Lessons for the new Wheel Horse buyer

[Tgtack 779]

I recently purchased my first Wheel Horse tractor, a 1966 Model 1276. Overall I am happy with the purchase, but I did have a few surprises after I got it home. Originally, I intended on giving it a freshen up with a good cleaning, some general maintenance, and replacement wiring. At this point, only the rear transaxle is sitting on the floor with the rear tires still attached (for now).

 

So, what did I find that other first time buyers should take in to consideration when looking at a tractor to buy?

 

Many of the units I have seen for sale, do not have the correct decals or markings on them, and many times the owner is not correct in the model that they think it is. Check the tag on the tractor to be sure. Research it and tell the owner where to find the tag, and have them give you the number from it. For example, according to the owner, mine was a “C120” model, but when I checked the tag, happily I found it was a T-1276.

Obviously, the first thing is to do a functionality check, does it run and operate properly?

 

These tractors are quite old, and the wiring and ignition components degrade and corrode. Expect to replace at least some of the components. On mine I found most of the wiring cracked and frayed, but these have a very simple wiring scheme, so they are not difficult to rewire. The older Kohler engines remind me of the old flat head engines I used to work on in antique Chris-Craft boats. If they have fuel and any kind of spark, they will run. This does not mean they will run efficiently. On my 1276, I found that the coil wire and the coil output tower were badly corroded, and was shocked it was running at all! Replace the coil, coil wire, condenser, spark plug, and you should consider points as well.

 

The voltage regulator is key to a properly operating starter/generator system. It will probably have been painted over at least once, and as a minimum you should clean all the terminals when replacing the wiring, and consider replacing the carbon steel terminal nuts and screws with brass nuts and screws available from the hardware store. The Kohler engine manuals describe how to clean and adjust the voltage regulator, and/or consider replacing it with a new one.

 

If the tractor you are looking at does not use a solenoid in the starting circuit, then the ignition switch is carrying the full amp load for the starter/generator, if you replace the switch be sure to get the correct one. As a minimum, remove and clean the terminals and look at replacing the hardware as previously mentioned. The size of the wiring will be #6 gauge for the starting circuit and battery ground, and all other wiring can be #14 gauge.

 

Choke and throttle cables. Check these for corrosion and function. A lot of times you will find that someone has routed one or the other right under the exhaust outlet, so it may exhibit heat damage. Several models used a twist to lock throttle pull, if so, you may find that it is worn and will not hold the throttle setting. Both cables are readily available on a popular auction site.

 

Fuel line, unless recently replaced, expect to replace the line from the tank to the fuel pump. If it is old, and you move it any at all, expect leaks. For the proper look, use the squeeze to expand fuel line clamps rather than a worm drive clamp.

 

Pulleys, check over all the pulleys for wear, including the idler pulley(s) hidden behind the belt guard. On mine, not only was the idler pulley shot, but the brackets it was attached to had the holes elongated from wear, and the associated spacers were shot as well. I found both the 2.5” and 3.5” diameter pulleys on the shelf at a popular farm store. You should check your belt condition as well, if they are hard, expect to replace them as well.

 

Tires, my tractor is 51 years old, and it has original Wheel Horse branded turf tires on it. Needless to say, they are very hard, show lots of weather checking, and leak air. Expect to replace your tires at some point.

 

Structural condition. These tractors vibrate quite a bit, and can see a lot of stress in certain areas. Probably the weakest area of the frame is the plate that bolts the frame to the rear transaxle. This is a high stress area as it carries all the weight on the four bolts attaching it to the transaxle. On mine, I found that it had its back broken at least once, and had been poorly repaired, and was cracking again. Solution, tear down the tractor to the bare frame, clean it thoroughly to remove any oil and grease, and have it properly welded. For longevity, consider either adding side braces and/or a plate welded in over the top of the existing plate and use new grade 8 bolts that are longer than the originals by the thickness of the new plate.

 

Other areas of concern. I found stress cracks in the following areas on my 1276. Behind the bracket on the hood stand for the PTO clutch lever. Mine was cracked all the way around the two fastener inserts. Grind out the area slightly and have it TIG welded.

Engine Motor/Generator belt cover, two of the three mounting tabs had broken off the cover, and had to be TIG welded to reattach.

Corners of the hood, I found one small crack in one corner of the hood, it will need to be TIG welded at some point.

Tool storage box under the rear fender assembly. I found numerous cracks around the four mounting bolt holes, these will need to be ground out and welded to restore integrity. The transaxle mounting area has two narrow raised flanges that the box sits on. It is also cantilevered off the mount toward the rear which creates very high stress on the mounting points. After repairing, consider adding an additional plate inside the box, and/or, find a small plate that will fit between the transaxle mounting bosses (same height) to help spread out the stress.

 

If yours has the manual transmission, then inspect the brake band for wear and proper function. If you have the automatic transmission, inspect the plastic sliding plate that the control lever moves for cracks and/or breakage. Mine is missing the top corner on one side, but still functions. It is located under the square plate where the position indicator is located.

 

Check the rear axle for any signs of leakage out of the housing which would indicate the need for new axle seals and possibly axle bearings.

 

Check the front axle for any fore and aft play which would indicate a worn pivot pin. This is a common wear area, and if the axle pivot bore is not worn out, replacing the ¾” diameter pin should restore proper axle geometry. Lift the front tires off the ground and check the front spindles for wear. I did not have any wear, but others have reported wear in this area. If worn beyond an acceptable amount, then you will need to get replacement spindles and/or a front axle (less worn used parts). 

 

Tie rods, again with the wheels in the air, check for play. If loose, replace them. Nothing is more annoying than to be turning and have the ball rip out of the rod. Your stuck until you replace it. Wheelhorseman1000 which is a supporting vendor on Redsquare can supply you with new upgraded parts.

 

If yours has the attachment hitch assembly on the front, check the locking lever for proper function. People like to run into solid objects which tends to bend the release rod which can lock up the mechanism if bent enough.

 

Mower decks. Probably the biggest area of concern is the condition of the spindles. If shot, this can be an expensive replacement. Check the condition of the blades, pulleys, and belts. Do a structural inspection for major rust through areas or cracking around the mounting areas.

 

Decals and paint. Well, if you have gone through all of this, then you are probably considering a repaint and new decals which are also available from one of the Redsquare supporting vendors.

 

Good luck, and Welcome to the Wheel Horse addiction!

 

Update: Pic 1 shows back side of the frame mount after being ground down. There are cracks all around the bolt holes and was split down each edge from bottom to almost the top.

 

Pic 2 shows the front side of the frame mount with the booger welding. This will be ground out and rewelded once he back side is done.

 

Pic 3 and 4 show where the engine belt cover tabs were broken off and rewelded.

 

Pics 5 and 6 show the side of the hood stand where the PTO clutch lever bracket mounts. We also found cracks on the very bottom on one side as well.

 

Pic 7 shows the cracks in the bottom of the tool box, you can see the stress the small mounting area puts on the metal.

 

Pic 8 shows the idler pulley and bracket. You can see how worn the small pulleys spacer is, it was cutting into the bolt. The red link shows how worn the hole where the spacer rides compared to the bare link.

 

Pic 9 shows the wear on the front axle pin, fortunately the axle had minimal wear.

 

Pic 10 shows the corrosion in the coil tower terminal.

 

The welds will be ground down smooth and then, the parts will be refinished.

Edited May 12, 2017 by Tgtack
Added pictures.

[Racinbob 10,256]

That's a lot of excellent information. Well done

[Lane Ranger 10,472]

This is a very helpful and caution light giving rundown of what a buyer or a New/Old  Wheel Horse should be considering.     As yours was 50 plus years old  (and many more of them are still out there like it)  -the list covers most of what to look for and consider when buying and or bought and repairing for continued use!

 

 

[ohiofarmer 3,156]

On the older models with the tilting seat pan.there is not much metal at the rear mounting points causing the holes to have cracks in them. I used light gauge angle iron to form a U-shape that then bolts to the top of the seat pan tower/tool box.  On the modern 3,4,500 series, the same can be said of the tower area. Even though the seat pan does not ilt in that area, the seat itself has cantilevered mount areas and mine was so cracked it nearly dumped me off he tractor because it was hanging by a thread. Mowing side ditches puts a lot of stress on this type of seat and my 520 has a lot of hours. All the blame does not belong on tractor design

 

 Some of us old guys put high backed seats on the early models of tractor for comfort When dismounting the tractor, we tend to lean on the seat back. On the tilting seat pan models, it is possible to lean back with enough force to have the seat pan latch to let go and dump you off the tractor. Either add a second latch or drill and bolt the fenders and add bolts through the top of the footrest assembly. 

i landed right on my tailbone. on a gravel driveway. I was half way up a ramp loading the Raider10 and probably dropped 4 feet. I was off work for two days.  Again another example of operator error because i moved the seat higher and to the rear.

 

 On the newer tractors, be aware that the transmission belt vibrates the idler pulley and it puts side load on the bushing. It is out of sight behind the belt guard. The transmission tunnel is made of thin metal and the bushing can cut through and rapidly create an egg shaped hole and even cut into the pulley swing arm.

Change the bushing and keep oil on it.

 

 How long has it been since you removed and cleaned the top hat bearing on the PTO engage clutch? It is a wonderful piece of engineering, but a bit of cleaning and fresh oil on the needle bearings will not hurt a thing.

[Tgtack 779]

Ohiofarmer, Thanks for sharing and adding to the list!

[wfrpalm 216]

Pics?

[Freetown Fred 9]

Ditto--thanx for that O.

[Retired Wrencher 4,874]

Tgtack  Sounds like you have it covered. You off to a good start. I have always thought that these tractors are like a book. They have a story to tell. I know it is corny.  You just don`t what you are getting till you use them. Enjoy the project.

[Tgtack 779]

1 hour ago, wfrpalm said:

Pics?

I will get some pics later today and add them in to the post.

[W9JAB 156]

[Tgtack 779]

9 hours ago, W9JAB said:

Pictures added to the original post above 

Edited May 12, 2017 by Tgtack

[Retired Wrencher 4,874]

11 hours ago, Tgtack said:

Pictures added to the original post above 

Tgtack that looks like a lot of crack metal.  It`s good you caught it now.

[JPWH 5,295]

That  has been worked very hard. Nice job on the repairs. You may want to consider beefing up the transmission mounting plate.