paint spot , related seaming , you just saved that area , good luck with it , oily pete

The oil pan gasket finally shipped this morning but...USPS I suspect it will be creased right between the "O" and "T" in "DO NOT BEND" but we'll see. Installed in-line fuses for the clutch and ammeter. Not much else to do until I get the block bolted down.

This is the second one of these mufflers that I’ve had on this tractor. I will admit that the first was mounted a little indifferently. However I carefully mounted this one, made a sturdy support bracket, and made sure it was stress free. It cracked away in the same place. My detailed engineering analysis is that they’re made of crap metal that’s way too thin.