Not sure that this counts as a horse but....

[wheeledhorseman 573]

Not sure that this truly counts as a horse but it joined my stable today after a nice litlle drive down to Bounemouth to collect it. I've been toying with the idea of getting a rear engine rider for some time then suddenly several appeared on ebay at the same time.

 

So out of curiosity, because they look like fun, and they look different I got this little fella for £88 + a tenner in fuel to collect I guess.

 

 

 

It is actually larger than I thought it would be, strongly constructed (of course), and quite heavy as a result.

 

 

Even the wife thinks it's good for the money I paid - bonus!

 

 

That's a lot of decals eh Mark?

 

It's actually a 1994 Toro Wheel Horse 8-25 Rear Engine Rider model number 70060 serial 4900142 which makes it the 142nd to be made. Interestingly, the model number spanned  1993 to 1998 and the first digit of the serial denotes the year (4 = 1994). Another for the register Mark. 

 

Despite being well into the Toro Wheel Horse era its pedigree is apparent in the build and in the decalry (if there is such a word).

 

 

 

I've got a lot of project work on already but I think I might just interupt that to see if I can get it going. Apparently it blows the fuse when you turn the ignition on - a quick look revealed bare wires twisted together where the seat switch used to be connected and another dangling down from the ignition switch so it looks as though PO had a twiddle with it but hopefully it's just ended up being wired wrongly.

 

The battery is on charge,,,,, so  .

 

Can't imagine that I'm alone on RS in having a rider in the stable.

 

Andy

[rmaynard 14,864]

I believe the decal on the side says it all...Wheel Horse. May not be a garden tractor, but neither was the Lawn Ranger.

Edited February 26, 2014 by rmaynard

[wallfish 15,907]

It's a small pony, not much bigger than that dog.

[meadowfield 2,545]

Nice find Andy, my brother has a Toro RER he is restoring. You are right, it's a lot of stickers!

Look forward to another restore thread

[Anglo Traction 759]

It's a Horse Andy as the other Guys have said. Agree that there is a kind of affinity towards these RERs. 

Just wondering if there is some Powder Coating on it?. Looking at some of the Black areas peeling  . 

Looks fun anyway and look forward to your 'Autopsy' findings and what you do with it. 

Decalry is good,........ why not be creative with  the Lingo

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,478]

Found the 1994 illustrated parts list

 

but only the 1993 and 1995 operator manuals

 

Garry

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,439]

With a 25" deck it just might be the handiest thing for mowing close quarters, next to flower beds, etc...

Your not over-invested so have fun with it!

Mike............

[smoreau 658]

there great for smaller lawns!! Thy also have a very nice cut in the grass!

[leeave96 487]

My Dad bought one of those one time, don't recall the deck size. He was trying to mow grass at a camp and the grass would usually be tall and wet at times. He quickly saw it's limits and bought a JD. They look like a nice machine for their intended purpose.

[AMC RULES 36,941]

Looks to be sized perfectly for the Mrs  

[neil 2,398]

she`s a natty little thig Andy , Like other have said ,it will be great in small garden areas , could almost do with one myself  & for £88 quid  having a good battery out of it is worth that , lets hope she is a gooden

[Jparkes43 329]

I love it, looks crazy.

[wheeledhorseman 573]

Thanks for the positive comments guys and thanks Garry for uploading the relevant manuals - all appreciated  .

 

So, allowed myself a day off from the carts to see if I could get this going. Using the circuit diag and the manual puzzled out how things should work - quite complicated in that it has the full monty on the safety inhibit circuit including a relay and basically the rider was fitted with the wrong ignition switch. It actually requires a six terminal type but not the usual one with an engine kill.

 

Anyway, made up some fly leads to utilise the basic ignition on and start functions of the switch it has and disabled for now the safety switches. After a bit of cranking she fired up and ran really sweetly.   

 

Took it for a ride round - a-maz-ing! Put a real big smile on my face

 

Sitting with nothing but a steering wheel in front of you (bit like a go-kart) making really tight turns spent the next half hour just driving it about. Almost got it stuck on the field in the mud - it was just so much fun, just like I thought it would be. Wife had a go and it put a big smile on her face too. She's used to driving the tractors about but agreed that this was an entirely different experience.

 

Didn't try running the deck - thought I'd better take it off and inspect rather than risk a big bang, a job for another day. A thunder storm stopped play in the end but I was still chuckling about the experience for an hour or so afterwards.

 

How did it come to have the wrong ignition switch? Well, I used the Toro site and Garry's parts manual to identify the correct part number then looked for one on ebay and.... and it's the wrong part! Just a five pole one! Trawling though ignition switches it appears to use / need the same switch as a Toro Groundmaster (27-2360) which has the correct six terminals marked with the same letters as shown in the circuit diagram so I 've ordered one from the US.

 

There are a few niggling faults but the engine runs fine so I'm very pleased with my addition to the herd.

 

Andy

 

[edit] forgot to respond to Richard's observation re paint.

 

It's certainly not the original type WH paint i.e. electrostatically sprayed then baked. This stuff never really properly covered and sealed sharp edges and where rust began it then travelled under the paint separating it from the steel underneath. Most manufacturers were using it by the 90s - my Westwood trailer suffers from the same paint peeling back issue.

Edited February 28, 2014 by wheeledhorseman

[meadowfield 2,545]

Great news Andy!

[Anglo Traction 759]

Good news on sorting out the Gremlins and that the Motor is a good-en. Had every confidence you'd sort it before the month's end  .