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Tankman

Work Horse

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Tankman

I've seen a cell phone picture of a Work Horse 1642. The poor old Horse is going to be delivered, another grandson "project."

 

Guess I've been lookin' in all the wrong places. Can anyone direct me to a downloadable *.pdf owners manual?

 

I've only seen one Work Horse and not fond of the color. "Red is for the blood we shed."

 

The owner was going to send the poor Horse to a scrap yard, how dare anyone do that!  :deadhorse:

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Sparky

I have a GT-1600 (with a transplanted Magnum 10) and I like the colors. Once you start tinkering with it you'll see its all Wheel Horse underneath. They get a bad rap from the Briggs powerplants they came with but its easy enough to in swap in a motor ya like!

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

 

 

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gwest_ca

LT-1642

 

GT-1642

There was also a 1983 model A1-164202

 

We do not have the manuals for any of them.

 

Garry

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Tankman

Forty years ago (or more) believe my Horses were Techy or B&S powered.

 

Now, big fan and believer in the cast iron one lunger Kohlers. I do have the one 20 hp Onan and wonder 'bout the bad rap that seems to hang 'round the engines. Mine works great,  :eusa-think: .

 

I did believe the Work Horse, under the paint, is a "real" Horse.

 

Never owned a 300 series WH. My 400's are great. What might the difference 'tween the two series Horses?

 

I would add, "I'm allergic to 'lawn' riders (tractors not!).  :laughing-rofl:

 

 

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oldredrider

A Work Horse GT-1142 was the first Wheel Horse I owned. Never once did it let me down. When I got it, it had been rode hard and put up wet for years. The Briggs was strong and dependable. It sold me on the ruggedness of these tractors...turned me into an addicted Wheel Horse junkie.

Don't let the colors fool you.

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Terry M

I have a GT-1600 (with a transplanted Magnum 10) and I like the colors. Once you start tinkering with it you'll see its all Wheel Horse underneath. They get a bad rap from the Briggs powerplants they came with but its easy enough to in swap in a motor ya like!

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

Just curious....But  why were the Briggs engines considered a bad rap?   I always thought Briggs were considered a good engine in the day....

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Tankman

Thanks Garry! Sorry? You've been helpin' all for a long time!

 

Thanks again, and again, and again, more.

 

The Briggs engines do have a bit of negative attention, don't know why.  Briggs have been in my barn for many years, they work.

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Racinbob

I bought a GT-1100 new because the price was right. I figured I'd just replace the Briggs with a Kohler when it gave out. 16 years later it was still going strong. It had mowing duty with a 48" deck and pushed a lot of snow. It even survived total submersion when I discovered the ice on the pond wasn't thick enough to support it. Kohlers they ain't but still darn good engines.

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Martin

i like my pewter metallic horse just as much as the others, more in some cases. unique color, unique fender pan, eaton 1100 hydro with lift, wide rear wheels, the briggs 18 twin has plenty of power.......

 

 

and a few noises....... :angry-cussingblack:  :text-imsorry:  :hide:  :banghead:

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octfst

always said that a kohler will last 30 years. rebuild it and it will last 30 more years. a briggs will last 30 years and done. but now that I'm older might need to change that to 50 or 60 years

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KC9KAS

Just curious....But  why were the Briggs engines considered a bad rap?   I always thought Briggs were considered a good engine in the day....

You know, I have thought the same thing over the years. I guess the B&S were all well and good until we got our Kohlers!

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Terry M

You know, I have thought the same thing over the years. I guess the B&S were all well and good until we got our Kohlers!

So what I'm hearing is Briggs isn't a bad engine choice, it's just that kohler is a step above ???  I can agree with that...

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Shuboxlover

Ah yes....the GT-1642....the tractor that started it all for me.  Inherited from my grandpa after he passed, restored it.....now I have a shed full of Wheel Horse (and them some)  It's NEVER caused me problems, even with the Briggs, and it's been a great worker (retired to a wagon puller nowadays)

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Tankman

I'm a bit anal, with time on my hands I double or triple maintenance. Grandsons like the work, love the Horses, wrenches, oil changin', washin' 'n waxin', grooming Stallions.

 

Don't know if the Work Horse heading my way is a manual or hydro trans. The '73 "No Name" 12 hp Kohler is a great Stallion.

 

Thinking, "I'd like to play work with another hydro."

 

I have dual wheel adaptors, thinking snow, wheel weights, chains. The grandsons are prayin' for it, white stuff I don't need. Last year was enough to last me forever (will be 67 next month). 

 

My 1st tractor was a '32 Farmall, sons 'n I used it for parades in Kinzers, PA. Rough 'n Tumble Engineers kids loved it, all of it.  :eusa-think:

Edited by Tankman

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N3PUY

Here's a pic of the GT1100 that I redid this spring.  It's all Wheel Horse!  The only things I saw different were ... No height adjustment for the lift lever and ofcourse the Briggs motor.  It runs and mows as well as a Kohler.  And it is 30 years old.  

 

post-6866-0-14435900-1410651245_thumb.jp

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Racinbob

Nice GT-1100 N3PUY. Just find a lift adjustment rod and knob/nut. It originally had one.

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Sparky

 

 

Don't know if the Work Horse heading my way is a manual or hydro trans.

If its the GT-1100, GT-1142, GT1600 or a GT-1642 its an 8 speed.

The only WorkHorse hydro's were the GT-1800 and GT1848.

  Mike..............

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N3PUY

Nice GT-1100 N3PUY. Just find a lift adjustment rod and knob/nut. It originally had one.

Hi Bob,

    Actually .... it did not have one originally.   There is no bracket, knob or rod.   AND the dash plate and the shifter plate are not notched for the adjuster.  I know this because I used the Work Horse plates on a 414-8 and had to cut out the half circles to fit around the adjuster.  Now the Work Horse has the 414 plates with the notches and only needs the adjuster assembly.   The WorkHorse is only used for mowing so full up and down is OK.

Here is a pic I found of one.   I too thought they all had one.

Joe

 

1337-td4-b01-ext225.jpg

Edited by N3PUY

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Racinbob

That's interesting. The 84 GT-1100 I bought new had one on it. I just happened to walk into a dealer and saw it sitting there. The price was right for just the tractor. I had a spare 48" deck so I was good to go. Now I'm wondering if the lift adjuster may have been dealer installed. :scratchead:

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AJ_Thanatos

So what was the reason behind "Work Horse"? I'm just looking for a history lesson  :)

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Geno

I think they were trying to get a little lower price point piece out there.  I think they had Briggs engines, the experts around here will have to tell the rest.    :handgestures-thumbsup: 

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Martin

Search a little on the forum, quite a lot of info on the workhorses.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Racinbob

I think you're spot on Geno. I bought a 84 GT-1100 new and it was a lot less. The B&S was probably the biggest part of the price difference. The GT-1100 had 1" axles but I'm not sure about the higher HP models. Something I just learned is that they didn't come with the lift adjuster mechanism. Mine had it so I assumed they did but now I'm thinking the dealer installed it.

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c-series don

Some may not like the Briggs but I bought my GT 1800 BRAND NEW in 1984 and mowed commercially with it for almost ten years. Also tilled countless gardens, plowed tons of snow. That ole' gal still runs like a top and is currently resting comfortably with a 50" mid mount grader blade that gets some occasional use. They may not be red but those tractors are Wheel Horse through and though!!

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