Leaderboard

Over the weekend we flew down to see my daughter in Charleston,S.C. and decided to go check out this museum. I must say that I was super impressed by the quality of the restorations of these trucks. Figured I would take a few pictures for you guys, I know how much you love pictures!!

Everyone meet Jerry, Jerry meet everyone. my 5 year old stepson wanted to have a skeleton on a tractor. He went with his mom to go see his sister at her college this weekend. Can’t wait til he sees it. I’m going to get a different skeleton for the one who’s getting mowed up. Now the wheels are turning on getting Jerry some friends doing other crazy things. He’s temporarily mowing with my 12auto until I get the rusty 14-8 up from out back.

The ol girl worked good today. Dug up a brick and mortar foundation and hauled it away with no sweat!

Got tired of robbing parts machines so, Made a few shifter grub screws on mini lathe. Now the other horses want be jealous and everyone will have a shifter that works .

There’s nothing more satisfying than using a Wheel Horse to perform a chore. Unless, of course you’re using two!

Construction began on the 515 West Ireland Road Wheel Horse Factory The rapid growth of demand for Wheel Horse Garden Tractors was too much for the building that Pond had occupied for twelve years. On October 11, 1960, construction began on a new 46,500 square foot steel frame and masonry exterior factory building situated on 36 acres of land on Ireland Road, South Bend, IN. The new factory was ready for occupancy in August of 1961, the move from the old Pond factory on South Dixie Way (near Pond Street, wonder if this was one of the subdivisions built by Elmer Pond) took place in time for the next year’s production. The 1962 models were the first built in the new plant on Ireland Road. They included the 502, 552 and 702. All three models featured the new front mounted engine and cast iron cased transaxles. The business was acquired by American Motors (AMC) on May 24, 1974. The company paid $30 million as it expanded into non-automotive markets. In 1982, Wheel Horse was spun off from AMC to Munn Investment Group. During this time some cosmetic changes were made, but frame and attachment design remained the same. In mid-August 1986, Wheel Horse was sold off from Munn and purchased for $8 million by Toro. Tractors were built under the Toro banner for the next two decades. The Wheel Horse name was eliminated from production after 2007. Today the building is occupied by Lock Joint Tube, a specialty fabricator of metal tubing products used by diverse industries such as office furniture, automotive, health care, display fixtures and exercise equipment. Chandler Sales and Service located next to the old South Dixie Way factory is thought to be the first Wheel Horse dealership.

I haven't forgotten anything, everything is in there someplace, my memory is prefect, but my retrieval mechanism leaves a bit to be desired.

LOTS done with the Wheelhorses and trailers today! Earlier today I got the newly acquired and painted steel weights from @Sparky on my 1974 C160-8 Cinnamon Horse. We used Cinnamon to yank this project trailer outta its hole. Someone else can tackle it... Then we cleaned out the slot of forest it was in. Trim. Rake. Blown leaves. Cut sticks etc... Now the big 7 x 16 flatbed trailer has a home. Trina and her momma been working on firewood again today. Super friggin hot 🔥 🥵 so momma takes lots of breaks. The shed is full. 2.5 cord. The barn overhang is starting to get there too.

Today I did something I’ve been meaning to do for years. Take the transmission and hydraulic system out of this 416-H. I took out the wiring harness and might save the spindles and steering wheel. This tractor was given to me and was already in rough condition. I lent it to a buddy to use around his farm. He is not known for taking good care of his equipment, so that’s why I let him use this particular tractor. Well after a few years of use he called me and said it’s making a funny noise. I went there and listened to it, it was knocking like crazy. Checking the oil I found none on the stick. I was not surprised or mad because I knew this could happen with this guy. Luckily the transmission oil was full so I drove it around and it worked fine. I brought it back home a few months later and it sat in my back yard for a few more years. So I decided today was the day to finally do this and junk the rest. While I was working on it my granddaughter decided that she wanted to clean and work on her tractor too! I was absolutely thrilled to have her in the garage with me! ❤️

Just returned from our first trip to England and most likely the only one. Friends who have been to London about twenty times said let's visit there so off we went for ten days. Did many of the newbie London tourist stuff. Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, theater, Churchill War Rooms, Bletchley Park, British Museum, Highclere Castle where Downton Abbey was filmed. Also a neighborhood pub with the son of another friend. We only scratched the surface. One could spend ten days in the British Museum alone. Our friends knew how to use the Underground (subway) and we traveled all about using it.

Wheel weights put extra stress on hubs. After sliding it back out and tighten it, does it have two set screws my C-120 just had one, The second helps a lot. Replace the key with a new one also helps. I added a two piece collar behind the hub on my 312-8 help keep it in place. We miss you, drop in more often.

That was it I. I forgot to tighten the set screws. love you guys. Instant tech support and reassurance for a tired mind.Too much going on here health wise. Can’t think straight most of the times to the point that I am becoming dangerous.

Test fit some vredstiens on the C-160 (still need paint) and promoted the tri rib Deestones to the 856. Made a 3/4” wrench ( forgot pic) to adjust governor speed on the 857.

New member, glad to find this group. Just pulled this 520H out of my neighbor's parent's shed yesterday. When they parked it 15 years ago, it only needed a coil. Parts everywhere. I ordered a fuel pump, a coil, and new filters. Parts should be here later today, hopefully I can get it to run. Although I'm sure the carb needs to be soaked. Looking forward to posting my progress.

Got the 418-8 ready for plowing. Took the tiller off and replaced some leaking axle seals.

Fatigue crack / break repair on the 12 hp belt guard. May have been a candidate for "JB Weld, but I like brass. My question is what's happening to the old art of Brazing? Don't let it become a lost skill!

Since selling my dxi and trading my Kubota side by side set up for plow duties a few weeks ago I decided to set up the new to me Polaris XP900 for plow duty. Local dealer had a Polaris plow built for another model. A few mods and here she is ready for plow duties…

Today I got some quality seat time getting the leaf situation under control until another ton or so hit the ground. I used the 310-8 with 42" rear discharge deck to GRIND the first accumulation of leaves to a powder. About 90% of the leaves from the Poplar trees have come down so this is just the first of many such operations. Weather has been dry so the leaves chopped up so finely that the leaf sweeper wasn't even needed. They will just compost in place.

The 42" mower deck wouldn't clear the 10.50's on Dino so I put the 8.50's from the Reborn B-80 on it. Put a pair of 16-6.50's on the front of the 854 sickle tractor. No real reason other than I thought they looked cool. Took a ride through the woods to check them out. Put the 10.50's on the Reborn B-80. Rather than buy another set of rubber chains in the correct size I decided to modify the set of 8.50's that I had. A handful of additional chain links and two additional cross rubbers per side did the trick. It took a bit to get them just right cuz I never like to use chain tensioners. Mounted the heavier set of weights.

I have these on my 953. https://www.millertire.com/6-70-15-goodyear-sure-grip-traction-4-ply/

Decided this C-141 needed some taillights. Upgraded the headlights while I was at it. Still contemplating how I want to setup auxiliary power for some beacon lights, with winter coming. This $300 tractor has turned out to be a really solid unit! I had to double check the fluids since there were no oil spots on my garage floor - I thought maybe everything had run dry!

Over the last few days in between work I’ve got my spare M12 buttoned up to possibly be run on the C-85. I also finally added a missing bowl gasket to the K341, once I brought them back from my parents house. I started to take off the shaker engine mounts. I’m going to set up the C-85 engine mount wise like the other three. And once I confirmed I had all the right and parking brake parts. After work I replaced the stretched parking brake spring and added a helper spring. I also lubed up the idler and rear end drive pulley.

World Post Day is October 9 and we’re pumped for a throw back to communication methods of the past with some good old-fashioned letters. Mail carrier services have been in existence since ancient times, and even though we can communicate almost anything (literally) at the touch of a button, there’s no denying the importance of our local postal services…or the excitement of receiving a package in the mail! World Post Day marks the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union, and it’s from this humble wellspring that the global communications revolution started and continues to this day.

By far the best thing I've found to keep a deck solid is to do very little. My routine after every mowing it to blow it off, jack it up and just scrape the clumps of grass off. No hosing. The clumps hold the moisture and that's the problem. I purchased the 48" deck on this tractor new in the late 70's. Since 2009 it's been used on this 2005 Classic. Zero rust. Once a year when I put it to bed for the winter I do pressure wash it and give is a light mist of whatever oil I happen to have at the time.

I have had several dealings with Wheelhorsepartsandmore and have been very happy with their products and service. Sometimes the suppliers they obtain parts from will be backordered but if you give them a call they will bring you up to date on your order. They are good people and an important part of our hobby.

ML3……. Congratulations. You are the winner. Please send me your address and I will get it out to you this week. Thanks to everyone for being a supporter of this great forum.

We’ve had this full bumper replacement for an 88-98 Chevy sitting out in the weeds behind the tire barn at work for years. Brand new leftover from when we were a Ranch Hand dealer back before I even came to work here, and that’s been just shy of 8 years. Asked the boss a couple months ago what he wanted for it and he told me to just take it he was tired of mowing around it. Had a slow day so I rounded up some help from the young stout kid I work with and we pulled off the old grille guard and bumper and put the replacement on the old 1992 K2500 feed truck. Made a huge difference in the looks of the old truck, will look even better after I get around to putting the new tires and wheels I’ve got for it on.

Flux core welding can do most of what brazing used to handle steel on steel. No gas. Cheap equipment.

Didn’t even think of that. Checking that now. I recently put weights on it. Perhaps that contribute to it or I forgot to tighten something. Forgetting stuff has been an everyday occurrence lately.

Swapped a new to me Big Show seat to the 856. Also adjusted brake on same tractor. 1st pic after swap, 2nd pic before seat swap, and 3rd pic notice price and date on nos seat. I payed a penny more than that at big show from @Handy Don if I remember correctly.

@Handy Don I’ve been to the museum and the firemen’s home. I’m also a member of FASNY- Firemen’s Association of the State of New York. There is a beautiful library in the home that was paid for by a donation from a friend and deceased member of my fire department. My wife has threatened to send me to the firemen’s home more than once!! I tried to donate my own antique fire truck to that museum and they told me it was full and they had no more room. 1962 F-250 4x4 with a 250 GPM Barton-American pump. I got it with 1200 original miles and sold it with 1800 miles. Had lots of fun with it, parades, decorating it to take the kids trick or treating and even won a drafting competition with it. When I lost my indoor storage space I couldn’t bare to leave it outside after it had been stored inside its whole life. I ended up selling it to a fellow firefighter from New Jersey who gave it the home it deserved.

World Octopus Day is annually marked on October 8 and we are drawing up plans to celebrate the existence of one of nature’s most iconic sea creatures. Octopuses are remarkably intelligent and adaptable. With some Octopus fossils predating the era of dinosaurs, they are known to be older than most creatures currently existing today. One thing you can be sure of is that there’s more to this amazing sea creature than a bulbous head and eight legs with suction cups.

I mowed with my modified 48 today. Distributes clippings so much better. Definitely worth all the work that went into it! You can see the tip of the blade at the chute. Only 1/2 inch to the edge now. No height adjuster. I always cut the same height anyway...

Installed some steps and side covers on the 418-A that I had cleaned up and painted over the summer. The removed set will eventually get cleaned up and painted and put on the 520-H. Before: After:

Finished the electrical. Made up the exhaust manifold. Made up a better hood pivot thingy. Not much time for anything else.

Better late than never…..

I didn't wanna go off on Plunge's thread ... ahhh to hell with him he'll get over it ... tellem EB made me do it...

I found what I guess to be the original hanging pouch from the showroom, the warranty statement, a safety brochure, some receipts for blades, filter etc. And some unique looking washers Anybody know what these washers are for ?

Those are just bright LED bulbs off of the jungle site. They look bright but they really don't cast very far. (search 1156 LED) Better to add tractor lights if you need them for vision. I found a vintage pair in a box of crap I picked up in a barn sale, then replaced the bulbs with LED. They light up some ground!

National Chess Day takes place every second Saturday in October and is on October 11 this year. The royal game has been played for centuries, and despite its limited pieces and simple layout, chess is a complex art that has captivated players and viewers alike. Former President Gerald Ford said it best: “For both professionals and amateurs, chess is a game that sharpens the mind, tests human faculties, and encourages healthy competition. It has captivated the attention of players and spectators worldwide and will continue to do so as long as competition and excellence challenge mankind.”

Might take the 50cc scooter out for a putt. Does that count ?

We are here to support you in any way we can. Doesn't have to be Wheel Horse related, please keep in contact with us.

Is the axle sticking out that same 1 1/2" on the outside of the hub? Perhaps the hub has loosened and slid inward...

I got hooked on these tractors mowing with my dad’s (now mine) 12 automatic when I was a kid. He stored it for me in his garage when I moved into an apartment. The day I moved into my house the brought me the 12 auto. After fighting with it cause it sat for at least 10 years (I had zero mechanical skills then) my grandfather gave me his Bronco 14. When gramps passed away a few years later I found a c-120 in his shed under a pile of stuff. I got all his spare parts too. It snowballed from there. All of my kids have driven and mowed and even plowed snow with them. I spend hours in the garage first teaching and now watching my son @WheelHorse_Kid work on these tractors. They have brought us closer than ever. They are simple to work on but I’m always learning something new with them and boy they can do anything you ask of them. They were built to last. The community here is always willing to help out too. It doesn’t matter if you have a mundane question or a major problem, someone is always willing to help. And they are also willing to drool over your latest find or next restoration with you. It’s a great group of people. We all have the same common goal… to save these incredible tractors. We each have our own way of doing it from the purest’s to the people looking to just make it functional again. But they are all here willing to help. Not many groups like that now adays.

Nice! No taxidermy spotted dog to help find the hydrants??!!

A little late but this was taken on Sunday and its our whole horse herd at the moment.

Oh BTW. I am one of the few with only one tractor and it is a Wheelhorse. Love the little beast. It was my father's who bought it new in 1988 and only last winter did I replace the engine. Except rear tires, brake lining, axel shaft seal and engine all parts are original. Always being stored indoors helped tremendously.

Studded snow tires were the thing to have in the early 1970s. Going down the highway at night putting off a shower of sparks as they eroded the pavement surface leaving behind a couple of parallel channels that would fill with water and then freeze into glair ice strips overnight. Aha yes, I remember it well.

Another fast forward for real-time progress: