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I had to give the old C81 some TLC before I used it this week. I saw the insulation cracking on the stator/regulator wiring and it crumbled when I handled it. Used fome of my favorite heat shrink connections that have solder in them. Had some new connectors in my stash and a little 14Gage wire, so good to go. When I travel through Austin coming from the farm I pass near a huge city sewer plant. Nearby they have a contractor that takes the solids and the grass, leaves and limbs and makes excellent compost that they call "Dillo Dirt" As in Armadillo, it an Austin thing I can get a truck and trailer (2+yards) free if I shove or $30 for them to load with skidsteer. Its an easy decision to shell out $$. It does smell a little "fresh" at the composting facility. But the smell is gone from the yard in a day. Very good fertilizer! So the C81 has had easy duty pulling the trailer around the yard as I do the hard duty shovel/spreading. I've spred 2 truck/trailer loads on the lawn this spring.

…or someone did some drilling .

I currently have 3 Onan engines. I was like you and very Leary of them when I bought my 416h. All 3 of my current Onans I’m sure have over 1,000 hours on them. My 416h is my go to tractor. It always starts doesn’t matter how long it’s sat or how cold it is. I don’t have a picture of the 3rd tractor and engine but it’s a 520. All have been excellent tractors

Many people like my parents got into the mindset and had no need for multi function equipment. if it was cheap and just cut grass it was fine. I like the fact that my stuff can be a Swiss Army knife of lawn equipment.

Here's Johnny!

June 13, 1980, The Shining premiered in the USA on May 23, 1980, with a limited release, followed by a wider release on June 13, 1980, in both the United States and Canada. This classic horror film, directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on Stephen King's novel, marked its debut in theaters in 1980.

I'm not so sure that's a 701 S/G guard, doesn't look quite right to me. Looks to be from a Briggs motor maybe?

Sorry - it looks to be a FrankenHorse. The double wide S/G belt guard says 1961, the short hood, front axle & steering, gas tank, iron dash all say 1962. If that is a Dial-a-Height lift stop, it says 1963.... Additional pictures from the rear & right side needed to better define this one... Rarity - probably a one of one - but not for a good reason.

The P216 and P218 Onan engines aren't as fickle as the P220 (20hp), but I'm not a fan of Onan either way. Of course if correct 400 hours is nothing. That being said, 1300 hours on a Kohler twin is getting up there. If it has been meticulously maintained, I would lean that way as well. But seeing would make all the difference for me. Both being hydros... you're just gonna have to look them over.

After a few cranks, it fired up on carb cleaner sprayed in the carb and rad good (for a rough check) I had it jacked up to change the rear tires, so kept spraying/running and moved the hydro control lever forward and backwards and hub rotates as they should. So theirs signs of life, maybe, just maybe the 400 hrs on the meter is real. A part of the deal I got a pile of 3 piece and 2 piece 3 speed transmission parts. #/4 of them are good, some are pitted or chipped . The complete 3 piece transmission has interesting damage, if only it could talk! Who knowns what went through it to break this bearing holding ring The case and hubs and pullies are good. This other side plate was good. This is a "newer style diff that I guess was in the 3 piece transmission. There are also parts to another 2 piece 3 speed. some good, some pitted. Here a close up of that diff with a corner chippe dout The axles need to be flipped, they have heavy wear in the bushing area. More parts and more parts. So for trading a tiller that I had 2 of sitting in the barn I feel I make out great. I really needed some transmission parts for various projects. I thing I can build a really good 3 piece transmission if i repair or replace that side plate, and a really good 2 piece 3 speed with another transmission I have that needed parts. There probable another so/so 2 piece transmission in the pile of parts. While the 520H is rough in some aspects, It give me one to learn on since it is the first 520h I've seen down here in 10 years. Its 48" deck has a rust hole near the discharge but turns free. If nothing else, as @ebinmaine said, If it becomes parts, the gear reduction steering, seat pan, wide rear rims, and some other parts have value to me.

North sky this evening.

I think Cecil Pond was not too enthusiastic about his offspring having to swim upstream against a rising tide of planned obsolescence lawn equipment. While they would face some hard decisions along the way just as Cecil had it was becoming obvious that bowing out while the company was thriving made the most economic sense.

Painted some 42” and 48” mower deck belt gaurds. The 42’s (smaller set) are Rustoleum Regal Red and the 48’s (larger set) sprayed with Rustoleum Farm IH red. Today outside in full sun the Ih red looks to have a little more orange tint to it. I go back and forth on which flavor of these 2 shades I like the best and have come to the conclusion they are so close it just depends what day of week they where made to which shade is the darker of the two. Both were sprayed over gray primer and clear gloss sprayed on them soon as last coat of red was applied.

Thanks guys. Sounds like the general consensus is probably the expansion valve. I’ll tear into it at some point and hopefully that’s the whole of it. Our former AC guy at work would put the vacuum pump on our big systems and run them all day and sometimes overnight before recharging. He was big into pulling out all the moisture. Easy enough to do, so we’ll do that. THANK YOU all! steve

The car actually has either this problem or Something similar too. This has the electronic control that allows the driver and passenger to set their own temperatures. Most of the time the driver’s side doesn’t get back to the full cold position so the temperatures aren’t even. I was attributing it to the little electric actuator not working properly, but maybe it’s a vacuum issue. Thanks for pointing this out! steve

Wondering what model this is, the rarity and how useful in towing and other non mowing tasks since no deck. Value?

Thank you all for the input. “953 nut” makes a good point: the Kohler Command 18 is a replacement motor so the 1,061 hours on the meter is probably inaccurate (for the motor, anyway). I’ll just have to look at both and go from there, but it sounds like either one would be a good choice, which is comforting to know.

Anderson 120 amp connectors on Amazon I think the 50 Amp connectors are sufficient. The only difference is the wire guage that will fit the crimp connector. I run 6 guage wire with zero issues on Kohler small and large block as well as Vanguard twins. I usually make a 8-10 inch length wires on the battery side so my batteries will swap easily between machines. Then on the tractor side, hot to the solenoid and ground to the chassis. Connects like any other battery cables, just with two connectors in the middle. These connectors only connect one way, so polarity is never an issue. A few of mine have the tractor side hard mounted, the rest are not but batteries swap regardless.

I would search for 12x6 tubes.

The newer Wheel Horses with the two cylinder Kohler Command engine all had electric clutches tied in with the No-Mow in Reverse switching. To my knowledge none would have had the thrust bearings in the engine.

Better check the Spec Number of the Command Pro 18. They did not have ball bearing crank shafts. More like KT and Magnums only some came with a thrust crank shaft. (had some sort of radial thrust bearing),. most has a "non-Thrust crankshaft.

Sorry I missed this tag earlier but the guidance that @lynnmor gave you was right on the money. Sounds like you came out of this deal smelling like a rose If you think the 520-H wiring is confusing you need to look at the Lxi and XT versions with a Kawasaki engine and the "NO-MOW in REVERSE" wiring. On second thought, don't do it, that would ruin your day.

The Kohler Command is a much newer engine so the hour meter reading is probably inconsequential. Wheel Horse began using the Command engines in the very late 1990s and continued to use them up to the end of production. They have a fairly good reputation and the newer replacement engine may be the seller's justification for the higher asking price.

I too was leary of Onans, but now I have two 416H's and a 416-8. Personally I would go with the 416H. All of the problems you read about are relatively easy to fix. With some minor wiring modifications you can prevent burnup issues with the notorious 9 pin connector. 400 hours is nothing. Buy it and run it, you won't be disappointed.

Had the same problem on my wife's Ford product. The damper that controls the airflow (defrost, heat, cooling) has a default position of defrost with heat. It is operated by vacuum and the bean counters at Ford decided that a small check valve on the vacuum line to the comfort control system would work as well as a vacuum reservoir. If the check valve isn't functioning properly when you accelerate rapidly or go up a steep hill the vacuum produced by the engine reduces to the point that the damper previously mentioned goes to the heat / defrost default position until vacuum is restlored. We had the wife's car to two Ford dealers who tested everything in the refrigerant system but didn't know a thing about the vacuum problem, the good old boy who services our vehicles knew exactly what the problem was when I asked him and once the check valve was replaced the problem went away.

I've been using lacquer thinner for a few years. Seems to work good and lasts well. I do NOT use the heat cycle. I do have the thinner in a separate smaller vessel and surrounded by water in the machine.

NOS 48" Mower Deck barn find but brand new never mowed grass $1300 can deliver to Big Show or anywhere along I70 from Indiana to Pensylvania week of big show. Local pickup available in Columbus, IN. Will likely only bring to show with pre arranged deal in place so let me know if you want it. I have not cleaned the dirt and dust off it since I've had it, I would assume some minor scratches and shelf wear possible. Also comes with mostly NOS mule drive and belt (mostly because it has a cast pulley so I think it was possibly put together with new parts, may have been used one or twice). I also have a 48" shell (with no other parts) I would sell for $800 condition is exactly the same as one pictured just not a complete deck.

Your pressures suggest a restriction, a new expansion valve is where i would start. Sounds like it’s sticking. Being that the high side is well over 300, the compressor appears to be in good shape, or at least capable of making good pressure. I would still inspect the high side of the expansion valve for compressor debris which may have got caught at the expansion valve and has caused the restriction. Sometimes you can hear a sticking expansion valve if you listen closely to the dash, idle up to around 1500rpm, and a lower blower speed so you can hear over top of it. Silent for a few seconds, then a few seconds of hissing in the dash accompanied with a brief gush of cooler air through the vents, then back to warm, and the cycle repeats. Yours sounds to be just stuck. On the newer (i’m old so everything is newer now) small capacity systems, it can be rather easy to flood the evaporator with just a few ounces of being overcharged, so be careful not to overcharge it, and check or just replace the cabin air filter if you haven’t already. They are often overlooked.

What is your preferred solution to use in your ultrasonic?

I asked AI whether someone could have saved Wheel Horse. Here is its assessment: An analysis of the outdoor power equipment industry indicates that saving the Wheel Horse brand without compromising its heavy-duty, cast-iron quality was highly improbable. The brand’s demise was driven by structural shifts in the market rather than simple corporate mismanagement. To understand why the brand could not survive in its original form, one must look at the specific economic and competitive pressures that dismantled the premium garden tractor market. ### 1. The Bifurcation of the Market During the 1970s and 1980s, the market for residential outdoor power equipment split into two distinct segments, leaving the traditional heavy garden tractor without a viable customer base: * **The Rise of Sub-Compact Utility Tractors (SCUTs):** For consumers who actually required ground-engaging capabilities (plowing, tilling, heavy towing), Japanese manufacturers—most notably Kubota—entered the U.S. market. These machines featured diesel engines, true category-0 or category-1 three-point hitches, and robust shaft-driven power take-offs (PTOs). Wheel Horse tried to compete with large-frame machines like the D-Series, but they were fundamentally stretched lawn tractor designs competing against miniaturized agricultural tractors. * **The Commodity Lawn Mower:** For consumers who merely needed to cut grass, the market shifted toward disposable, stamped-steel lawn tractors. Mass retailers and big-box stores demanded low-cost units. Consumers proved unwilling to pay a massive premium for a cast-iron Uni-Drive transmission and a heavy-gauge welded frame just to maintain a standard suburban lawn. ### 2. The Economics of the Independent Dealer Network Wheel Horse’s business model relied entirely on a dedicated, independent dealer network. These dealers provided custom fabrication, mechanical diagnostics, and long-term parts support. * When Toro acquired Wheel Horse in 1986, the industry was shifting toward mass distribution via big-box retailers. * A premium, heavy-duty machine cannot be sold profitably through a department store or home improvement center because these channels demand high margins and low price points. * Without the high-volume sales of lower-tier units to subsidize the dealer network, independent shops could not survive on low-volume, high-cost garden tractor sales alone. ### 3. The Cost of Over-Engineering The defining characteristic of classic Wheel Horse tractors—such as the late 400-series 8-speeds—was their heavy, standardized construction. * **Production Costs:** Manufacturing heavy cast-iron transaxles and thick steel frames in South Bend, Indiana, became cost-prohibitive as commodity raw materials and domestic labor costs rose. * **The Longevity Paradox:** Because Wheel Horse machines were engineered to last for decades with basic maintenance, the replacement cycle for existing customers was exceptionally long. A company cannot survive on replacement parts alone when its primary product line is virtually indestructible and new unit sales stall. ### Summary of Strategic Dead End | Strategic Path | Required Action | Outcome | |---|---|---| | **Maintain Original Quality** | Keep cast-iron components, heavy frames, and independent dealer support. | Price remains too high for suburban homeowners; capability remains inferior to compact diesel tractors. **Result: Bankruptcy due to lack of volume.** | | **Pivot to Sub-Compact Diesel** | Engineer a completely new, shaft-driven diesel platform from scratch. | Requires capital investments well beyond Wheel Horse's financial capacity under AMC or Toro. **Result: Out-competed on price and engineering by Kubota and John Deere.** | | **Adapt to Mass Retail (The Actual Path)** | Use pressed-steel frames, plastic components, and shared platforms. | Brand survives as a badge-engineered label until total elimination in 2007. **Result: Survival achieved only by eliminating original quality.** | Ultimately, Wheel Horse was a victim of a changing society where small-scale hobby farming declined, suburban lawns shrank, and consumer preferences shifted away from repairable capital goods toward disposable convenience. To save the brand without compromising the quality of the machine would have required an entirely different macroeconomic environment.

Do you have a picture of the other side showing the belt guard? Looks like that left rear wheel has an axle and or brake seal leaking bad. Its a plus that it has the Kohler engine. But has the front of the hood been cut/butchered/destroyed to fit the air Cleaner

Picked up this front deck mount about 1 month ago and the 42" deck on the way home from @Pullstart's plow day. Finiched getting it all mounted up and working today. The instructions want you to cut out a notch on the RH belt cover in order to clear the drive belt. Don't think I'll be doing that for now. Mows pretty good, but will get a little getting used to. Also need to get a hydro to install it on. Way too wet to mow due to all the storms that past few days, btu wanted to to make 1 pass around the garden to check the cut. IMG_9702.mp4 IMG_9703.mp4 IMG_9706.mp4

C-85 I bought awhile back has always had two leaky fronts. Been stored in the shed up on blocks so the rubber wouldn’t get ruined sitting flat..well today I decided to tube em both. I hate tubing the small tires ! This old HF tire changer comes in handy still. But now it’s done and the big test will be to see if they stay “up”.

From what I’ve seen/read the next Pond generation wasn’t interested in taking the “reins” so to speak. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was a factor with Cecil selling out too.

Thanks for the quick responses! I meant to respond earlier. I am looking forward to it, but I i gotta make the time cuz I dont really like choking it out to shut it down. I'll update as I go through the wiring, but I did briefly go through all wiring/grounds i could see. Specifically the dark blue one, for grounding purposes. I'm planning on eliminating some more length of the wiring related to the little idiot lights as I take out the battery tray, etc to see wiring and eliminating pinch points. I dont want to eliminate any safety switches! I haven't taken time to really look into it yet with my teenage kids always taking up my wife's and mybtime and wheel horse $. 🙃 I do have an exact model/year (93 73401), (part donor/maybe future project/high hr but does run 314h) unfortunately, that one has an obvious corroded rusty bad terminal on the switch,vbut it actually "ran last year " 😄 (po has a push button installed) @gwest_ca you rule! I actually thought that they both had the same part number, then I realized I clicked on the same link twice 😅 Thanks for keeping me straight!

It's always about money. Cecil Pond sold out to AMC in the 70's? (for money) Hats off to Cecil but he bailed. Investment company's have stock holders and have to produce money...... not so much a product. Toro gets a bad rap but truly it kept the brand alive through the early 2000's. They (Toro) made a good effort to compete with the JD's of the time with the xi machine line and the smaller hydro machines like the 14-38. I figure their network was not concrete enough to go head to head the the MTD style manufactured machines. It is a me not us world now. Americans in particular, have switched their purchasing needs, some so much toward offshore manufactured products that there are very few true USA manufactures left. And the US manufactures now just assemble using offshore parts so they can compete. I have enjoyed these machines over the years. But as far as coming back, not going to happen. I just enjoy the WH machines and those WH people.

They kind of nailed it. I wonder how much information from a site like RedSquare it took to make that summary?

only one I know of that Shaun (guy on the Senior) imported, he didn't bring it this time on account of now fetching a GT and D-200 with loader

I've been wanting to replace my mulching cover, due to it being broken at the corners, and the PO hacking it. WHX?? was kind enough to sell an extra one he had (including the mounting bolts/nuts which I didn't have). Today I used rust reforming primer and GM Red spray paint on the rusty areas of the deck. After it all cured I added a little weatherstripping to the back edges of the cover and installed. My mild OCD is doing better now. Once my son in law has the time he's going to 3D print me another one for the spare parts shelf.

Went out for a test drive.

312-8 with the small tire changer. Good weekend of work but time to put them to bed and get ready for work tomorrow...

Got a couple BIG loads of firewood brought up from down back of the barn. I've never tried to stack as much wood in the trailer as I did today. The first load is taller but has shorter length pieces. The second load felt heavier. I figured for sure that tractor tire traction would be the limiting factor. Nope. The ole beast Cinnamon Horse C160-8 just kept on ah-chuggin'... I was very pleasantly surprised at how well that went. Second load:

Got some logs pulled outta the forest today.

Great nephew got to come home with me after church of course it was tractor riding time when we got home. Started with the C160 then the 520H and also the 312-8 but forgot pics of him on the 312. He is really a good operator already pays attention well and has a good understanding of what it takes to run the tractor just still to small to reach everything.

Out getting some fresh air still had 3 more tucked away

Zach cutting big brother @Coulter Caleb’s lawn with “Hidalgo” (Caleb’s 520HC)—man I feel old!😅 in the most blessed way possible🙌🏻

Although I have pictures of Zach in and on this wagon they are from about 6 years ago and he has no recollection of it. We were doing some massive garage cleaning/organizing tonight and he was super excited about the wagon…so I let him hook up Blackbeard and haul burnables to the fire pit! He was in his element!