Leaderboard

First and foremost I would like to thank you all for your support and patience with Lola and I over the past 5 years. Through all the ups and downs. It has been a journey for sure. My customer support has been all over the place from terrible to excellent and you have always been more than kind and understanding. Thank You Now for the good News!! Due to changes in our lives and the graduation of our daughter who is now a registered nurse and gainfully employed, Lola and I can make some changes that will allow us to focus only on our Wheel Horse customers and one major client. This will allow our customer service to improve immensely. As well as allow us time to ride our bike and attend tractor shows. We will be transitioning from our shop to home over the next few months and unfortunately I am old enough to start collecting my RR pension soon. All these things will allow me to focus on the things that mean the most to me. Wheel Horse tractors and our RedSquare family of friends. Thanks again for all your encouragement and support over the years and I look forward to meeting many of you at the shows.

How about this?

Your going to have to make a snorkel like the swamp buggys use!

Had to move the new horse hauler and pull the sr out in order to get the 701 in first getting ready for the show. While she was out took her for a little cruise and it was a nice ride for sure. I also picked up a 312-8 on fFriday with fireman along with a few other goodies. Here are some pics.

Caption this: "Now where did Steve leave that stupid hammer again?" "Those drapes aren't going to hang themselves!"

Have been saving the 48" mower deck from my rebuilding of the 1054 til last, so 2 weeks ago I committed to the task. Just a casual look-see it didnt seem too bad, no rust thru with the usual seeming surface rust, coupla frozen idler pulleys, bad belts - really nothing to worry me... HAH! had I only known! Before pic I would urge anyone looking to buy, or about to buy, a used deck to consider what I ran into on this one. As noted in the pic, it was - as usual - dirty and rusty and therefore hiding many of its problems. As I disassembled it the first major find was the amount of rust found when I separated the deck support from the deck body, deep pitting and complete rust through in two places. Considering sandwiching two pieces of metal together like this and adding some 60 years, I guess it had to be - wonder it wasnt worse! Going along I would find this and that to add to the 'need to fix that' list, then as I would take an individual piece and deep clean it - wire brush/sand blast, etc - the really nasty places would start appearing, stress cracks all over the place, badly wallowed out shaft holes with the shaft equally worn. bad/worn bearings, bushing non existent some places --- etc. But, I would take one piece at a time and come up with a way to make a repair or replace and slowly it came together. Course I havent cut a blade of grass with it yet, got to get it hung under the tractor, but --- I have high hopes! On the rust thrus, after getting the scale off with a air chisel (that in itself was a chore!) and studying on it for a while, I decided that welding pieces of plate steel over the 2 places was my best - and least complicated - choice, and, it seemingly turned out pretty well. A good thing I have a nice size lathe and Bridgeport mill, I had to bring them into play several times making shafts, bushings, rods, spacers, etc. The center spindles pulley had apparently got loose and the slack had cracked split it and the shaft and I never did find a replacement for it, so the lathe saved the day again, I just made a new one. The front lift piece was totally useless, having been welded and rewelded so many times and was still cracked all over, I just took a piece of 4" channel and made a new one (see bottom pic, with the 'toothpick' blades), the rear lift bushings were either missing or wallowed out so bad - I bored them out and rebushed all 4 of them. Most of the hardware was stripped, rounded off, rusty or otherwise no good needing replacements.

I figured I'd put my mug up from the 2012 show so we know each other for the 2013 show . . . hope to see you there

Here is our all original 401. We found this tractor outside of Detroit Michigan on Craigslist from the original family. They had bought it used when it was only a few years old at the time. It was last used in a small air plane hanger to pull a small plane around by the uncle of the gentleman we bought it from. He had passed away leaving it to his daughter & husband who kept it untouched in their garage for 7 years before selling it to us. This tractor has an interesting story & was well taking care of its whole life. The last picture when we picked it up in Michigan from the original owner's son n law. We made some small changes with front wheels & all 4 tires since it didn't have the correct/original wheels on the front. We wanted it to look as original as possible, but we like the ag style tires on the rear better. Other than that it's 100% original. We plan on bringing this to the Wheel Horse Show in June, which will be our first time bringing a tractor. Can't wait!!

Today me and my dad,pulled apart my tractor the 875.. it took about 2 hours to do but we got through it...... Heres some pics of the work today...

I stuffed a KT 17 series ll in a C120 chassis.I added a 400 series fuel cell and fenders.I put on an electric actuator with correct rock shaft and relocated the battery to the factory gas tank home.Check it out.It's for grabs in classifieds and on buy/sell/trade on Fb.

Seems a little dead here, so I thought I would try to get things going....My garden has been ready to plant twice now, and then the rains come. I realize we need the rain, and God doesn't work my schedule. I am going to have to take time off to get it done. My bones are too tired anymore to do a lot when I get home, after 8 hours of installing wires,lights and radios in the trunk of an Impala police car, and then an hour of commuting.....I am thankful to have a job, to be sure, when so many are struggling. Let me check the extended weather forecast, there may be a gap in the wet weather that I can take advantage of.......

CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP....I went to my first live auction of the year it was for a 70 something year old selling his antique engine collection and it included a couple old garden tractors one being a 58/59 RJ which was my primary reason for going I bid it up to $250 and the bidding stalled and I got my number ready but another bidder jumped in and we stopped bidding at $600 needless to say I didn't get it since it got a little pricey for me, the restored 1961 Cub Cadet next to it went for $500. I did end up with a load of clinton briggs and kohler engines pictured below. Just to give you an idea of how cheap the engines were I paid $5 for the Clinton model 2500 it turns over and has compression. pictured is a briggs model y, lauson 4L, 2 k90 kohlers, clinton 2500, briggs model A Lawnboy iron horse, briggs ??, briggs model A, briggs model Y, kohler k161, briggs L1 I learned my lesson at this auction next time I will bring the trailer they had a bunch (15+) of complete antique restored and original walk behind 2 wheel tractors with attachments that were bringing from $10 to $50. I am trying to downsize my collection but going to auctions like this one won't help.

here you go.... awesome day, by the way.....

And a section for the less desirable Tractors...

If the big hammer doesn't work, use this tool! If this doesn't work, at least it will be exciting. Sorry Steve, you opened the door

I really appriate the effort of at least doing a detailed write up and pics. This will help me out with my 48" deck I just aquired.

Great job. You just can not find these decks, especially 48". You gave it an entirely new life, a whole lot of work, but now you have a 'new' deck. Congratulations !

I figured out that my problem was the rock shaft cable was on backwards and I was using a 141" belt and I need the 139" belt. As soon as it is delivered I am good to go! Just changed the tiller oil with Mobil 1 75W-140.

You guys are cracking me up. Thanks for the replies. I was thinking that this was not original, but who knows why that second pulley got there...generator?...tiller? I just do not see anything holding it on except rust. I have some brass punches that are about the same diameter. I have a wheel puller that may work...not quite like what Squonk is talking I have a pneumatic punch that I will give a short try. I have heat...and a combination of all of the above. Knowing that this is not original is worth a ton...thanks I may even have an extra input shaft to replace the one I screw up. If you guys have any more ideas, I am not going to attack this tomorrow...I have some time...again thanks.

Your deck is probably a gear driven deck. The blades on these decks turn opposite directions. The left blade turns counter clockwise, as you are sitting on the seat. The right blade will turn clockwise. Therefore you have a left and a right side blade. Are you sure that they are on their correct sides. I just noticed the picture and they appear to be on the wrong sides. If you get them on correctly and it still will not cut then you probably need to look for a slipping belt. Hope this helps. Luck to ya. Larry

Steve- I have never seen that set up before and I am with in saying it was added at some point.

They don't have to be all shiney and polished to be beautifull. They just have to be what you love! I have had some great times at tractor shows with people I had never met before and may never see again. Thanks for sharing your phone photos.

Had almost the same thing happen to me last year. I was bidding on a pristine Raider 14 with a deck and snow blower. I had all ready bought a nice snowplow with bracket for $35.00 I was the high bidder against 1 another guy at $250. Nobody else was bidding. Started to reach for my number and another guy jumps in and away we went. I stopped at $500

I can see it now, big shroud over the grass screen then a large tube straight up in the air about 6 feet to gather fresh air without clippings or leaves. Be great in an open field. Might have to worry about sucking in the occasional bird though.

When needle bearings fail and no one notices...

I can't disagree Steve but I'm not doing a complete rebuild like you did, well unless I find more wrong than I expect. I just ordered the axle rollers, one side I defiantly need, and the axle seals which one side I also defiantly need. I'm holding off on the 1533 until I see them and keeping my fingers crossed that there OK. Right now I'm more fearful that the axle shaft is damaged from running on the old hardened needle bearing race,

Martin and Steve : Thanks for posting all the photos at AJ's Garden Tractor Jamboree! Great photos and wish I could of made it up there this year. Your photos almost take you there to the event. Looks like a great time.

What Steve didn't tell you is that the 702 was connected to the trailer and it was turning the trailer wheels PUSHING THE FORD!! Also all the people with the Cutler jerseys were actually the crew hired to clean up the garbage after the show! Notice how one is just finishing emptying the blue can! :ychain:

Nice lookin' clean Horses! Raining here in Eastern PA, Horses will have to stay in the barn. I'll open the doors so they can get fresh air and enjoy the view, rain. Don't forget to dress up one of your Horses, blankets (decals) at http://www.redoyourhorse.com Oh, Simple Green for the Horses bath. :smile:

Thanks Guy's, somehow I just knew you would say "open it up" The hard/nightmare bit would be getting the hitch pin out the back,,,, I can jump up and down on the hitch and it won't budge, so I guess the pin is going to need cutting and drilling out!! Maybe I need to have a measure and see if the trans will fit in my E-tank Steve, well remembered on the video front, that was quite a few years ago, back in the days when I had energy and Garry had hair

Nice score Lars...especially the spare parts. Enjoy!!

Sounds like the Bendix on your starter is stuck in the "out" position. Try loosening the bolts that hold the starter onto the engine and see if it returns to it's home position. At that time, you should be able to rotate the engine by hand. If so, tighten the starter bolts again and try to start it in the normal way.

It was a great day...too much sun too early this year for an old guy, but the turnout was huge...I would guess 200 to 300 garden tractors. Wheel Horse may have taken the prize for the most...hard to say. I took a couple of pictures, but not as many as I should have...sorry...the heat just knocked me out. Anyway, we had about 6 RS members show up. This is a great show, many tractor games, prizes, good food, plowing and just meeting people as they walked around looking at what was there. Here is the pics. Ya, I know...the 64 Ford with the 702 on the 50's trailer...dino...mite!! SmokinJoe pulling Jordan around.. Martin made it there...not sure if this is Cory (new member) he is talking with. Martin's horses look fantastic in person...his black hood is really special. Man, Martin got some great pictures...thumbs up. I saw at least ten people there with Cutler jerseys on...DA BEARS

Looks GREAT Charlie!

Tends to eat them up? Moist grass will devour the spindles... The best you could do with the deck is send it to me, just south of Allentown, and I will put it to the test. Before testing, paint the spindle housings of course. When you need your deck, call. If no answer keep calling, someone will answer someday.

Don't really have any other nice pics of just the tractor, so I guess this will have to do. Here is my 1961 401 during a local Memorial Day parade.

There have been a lot of 5xi inquiries lately. I guess they're getting older and are finally hitting the used market in better numbers. I prefer the 5xi over the classic 520 hands down. The improvements in ride comfort, turning radius, quiet, and strength are Obviously functions of being designed in a completely different era. As far as durability, they seem to be holding up quite well. Toro carried over the Unidrive transaxle and Eaton 11 hydrostat, so they're as tough as the oldies. The frame is full-length, so they add stiffness and durability there too. From what I have seen, the engines used on the 5xi's enjoy good long term durability and reliability easily rivaling the onan. Everything on the 5xi is pretty heavy. There's really not much plastic other than the trim on the cowling/dash and...I can't think of anything else. If you're concerned about access for regular maintenance, don't be. The hood opens wide and the side panels pop right off with no tools. The three screens under the dash are removed with about 2 screws apiece (OK, they are Torx fasteners). The whole fender/footrest/seat assembly lifts right off with just a couple of screws in case you need to access something underneath. The steering linkage is easily accessed by a removable panel on the transmission hump. You can do about all of your regular maintenance with no more headaches than you're used to on the classic tractors. However, removing the blower housing from an air cooled engine (to clear out a mousenest for example) almost requires yanking the engine. I will say that the Onan 20 hp engine "seems" stronger than the 20 hp water cooled Kawasaki in the 520Lxi or the 22 hp Kohler in the 522xi. The 20 Kawasaki in the Lxi seems to be between the Onan and Kohler to me. This is empirical of course. The diesel is in a class of its own and I'd guess the lower hp tractors are obviously a bit less powerful. But you may not even notice under normal use. I've had, literally, about every model tractor Wheel Horse ever made going back all the way to the beginning. My favorite "user" tractor is, without a doubt, the 5xi series. I presently have 4 of them (520Lxi, 522xi (x2), and a 523Dxi). I've never driven a manual steer 5xi (518 or 520) so have no reference, but the power steering on the more expensive models is a delight. I'm still mixed on the "Smart Turn" steering that automatically slows the tractor in turns. It works well when mowing with the cruise control set, but is a bit frustrating when doing anything else. A lockout kit is available and is pretty cheap....like in the $50 range. Yes, attachments are much harder to find. And, since they're invariably newer, they tend to be more expensive. They're simply a more modern tractor. If you're more interested in just using the tractor rather than admiring it for simplicity and time-tested design, get the 5xi. If you prefer "classics", stick to the old tractor. But, if I were going to pick between a free 5xi (any model) and a free 520H, I'd pick the 5xi. Steve

Yep they sure do.... hard for them to understand the illness of having 15 plus garden tractors

My neighbor tells her children who then tell me that she is gonna call the cops on me she thinks my C-160 is too loud and I shouldn't be using it. Lol so I now make sure at 9 am sharp on Sundays I fire it up and cut my lawn twice!

I think my neighbors are weird because they do not have any wheel horses I am the normal one

Exactly. My 12hp '68 Raider is still runnin' on its original engine. Air cleaners, carb cleaners, oil changes, general cleaning and PB Blaster on the carb linkage. Still runs like a top, so does the tranny, mower deck too. Maintenance ahead of schedule is the key! :smile:

Like you stated, probably not worth the effort or risk of developing external oil leaks where the quart or two of oil could be quickly lost before a problem is noticed. Best defense is to just use a heavy duty 30W detergent oil, and change it frequently, like every 10-15 hours. -Mark-

Well, since I first replied to this thread back in August of 2008 the herd has grown from one tractor to four, with three working mower decks, two mid-mount grader blades, and a couple of trailers. A lot of people have houses that cover more square footage than my tiny lot at home, but I still have a lot of fun. I live close to an Ivy League college and the upper crust driving by in their Beemers or tree-hugger-mobiles do give me some awfully strange looks when I have all four tractors parked on a lawn the size of a proverbial postage stamp. I chuckle, for what they don't know is that I have an "arrangement" with a real estate developer friend (decent, honest guy) who has a very large lot just down the street from me. I keep it mowed in the summer in return for storage space in his barn and free use of a beautiful lakefront house in northern New Hampshire. So if anyone thinks I'm weird, I just remember that opinions are like rectal openings - everybody's got one! all the way to the lake! Duff

Drive your Horse to that church and keep going up the steps and right inside!

This is my 401. This is the one that got me hooked. It came with a front reel mower and a snow plow. I was going to do a full restore on it but I have decided to keep it mostly original. The engine has been rebuilt, the trans has been gone threw, and the rims have been sand blasted and repainted.

Challenger, From my understanding the D-250 had nothing Wheel Horse on it other than the color and name. All South Bend did was take the Guttbrod 2500 paint it red and label it the Wheel Horse D-250. Thats why there are a completely seperate set of attachments. They are completely propietary to the D-250 and wont work on the rest of the D series.