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ccrawfor8645

Wheel Horse 520-H replacement engine

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Ed Kennell

Welcome back Christina.  

I don't have any experience with a Gt550, but others that do should be here soon to offer advice on the oil and filter.

I see no reason to remove the lift cable as you will not be using the lift with the front end loader.  If you are concerned about it getting caught on something, you could attach a spring at the loose end to keep tension on the cable.

To install the weights, I would rotate the wheel so one of the weight holes is at the top, then install a  a piece of 1/2" threaded rod as a guide bolting it to the wheel with a nut on either side of the wheel.     This should help to support the weight and align the other holes so the bolts can be installed.  The threaded rod will stay in place as one of the bolts.

There are posts on here showing the proper set up procedure for a plow.   Try a search of plow depth set up.

Have you considered a snow /dozer blade instead of a front end loader or blower for your snow removal?    It would be much easier to switch from a deck to a snow/dozer blade as you would not need to switch the clevis hitch and weight box.

I am pleased to hear your husbands health is no worse and that you have good neighbors willing to help.

Wishing the best for you in this new year.

 

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ccrawfor8645

I would really like to have a 2nd tractor so I can put the front end loader back onto this tractor.  the other garden tractor would then be using for mowing the yard and garden.  It would have to be about the same quality as my gt550.  may be another gt550.  that way I can use the 60 inch mower deck from what I have to be used on the other tractor.  the neighbors and I use the front end loader a lot.

I just don't have the money right now for a 2nd tractor.

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obone

Do a search for potato plow. It's like your plow, but smaller and double sided. Makes putting down and pulling up easy. A lot of people also use there disk to make the hills then run there potato plow to make the furrows then disk again to cover up. The potato plow is like a cultivator, but with only one plow.

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ccrawfor8645

My other neighbor and I had a hard time getting the wheel weights off the back tires.  We had to use a screw driver and a mallet to pound from the inside of the back tire through a hole to touch the wheel weight to pound it out.  both finally came off.  I took both tires to my local Toro dealer to put in tubes.  I was able to get the tires back onto the tractor.  The fun was trying to put the wheel weights back on.  I had to use a screw driver to line up one of the holes in the wheel weight to the tire rim.  I then took the mallet to pound the wheel weight so it would go back against the time rim.  I was able to get both bolts in place from the back of the tire rim to the front to put on the washer and nut.  the issue was the other wheel weight that got stuck in the wheel rim and was crooked.  I tried a crow bar with no luck.  My neighbor was able to use the crow bar to get the wheel weight unstuck and did the same method I did to put on the other wheel weight.

 

I was able to get the mower deck off and the front attach mate. The hardest part was for me to get the 60 inch mower deck out from under the tractor.   

I now want to put the front loader back on for winter.  I took off the clevis hitch and put on the weight box.  (I think I might have to take off the weight box so I can put on the front loader subframe first, don't remember that part.) 

The question is what do I do with the clevis hitch cable that hooks fast to the clevis hitch?  Can it just dangle there?  I don't want to take it off the lifter as it was too hard to get it on to it in the first place.  I don't think we really had it on quite right as I had a hard time to get the big plow to go deep enough into the ground or the harrow. 

 

I don't think it will be hard to put on the front loader as it was not that hard to take off.

 

I also am looking for a small single plow to use on the tractor in the summer to make the rows for potatoes, etc.  I had to rig up something to use the single plow from our Troy Built rototiller that didn't really work too well as I could not get to go deep enough into the ground.

 

Some help and advise would be greatly appreciated,

Christina

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Ed Kennell

 

 

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ccrawfor8645

For the last few years, I have been using my neighbor's tractor to mow my grass so to keep the front end loader attached to my Toro GT550.  My neighborhood barters with each other.  Everybody likes my front end loader. 

I recently had to take the tractor to my local dealer to replace the trans seal that is behind the right rear tire.  I just took off the bucket and let everything there.  They also change the engine oil and trans oil for me.

When I picked it up, it was that time again to take off the front end loader and the subframe.  it was not too bad but had a hard time getting the subframe out from under the tractor.  ended using a jack on the front of the tractor to lift it up to get the subframe out.

The next thing was fun trying to get the 60 inch mower deck on.  Manuals are a wonderful thing.  When I went to turn the front wheels on the mower deck to slide it under the tractor, the front right wheel post broke off from its welding on the mower deck.

local dealer said the mower deck could be used without it and can be welded back on when done with the mower deck.

when I tried to put the J hooks on the attachment lift arms into the mower deck after lowering the lift arm, the attachment lift arm would not lower all of the way.  I called my local dealer.  Turns out there is a clevis pin and hairpin cotter pin behind the J hooks near the rear wheels that are used to prevent the attachment lift arm from dropping for transport or when using a front end loader, snowblower, snowblade, etc.  I never put them on before when using the front end loader.  The guy that fixed the tractor put them on and did not tell me.

That is what I get I guess trying to do stuff myself and not being mechanically inclined.  My husband used to do this stuff but now if have to.  once it took off the clevis pin and hairpin cotter pin, success in putting the J hooks on.  Now to get the front bar into the attachamate.

 

still wish had that second tractor.  another gt550 or a 522xi that the gt550 replaced. 

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ccrawfor8645

It has been awhile since I posted to this forum.  I still have the same wheel horse GT550 tractor, taking off the mower desk and putting on the front end loader for the winter. 

It is gardening time again.  I want to know if I can just take off the weight box and the actual bucket off is frame, leaving on the front end loader subframe.  Then, put on the hitch and a plow to plow my garden.

I know that just in front of the back wheels there is a place where a bolt and a cotter pin can go in, one for each side, to prevent something from going up and down.  I can't remember what this was without looking at the book.

 

 

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