520-H "Anniversary Model"?

[Bahmi 4]

Goin' to look at a 520 H, supposedly a '96, that is the anniversary model. What does that mean?

 

That said, what is a 1000 hour 520 "worth"? Give me a ballpark figure, I know it depends on the 2 participants in the buy/sell scenario.

 

I never owned a WH, let alone a 520H, saw one at the famous Zagray  equipment show in Colchester, Conn. this past weekend. Saw a 520 and noticed just how cute she was.....

 

1000 hours seems a bit lofty by my standards, just sayin'....

 

Interested in what the membership might say about this particular vignette involving man and tractor.

[Racinbob 10,271]

It would be a lot easier to give you a ballpark if we knew more about the condition and what comes with it. Being an anniversary model really doesn't add any value but it's cool. Pictures would be great.

[EricF 589]

First off, !

 

1000 hours with proper preventive maintenance isn't anything to be alarmed by. Ask if your seller has any maintenance records, or can at least describe the care it's had. Even if there aren't extensive maintenance records, a seller who has most if not all of the the manuals tends to be the more meticulous sort.

 

Find out when it last had both the engine oil and transmission oil changed. Pro tip -- Ask what fluid was put in the transaxle. The correct answer is 10W-30 motor oil! Hydraulic oil or automatic transmission fluid are incorrect. (On the other hand, if it does have the wrong fluid in the transaxle, don't panic unless other things are wrong. Just change the fluid to 10W-30 after you get it home, mow with it once or otherwise work it for a day, and then change it one more time. The Eaton 1100 hydro pump and Wheel Horse Uni-Drive axle are pretty bulletproof.)

 

Look it over and check for obvious signs of abuse or poor care. Remember, if it's been working hard to earn its keep, there may be dirt and cosmetic and some mechanical wear, but abuse usually has a way of showing itself. For instance, the fuel gauge failing or reading wrong is a pretty common age-related problem. Not uncommon to see lots of oil and dirt on top of the axle. It's hard to fill the transaxle without spilling some if the person doing it was in a hurry, so spilled oil tends to attract a buildup of crud. On the other hand, the hydraulic lift running poorly, or the hydrostatic drive slipping under load are signs that some repairs might be needed. Look at the plastic fan on the hydro pump, under the right-hand rear fender in front. The fan shouldn't be chewed up or missing blades. It's vital to keep the hydro pump cool.

 

The engine might puff a little smoke when it starts, but shouldn't smoke once it's running and under load. (Although blue smoke under load may not be a major engine problem -- it's often fixed just by cleaning a neglected crankcase breather filter.) Look closely in and around the shroud on the fan side of the engine and in the fins on the PTO side as well. Make sure it's not plugged up with grass clippings and crud. Running it with junk in the cooling fins is a cause of problems with the Onan engines. They need good air flow to stay cool. It may or may not have the plastic shroud to cover the PTO and mower belts. Personally, I'm not a fan of the plastic shroud -- it's ugly and bulky-looking to me, and it tends to get in the way of airflow leaving the engine. But if it was kept, (even if it wasn't used much) then it's probably a good sign of an owner who keeps everything in order.

 

The drive motion lever (right-hand lever) sometimes won't stay in place while driving the tractor, or it might creep a little when it's supposed to be in neutral. Those aren't deal-breakers -- they're simple adjustments to make on a big cam you can see when you tilt the seat forward. But they can be signs that whoever did the maintenance was in a hurry and missed them, which means you should check the tractor over and just give it some TLC to catch any minor things before they turn into problems.

 

There's nothing especially valuable about the "Anniversary" 1996 tractors. They did get nifty decals with gold instead of silver, and a gold-colored plastic emblem on the hood instead of silver. There were plastic hubcaps with the center horse head logo in gold; they're OK but most folks usually prefer the classic chrome hubcabs, really.

 

Prices vary depending on what part of the country the tractor is in. They tend to be a little higher out East, but then, a lot of things tend to cost a little more out East... 520's in decent condition seem go anywhere from around $500 and up in my area, sometimes less if you're lucky. Attachments will add to the price, so a solid 520 with a good mower deck included will probably go for more than that. More attachments will just add more to the price on a package deal. A 520 with several good attachments, especially a two-stage snowthrower included, can get up in price. Still, you're getting a lot more machinery for your money than you will with box-store stuff. It's all relative. Good luck!

[Bahmi 4]

The 520 was used by a pair of landscapers. Young fellas tend to put the pedal to the metal. It has ample cosmetics according to the owners, but I am to see the tractor tomorrow. This analysis by EricF is valuable to me, notably so because while I'm an old wrench twirler, I've never been around WH tractors. I will look at the tractor and use these tips to help me evaluate the condition of the tractor and the condition of the cost factor to me.

 

Thanks again, EricF!

[JAinVA 4,619]

All of the previous post by EricF are spot on.I have a 416-8 that was used commercially and it seemed to be maintained at the one more job out of it level.If it was used in a commercial setting then check out the front end well.High mowing speeds and a 48" or worse a 60" deck can beat the frame mounting points for the front axle egg shaped.This leads to a wobbly front end.Dont be surprised to find liquid sealer in the tires either.They help keep the tires inflated for cheap but can be a mess to deal with if you need new rubber.A 520 with a 1000 hours on the clock is worth looking at but if used by Billy Bob to get into the lawn care business I would look at everything with a suspicious eye.Luck,JAinVA

Edited July 20, 2017 by JAinVA