Jump to content
Charlie Smith

Any Wheel Horse D series in UK?

Recommended Posts

Charlie Smith

Hello Everybody...

Just another one of those mornings where my brain has been thinking lots of random and weird things.... Now I can't recall seeing one at the UK meet last year, and I don't think I've ever seen a post from any of you uk guys about one I think Andy? May have one as his picture on here... But I don't know if he has one... But here's the question, Are there any wheel horse D series over here in the UK like the D160 D180 D200 etc? Do any of you UK guys own a D?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
Anglo Traction

Morning Charlie, your up early :eek: !. Check out Andy's (Wheeledhorseman) profile and signature and you'll see his stock.

I'm sure he'll be along later......... this evening possibly

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
meadowfield

Yeah, Andy has a few, there's James up my way with one. There's another two that go to the shows near me (Paul and Alan) don't think they go on here. Look at my show pics from the last few years, theres quite a few pics - I think...

 

Look up D-200 restoration for Andys thread.

 

p.s. they are great fun to drive :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
diggerjames

I have a D200 which is just under going a full restoration

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
meadowfield

as if by magic :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
wheeledhorseman

I do indeed have two Ds Charlie. Not satisfied with a double C I had to achieve a double D.

 

Here's the first having just been unloaded from the trailer as a new arrival. My son is driving.

 

post-4509-0-54064600-1390934601_thumb.jp

 

Many hours and many pennies later it looked like this......

 

post-4509-0-37808600-1390934672_thumb.jp

 

This is the second D, again photographed having just been unloaded.

 

post-4509-0-97066000-1390934734_thumb.jp

 

It's just the basic model with no 3-point or turning brakes but it does have a ball hitch front and rear and I got it as a yard tug to move trailers in and out of the tight storage space before hitching up to a vehicle.

 

post-4509-0-56441700-1390935121_thumb.jp

 

I'm not in any rush to restore this one as it has (to me at least) a certain charm the way it is.

 

The first one I saw on ebay was I think a D-180 but I was just looking at that stage. The first I bid on was a D-200 with 3-point but it went for more than I thought I was prepared to pay. Still kicking myself several years later as that one had a 3-point and pto driven flail mower / topper to go with it all in working order. My guess is that it went to someone with a paddock to mow rather than to a collector but could be wrong.

 

There were a pair of D-200s offered for sale (one running, one for spares or repairs). Expressed interest twice but negotiations led nowhere. Also expressed interest in what I think was a D-160 that had been laid up in a garden for a few years but ran when it was parked up. Made an offer when there were no bids but my offer wasn't accepted. It's worth making offers though on Ds that don't attract bids - that's how I got the second one above.

 

There was also a D-200 that appeared for sale on you know where, it was in Wales I think. Nice tractor with belly mower and 3-point with pto driven rotavator. Nice guy selling it, we talked for a while on the phone. I thought it was pricey and didn't bid but on reflection (again) Ds with 3-point and OEM pto driven attachments are very rare.

 

Finally, a couple of words of wisdom - before considering a D project be prepared to get parts shipped from the US and be aware that the 3-point is Cat 0 as are the front & rear PTO couplings. The PTO speed is also too high for modern attachments, you'd need a reduction gear box of some sort.

 

Andy

 

p.s. I think I have a couple of photos of ones that got away - I'll take a look and post here if I have.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
diggerjames

Very nice tractors andy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
reeman-uk

Hi,

 

Unfortunately I don't get the chance to drop onto the forum very often, however my timing is good to respond to this.

 

I live in Norfolk and have two D-series tractors, a D-200 with three point, wheel brakes and PTO and a basic D-160. They are very strange things to drive. I don't have any attachments for either.

 

Iain

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
diggerjames

I love my d200 and norfolk is one my most favourite places I like to visit wells next the sea and sheringham etc !

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
Anglo Traction

Hi,   Unfortunately I don't get the chance to drop onto the forum very often, however my timing is good to respond to this.

 

I live in Norfolk and have two D-series tractors, a D-200 with three point, wheel brakes and PTO and a basic D-160. They are very strange things to drive. I don't have any attachments for either.   Iain

Hello Iain, good to hear from you on here . Lucky man to have 2 of those magnificent Beasts (Andy on here also has 2 of these).

Would love to see pics of them as and when you ever get the chance.

 

Your not alone in Norfolk,  We have Tom as well, sure he'll be along soon.

Regards   

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
meadowfield

Hi,

 

Unfortunately I don't get the chance to drop onto the forum very often, however my timing is good to respond to this.

 

I live in Norfolk and have two D-series tractors, a D-200 with three point, wheel brakes and PTO and a basic D-160. They are very strange things to drive. I don't have any attachments for either.

 

Iain

Great to hear from you, same thoughts as Richard, share some pics please :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
wheeledhorseman

Hi,

 

Unfortunately I don't get the chance to drop onto the forum very often, however my timing is good to respond to this.

 

I live in Norfolk and have two D-series tractors, a D-200 with three point, wheel brakes and PTO and a basic D-160. They are very strange things to drive. I don't have any attachments for either.

 

Iain

 

Great to hear from another double-D owner in the UK Iain. :thumbs:

Given that the pair of D-200s I was interested in were in the end sold as a pair there could well be three double-D owners in the UK.

Surprising how many Ds seem to have survived in that they were expensive and not exactly top sellers here.

Love to see some pics of yours

 

Andy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
reeman-uk

I have searched through my pictures (I think I have more picture of my tractors than I do my kids) and my two D-series appear to be a little camera shy.

 

If I have done this correctly I should have attached two pictures of my D-200 and one of the D-160. Warning - two of the pictures also contain another brand of tractor ;-)

 

Iain

post-4787-0-39367500-1391176035_thumb.jp

post-4787-0-95299900-1391176046.jpg

post-4787-0-55842900-1391176063.jpg

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
Anglo Traction

Thanks for taking the trouble to post the Pics Iain :handgestures-thumbup: . No problem with the other coloured ones (though I think there maybe an aversion to Green and yellow on the Main Forum?).

The D200 look's impressively well equipped.  

Always happy to see your other Tractors in the Other Brands Section if you have the time.

Regards

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
reeman-uk

I just found a picture of the exhaust I put on my D-160. This was before the flipper got added to the top and the home made manifold got painted. It sounds great and is not really as tall as it looks in the picture. I added a brace to remove any stress from the exhaust port.

 

I now need to do the same on the D-200 or find a cost effective altervative to the standard exhaust. Double the cost on the D-200. I was once told by someone in the US that a B&S exhaust is a good alternative but they never gave me the part number.

 

Iain

post-4787-0-11260800-1391187596.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
meadowfield

Great pics, thanks for sharing

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
wheeledhorseman

That's some stack you got there!

 

Here's a cost effective solution that PO of my second D came up with.

 

gallery_4509_190_74333.jpg

 

 

using a couple of dirt bike cans. They sound awesome when you open the throttle! Mark can testify to this.

 

The engineering needs a bit of tidying up and a couple of down pipes added so they don't soot / scorch the grille frame but I decided no rush at present as the paintwork is very tatty anyway.

 

I need to sort out something for the restored D soonish as one of the cans on that one is now held together at one end with paste where previous weld repairs have now given up. A guy in the US was advertising some OEM cans a couple of months back but the cost of shipping them put me off and I have in mind making some new cans to slide over the existing through pipes which seem solid enough.

 

There was a long debate about other cans that would fit on the forum but turned out that dimensions given in the technical sheets was wrong and the cans were to long to fit inside the grille frame. I'll try and locate the thread.

 

Andy

 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
meadowfield

That's some stack you got there!

 

Here's a cost effective solution that PO of my second D came up with.

 

gallery_4509_190_74333.jpg

 

 

using a couple of dirt bike cans. They sound awesome when you open the throttle! Mark can testify to this.

 

Andy

Still smiling now :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
wheeledhorseman

I guessed you'd not have forgotten the experience Mark :)

 

Iain, here's another solution by Jeff (hodge71) photo from his resto thread on RS

 

post-1339-0-48893300-1330482156_thumb.jp

 

I've seen this type of plumbing a couple of times on the forum.

 

Andy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
reeman-uk

Andy, The older I get the quieter I like my tractors. The exhaust I have on the D-160 makes it sound like a full size tractor and does not really look as odd as the picture suggests. I will take a better picture one day. The one I posted was taken looking down on the tractor which makes it look very large.

 

This may be old news for D-series owners however just in case it is not. I needed to rebuild the steering box on my D-160 as it was even more sloppy than usual. I priced the parts in the US and had a bit of a shock. I then did lots of research and found that the same steering box is used on a smaller tractor of the green and yellow variety. I went to the local dealer and bought the parts over the counter for not a lot of money. I am now looking forward to doing the same on the D-200 when I get the chance.

 

I forgot to mention that I have a love/hate relationship with my D-200. I love it and each time I spend lots of time getting it working well, it dies soon afterwards and has to be dragged back to the workshop. For the moment it is parked in the dark at the back of my storage building surrounded by tractors of a different brand, so it can think about its behaviour.

 

Iain

Iain

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
Anglo Traction

This may be old news for D-series owners however just in case it is not. I needed to rebuild the steering box on my D-160 as it was even more sloppy than usual. I priced the parts in the US and had a bit of a shock. I then did lots of research and found that the same steering box is used on a smaller tractor of the green and yellow variety. I went to the local dealer and bought the parts over the counter for not a lot of money. I am now looking forward to doing the same on the D-200 when I get the chance.

 

I forgot to mention that I have a love/hate relationship with my D-200. I love it and each time I spend lots of time getting it working well, it dies soon afterwards and has to be dragged back to the workshop. For the moment it is parked in the dark at the back of my storage building surrounded by tractors of a different brand, so it can think about its behaviour. Iain

 

Now that is what is so good about this Forum. People offer useful information in a Post that helps others. :handgestures-salute:

Hope the 'Dark Corner' treatment works ok and not convince the 'D' that it should be hibernating!.

If it misbehaves this Spring, threaten it with Green and Yellow paint as well as a JD Steering Box, or a Club ! :deadhorse:    

Edited by Anglo Traction

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
meadowfield

Yeah, we like things like this... Alternative sticky patches are good :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
wheeledhorseman

Andy, The older I get the quieter I like my tractors. The exhaust I have on the D-160 makes it sound like a full size tractor and does not really look as odd as the picture suggests. I will take a better picture one day. The one I posted was taken looking down on the tractor which makes it look very large.

 

This may be old news for D-series owners however just in case it is not. I needed to rebuild the steering box on my D-160 as it was even more sloppy than usual. I priced the parts in the US and had a bit of a shock. I then did lots of research and found that the same steering box is used on a smaller tractor of the green and yellow variety. I went to the local dealer and bought the parts over the counter for not a lot of money. I am now looking forward to doing the same on the D-200 when I get the chance.

 

I forgot to mention that I have a love/hate relationship with my D-200. I love it and each time I spend lots of time getting it working well, it dies soon afterwards and has to be dragged back to the workshop. For the moment it is parked in the dark at the back of my storage building surrounded by tractors of a different brand, so it can think about its behaviour.

 

Iain

 

 

Iain

 

I'm sure you'd agree that owning a 'D' or two can be quite challenging, they are very different in ways you have to own one to understand. There's also the little matter that Toro  made them obsolete as far as spares were concerned long before the more recent move to stop making spares for the WH range as a whole. For example simple things like front wheel bearings are now pretty much unobtainable in the US and you have to get really lucky as I did to find some NOS ones for sale. 

 

The fact that JD used the same steering box was mentioned to me on the forum when I was restoring the first D-200 but I never followed it up as tightening the adjuster made it good enough to drive ok but one day I need to go back to that so it's good to know that you've been there and done it. :bow-blue: The model it was used on would be useful info for all if you still have it. Somewhere on the forum is a 'D' with power steering using a JD unit that will fit and run from the hydraulic system.

 

They can be temperamental for sure. I found that the fuel pumps are highly suspect with age even if they appear to pump well when you test them and also suffer from the typical drain back to tank overnight syndrome. Electric pump on the first 'D' transformed things but still I wasn't convinced about the way it ran despite all my best efforts. It was only when I got a second D the performed much better that I noticed how differently the adjustable links on the carb and governor set up were. Set the first like the second and again a transformation. So it goes on - never stop learning about them.

 

 

I love my d200 and norfolk is one my most favourite places I like to visit wells next the sea and sheringham etc !

 

Love mine too - but I'll have to be careful not to leave my laptop on in the barn cos if mine see your post they'll want me to take them to the beach. Bournemouth is about 45 mins away by car but could take a little longer and several tanks of fuel on a D. :ychain:

 

Andy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
reeman-uk

The steering on my D-160 worked fine but was sloppy and it was interesting to keep it in a straight line at full speed, so I thought that rather than adjust it I would take the steering box apart and do a full refurbishment. The attached picture is what I found inside the steering box. As a rule of thumb, if your D has ever been left outside for a while and the top steering column bush is warn, yours will probably look the same.

 

I found that the same or similar steering box was fitted to a number of JD’s and the ones I found were 140, 216 and 300. I have no idea what these tractors look like. If you really want to impress the JD parts person these are the part numbers you need:

 

M45567 – Stud (the bit that turns the steering arm)

AM31924 – Bearing kit which includes 2 races, 2 ball sets and 2 retainers (ball sets are essental for driving a D a full speed!)

 

Optional bits are

M45568 – Isolator (the large D shaped spacer)

M43747 – washer (that fits under the race)

 

A quick Google for any of these part numbers is likely to give you a JD parts diagram. Note. these diagrams may not look like your WH part but I think that is a problem with the diagrams not the reality.

 

The job does not take very long, so no excuses for sloppy steering on your D :)

 

To finish the job I fitted thrust bearings between the front axle and steering spindles to give me poor mans power steering. I would be really interesting in knowing the parts to fit for proper power steering.

 

Iain

 

 

 

 

post-4787-0-67487300-1391519171_thumb.jp

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
wheeledhorseman

Top post Iain! You're inspiring me to go out and get the bits ready to do a proper job when I get time.

 

Re power steering - I'll do a search on the forum as I'm sure I m not imagining this but sometimes finding a particular thread from the past isn't easy to find.

 

Andy

 

[edit] - easier to find than I thought - it was the steering unit from a JD 420 - the thread is here:

 

Inspiration for us both perhaps?

 

Andy

Edited by wheeledhorseman

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...