1988 520 HC

[Cadmandu 67]

Hi All,

Can you give me some advise on this tractor, is it worth 800.00 delivered.

It has a 48" deck and a 20 HP Onan with 1100 hrs on it.

 

 

tia

 

Edited October 29, 2016 by T-Mo
Linking to Craig's List ads is against RS rules. Sorry.

[Ken B 3,116]

The hrs. on the Onan are getting up there but he does say it runs good. You don't see too many 520HC's.. I'd say he is right in the ball park on what he wants.. 

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

I'd have 600 bucks in my pocket when I looked at it.In my book,cash is king.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

If it runs well and everything works, it is worth it. Check the fluid condition, mid attach-a-matic for wear, the end of the frame where the transaxle bolts for cracks, and that the rear cylinder is working.

 

Try offering less if possible.

[Cadmandu 67]

Thanks keep it coming I trust your advise. Does it have two hydro cylinders. Does it have the Eaton 1100?

Is that a good twin Onan

[wrightorchid 261]

Drop the deck, or be sure you can clearly look at it.  I bought one that looked OK, but the battery had leaked, and destroyed the deck and spindles, making it worthless.  Check for any leaks, and around the axles, and tranny.  They are good tractors.  Be sure all of the safety dash lights work, and gauges, too.  These can  have electrical issues.  Should start easy, with  not smoke.  Take a look at the muffler too.  These bits an pieces all add up if you have to replace them.  There are lots of threads on this, and the manuals are in the section.  You should be able move forward, and back smoothly, no creeping in neutral ( an adjustment if it does)  lift and lower the deck, check the lights, etc,   Good luck. I bought mine in Florida locally, these are hard to find in some areas.   Matt's hydro pedal is a good addition.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

57 minutes ago, Cadmandu said:

Thanks keep it coming I trust your advise. Does it have two hydro cylinders. Does it have the Eaton 1100?

Is that a good twin Onan

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to add confusion. What I meant was the rear engine cylinder. There is only the lift cylinder in the middle and it does have an Eaton. The -HC does have different gearing compared to a -H. A well running Onan is a great engine.

[Cadmandu 67]

How can you tell if the rear cylinder is working? Feel the exhaust? Can you take a compression test if so what should it be? Can I pull a plug and check for a strong spark. Who made the Onan America? Is it cast iron like the M12 and K Series.

[Jerry77 1,218]

Looks like that is only about 35 mi from you - take the guys advice and go check it out with some cash in your pocket - the rear cylinder spark plug is a little hard to get to - take a 5/8 deep socket and a knuckle with your ratchet and extension if you plan to remove the plug. I think the compression is supposed to be around 110 +/-..  don't see a belt on the deck - why is that?  It doesn't really look like it has been abused and for it's age, 1100 hours isn't bad and it does have the Eaton  1100..

3 hours ago, wrightorchid said:

These bits an pieces all add up  .. and that is a fact..

 

[elliot ness 1,916]

If it runs good, and looks good and the deck is good, go for it . 500.00 to 900.00 is a starting point.

[Cadmandu 67]

Seems odd he just sold it and it was posted for two weeks. I wonder if i sold it for him asking for help

I actually like a C-160 auto better

Edited October 28, 2016 by Cadmandu

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,440]

1 hour ago, Cadmandu said:

Seems odd he just sold it and it was posted for two weeks. I wonder if i sold it for him asking for help

And that is just one of the reasons we do not allow any links to Craigslist ads here on Red Square.

 Mike.....

[Cadmandu 67]

Sorry Mike, I did not know that was against the rules. I'm going to hold out for a C-160 Auto with an Eaton 1100

 

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,440]

43 minutes ago, Cadmandu said:

Sorry Mike, I did not know that was against the rules. I'm going to hold out for a C-160 Auto with an Eaton 1100

 

No problem....links to Craigslist are posted here constantly and it gives us Admins and Mod's something to do...LOL!

 Just so you know....all 16Auto's, C-160's and C-161's have Sundstrand hydro's. None of them came with an Eaton1100. The first Eaton1100 equipped tractors were the late 1980 Black Hoods. Early 1980 BlackHoods still had the Sundstrand.

 Mike.....

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337]

Mike,

If I'm not mistaken, and I often am, my '81 C-125 had an Eaton in it.  Don't quote me on that as it's been awhile, but I seem to recall it had an Eaton.  As for a Sunstrand, I wouldn't shy away from one as I actually prefer it over an Eaton, but only because I had more experience with Sunstrands since they were the hydro of choice for Cub Cadets and John Deeres.

[Cadmandu 67]

Thanks for the input. Yes my findings has under the notes in the newest spread sheet that the 80/81 C-125 could have either one. Was the Sundstrand the tranny of choice during a time when both trannys were avaiable or earlier when it was the only one around. I am not talking bad about either I just want all the info on both that i can get.

[bmsgaffer 2,043]

I think the eatons were recently developed in 1980. Both will do you just fine, sundstrand made a LOT of hydro systems for many different manufacturers as T-Mo said. On wheel horse the last sundstrands were available in early 1980. Late 1980 and beyond were all eaton. 

 

The Sundstrands are no longer made (at least in the garden tractor segment, the corporation is still around making something!) the Eaton 11's I believe are still being made new. I cannot find anything they are used in though, so I cant verify. 

 

The sundstrands are a piston-piston setup where the pump is a piston pump and the motor is a piston driven motor. The nice thing about this setup is that the average mechanically inclined joe can do a basic rebuild job on it resurfacing the pistons and plates. They also have a different valving setup so they don't have the short 'free-fall' effect that you will get with the eatons. They are harder to find parts to fix cam issues from what I understand (the part that slides to adjust your speed). Also (also from what I understand) the relief valve for a sundstrand is in the main pump unit and not the lift valve so you cant interchange lift parts from sundstrand to eaton safely. 

 

The eatons are a "ball piston" pump and motor (with a gear pump for the charge pump). They use spheres as the pistons instead of your standard cylindrical piston. They have different safety valving in them to allow you to push them around without disengaging the pump. This is what can cause a bit of a 'free-fall' effect when you start going down a hill (it only lasts a brief second). It speeds up just a bit before the hydro catches you. While people have rebuilt these you can really only replace the seals. There is no ability to resurface anything to improve the transmission. The relief valve is in the lift valve like a more traditional hydro setup, but for most tractor applications this is irrelevant.

 

I hope this helps! Lots of technical details that are all accurate to the best of my knowledge, but someone can come in and correct me!